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Hot New Bands for 2008
A huge list of bands to look out for in 2008! Happy listening!
Youth Movies
Words: Claire Dupree
Last year we brought the following bands to your attention, and they’ve all had a pretty good year!
1990’s / Air Traffic / The Hours / Ali Love / This Et Al / Ripchord / Switches / Shiny Toy Guns / Cold War Kids / The Wombats / The Hold Steady / The Maccabees / GoodBooks / Los Campesinos! / The Little Ones / Blood Red Shoes / The Twang / Annuals / Napoleon IIIrd / Tokyo Police Club / Jack Penate / I Was A Cub Scout / Pull Tiger Tail / Rose Kemp / The Noisettes / CSS / To My Boy / The Rumble Strips
So now for 2008! Once again I’ve taken on the arduous task of listening to (literally) hundreds of bands via the wonderful medium of t’internet, and I think there’s something here for everyone. I hope you enjoy listening to them all!
ADELE
Sounding to these ears like a cross between Kate Nash and Amy Winehouse (seriously, that’s not as bad as it sounds!), 19 year-old ADELE is tipped for big things this year. Hometown Glory (released on Jamie T’s Pacemaker Recordings label) is a paean to London – executed with beautiful piano melodies and passionate vocals rather than an annoying cockney twang. Full of rhythm, soul and identifiable themes of love and loss, ADELE’s debut album, 19, will be released on XL Records on 28th January.
Bolt Action Five
Described as ‘industropop’ Bolt Action Five are the missing link between The Rapture and Nine Inch Nails. With catchy, danceable songs and keyboard and guitar riffs that literally urge your feet to move. It’s very ‘current’ if you know what I mean – the dance-rock path has been well trodden lately, but Bolt Action Five are loud, fun and exciting nonetheless. A new single is due in February with their debut album expected in the Summer.
www.myspace.com/boltactionfive
Does It Offend You, Yeah?
One of the undisputed stars of this year’s In The City music convention, Does It Offend You, Yeah? are one of the best live acts I’ve seen in a long time. Crunchy rhythms bounce off samples galore, vocal effects and heart stopping drums producing exciting songs that will be with you long after they’ve finished. The band are releasing the We Are Rockstars single on 25th February and will head out on the NME tour, visiting Carling Academy Newcastle on 3rd February.
www.myspace.com/doesitoffendyou
A Silent Film
This Oxford quartet have had a pretty good year, they were invited to play on the BBC Introducing stage at Glastonbury; had their music soundtrack Phillip Pulman’s adaptation of The Butterfly Tattoo and released their debut EP The Projectionist to rave reviews. The band have an epic sound, with tremulous guitars, upbeat piano melodies and story-telling lyrics. They’re currently in the studio recording their debut album with Supergrass producer Sam Williams. It’s due for release in the Spring through Xtra Mile Recordings.
frYars
Londoner Ben Garrett, aka frYars, is just 18 years old, but you’d never guess it. His music is charmingly eccentric and instantly catchy at the same time. His voice sounds somewhere in between a deeper Anthony Johnston and less theatrical Neil Hannon, and the songs chirrup along peppered with handclaps, sighed backing vocals, cute keyboards and rollicking guitars. His debut EP, The Ides, was released in October and a new single is planned for February. Definitely one to watch if you’re not afraid of something that little bit different.
GlasVegas
Listen to recent single Daddy’s Gone and I defy you not to fall in love with this band. James Allan’s thick Glaswegian accent is married with chest-thumping instrumentation in a story about broken homes – it’s utterly beautiful, epic and simply heartbreaking. The quartet draw from 50s style songwriting with the sinister fuzz of Suicide and the Velvets, creating breathtaking anthems and an innate likeability.
New single It’s My Own Cheating Heart That Makes Me Cry is released in early February through Sane Man Recordings and they play the Head of Steam in Newcastle on 18th February.
Dead Kids
Punky electro dancefloor fillers Dead Kids are going to be massive this year, just one listen to recent single Fear And Fluoride will cement them in your brain forever. Thrilling guitars and keyboards vie for attention with lead singer Mike Title’s spitting vocals. They positively effervesce with energy on record, they’ll be bloody awesome live.
www.myspace.com/youaredeadkids
its a buffalo
The lack of punctuation and capital letters is entirely intentional for this Mancunian four-piece. Drawing influences from The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and The Band its a buffalo peddle joyous lo-fi anthems. Recent Akoustik Anarkhy single Broken Toys is delicately tinged with country-esque vocals and pretty guitar melodies, while Somewhere In Range’s sparkly guitars and shouted backing vocals is a simple rock ‘n’ roll delight. Expect their debut album through Manchester’s A Recordings in the first half of this year.
Joe Lean And The Jing Jang Jong
Despite having a slightly annoying name, JLATJJJ create absurdly catchy pop music. Lucio Stars Fires is reminiscent of The Maccabees’ pop perfection crossed with The Futureheads’ energetic spikey-ness, while Tough Terrible is a thrilling instrumental bursting with frantic guitar lines and excitable drums. Their new single, Lonely Bouy, is released on 4th February and they join The Cribs, Does It Offend You, Yeah? and The Ting Tings on the NME Tour, visiting the Carling Academy in Newcastle on 3rd February.
www.myspace.com/joeleanandthejingjangjong
Speck Mountain
Already voted 5th best album of 2007 in Piccadilly Records’ influential end of year round-up and doing well in their native US, Speck Mountain’s dreamy psychedelic pop is due to hit UK shores in the Spring with the release of their debut album, Summer Above, on Peace Frog. It’s languid, delicate stuff, filled with deceptively simple melodies and striking vocals from Marie-Claire Balabanian, reminiscent of Mazzy Star’s Hope Sandoval.
Alphabeat
This 12-piece Denmark band present CSS-esque high-octane pop, slightly more sugary than the current dancey rock bands and not a million miles away from a High School Reunion-style band for people who like real music. Their latest single Fantastic Six is chock full of “ohhh ohhh ohhh ohhh” harmonies, dual boy/girl vocals, exciteable guitars and keyboards and squeaking trumpets. It’s great fun, hugely enjoyable and they’re guaranteed to be a band to watch out for this year. Their debut album, Fascination, is released in February through EMI imprint Charisma.
www.myspace.com/thisisalphabeat
Arms
Arms is the solo project from Brooklyn-based Todd Goldstein – his band The Harlem Shakes are currently in the middle of an A&R scramble, but I reckon Arms is a much more enticing prospect, as did Melodic records who will be releasing his debut album early this year. The fantastic recent single, Whirring, might be familiar as it featured as one of Steve Lamacq’s singles of the week. With some beautiful songwriting, simple guitar led tunes, and possessing a voice full of cracked charm, Arms is an aural treat.
Hadouken!
Hadouken! have been on the tastemakers lips for quite some time now. They’re only a year old but have already racked up quite a few accolades including playing memorable sets at Reading and Leeds festivals, causing all-out war in the music press with every magazine claiming to have discovered them first and they’ve inspired their own range of DIY clothing! Musically it’s a mixed bag – a bit of emo, a bit of heavy guitar rock, a touch of rap/hip-hop and a fair bit of mental dance – something for everyone! The band will be touring extensively this year and will also release a new single in February, with their debut album due to drop later in the year.
Kyte
This Leicester-based five-piece craft epic and ambitious pop songs, with beautiful soaring vocals, a hushed cinematic beauty not dissimilar to Sigur Ros, and an innate sense of melody. New single Boundaries, released on 21st January, may be familiar – it recently soundtracked an advert for The Sopranos. The band have toured with Maps and The Whip and are due to release their much anticipated debut album on KIDS in February.
My Sad Captains
If melodic pop is your bag look no further than Camden-based My Sad Captains. Irresistible jangly pop songs with stunning lazy vocals and an innate catchiness, this will appeal to fans of American indie like Broken Social Scene, The Shins and Wilco. The gorgeous recent single, Bad Decisions, earned them the coveted single of the week accolade on Steve Lamacq’s show, and rightly so. The combination of boy/girl vocals, gorgeous weaving guitars and handclaps galore make the song an instant classic. Two singles are planned for the early part of this year, with White Heat releasing double A-side All Hat And No Plans/Great Expectations at the beginning of February, and Fortuna POP! releasing Good To Go in the Spring.
Sonicflyer
Southern Siberia doesn’t sound like the sort of place that would produce a band that make yearning indie pop songs, but this brother and sister duo were brought up on British guitar bands and their love of artists like The Verve shine through in their music. Coupling their Britpop influences with an intense, layered sound that recalls My Bloody Valentine or Mew, Sonicflyer are a welcome respite from the high-energy dance rock that’s flooding the airwaves right now. Releasing their debut EP, Sun In My Pocket, on Xtra Mile Recordings on 28th January, they’ll also be touring extensively this year. Keep an eye out!
The Courteeners
What’s this? A Manchester band with Arctic Monkeys/Babyshambles leanings? It may be a well-trodden path, but The Courteeners bring a twist of their own to the proceedings. Lead singer Liam Fray’s voice is charmingly erratic, their songs are frantic odes to suspicion and romance and it’s catchier than a cold. They do raucous pop exceedingly well, but songs like An Ex Is An Ex For A Reason show the band’s softer side. The band release new single, What Took You So Long?, on 14th January, and it’s the first opportunity for their rabid fanbase to discover the results of their recordings with super-producer Stephen Street, and will serve as the perfect taster for their forthcoming debut album, due in the Spring.
www.myspace.com/thecourteeners
The Teenagers
This Parisian duo recently found fame with their synth-pop ode to sexy film star Scarlett Johansson with their single of the same name. Crunchy guitar riffs combine with sugar-sweet keyboards to produce a catchy and witty little tune. The band will release a new single in February and their debut album is due for release in March through Merok records.
Those Dancing Days
Stockholm-based female five-piece Those Dancing Days are perfect for fans of 60’s girl groups, Northern Soul and Hammond-organ driven pop. Their new single, Hitten, is released on Wichita Recordings on 28th January and isn’t a million miles away from the intelligent catchy pop of the Sugarbabes, with a healthy dose of synth-laden sweetness. They’re currently busy recording their debut album and will be touring the UK in January.
www.myspace.com/thosedancingdays
Twisted Wheel
Manchester’s Twisted Wheel have been the subject of a heated A&R scrum recently and their Johnny Cash meets The Clash sound is guaranteed to propel them into the charts this year. Rabble-rousing lyrics burst with humour and cynicism, Twisted Wheel are punky and exciting with an effortless wit and a raw energy. They’re due to release their debut single early this year.
www.myspace.com/thetwistedwheel
Vampire Weekend
New Yorkers Vampire Weekend are a curious bunch. They take their name from a film that frontman Ezra Koenig wrote and trailered. On their recent single Mansard Roof they mix wacky instrumentation with decidedly reggae-esque vocals, their afro-beat, experimental pop is sure to delight fans of bizarre indie pop. They release their new single, the absurdly catchy A Punk, in February on XL Records followed by their self-titled debut on 25th February.
www.myspace.com/vampireweekend
Youth Movies
Youth Movies are one of the most interesting bands I’ve heard in a long time. Fusing an adventurous blend of math-rock with luscious synth-inflected prog pop, in frontman Andrew Mears they have a witty, angel-voiced lyricist. Their music is ridiculously full of ideas, cribbing from bands gone before and seeming to invent several new ones for the future too. They’ll be releasing their debut album, Good Nature, in March on Drowned In Sound Records. If I’m honest, Youth Movies are utterly indescribable, I implore you to listen to them, you’ll not be sorry.
Thao
Gorgeous country-tinged pop from 23 year old Thao Nguyen in the vein of Cat Power. Her band, The Get Down Stay Down, help to produce songs that simply overflow with prettiness, from the delicately strummed acoustic guitar and buoyant rhythm and brass section to the exciteable keyboards. Thao’s songs are brimming with guilt, life revelations, failed domesticity and suburban languor. Her lyrics are poignant but her melodies are perky and thoughtful. Check out her debut album, We Brave Bee Stings And All, released on 23rd January.
Johnny Flynn And The Sussex Wit
Actor, poet, artist and, more importantly, musician, Johnny Flynn received plenty of praise for his two 7” single releases on Young & Lost Club last year. His curious blend of good-time country and modern folk is enchanting and beguiling. Currently recording his debut album in Seattle with Ryan Hadlock (The Gossip, The Strokes), he’s touring the UK early this year and visits The Cluny in Newcastle on 28th January.
Low vs. Diamond
Lead singer Lucas Field has an incredible voice, like a smoky, less histrionic Matt Bellamy, and his voice lifts Low vs. Diamond’s rich sound to epic levels. String-swept, lushly arranged, synth-washed songs about love, life and everyday anxiety, Low vs. Diamond are at times simply breathtaking. They’re planning to release their debut album sometime this year, hopefully sooner than later. Basically, you need to hear this band.
Manchester Orchestra
Manchester Orchestra (who are from Atlanta, Georgia incidentally), produce anthemic, richly textured, melodic pop. Guitarist/vocalist Andy Hull’s songs are full of captivating characters, centering around loss and insecurities. It’s intelligent, thoughtful and exceptionally accomplished. I can’t recommend their album, I’m Like A Virgin Losing A Child (available now), highly enough.
www.myspace.com/manchesterorchestra
Pete & The Pirates
Reading-based Pete & The Pirates’ songs concern themselves with love in all its forms. Their debut album, Little Death, (available now on Stolen Recordings), is chock full of rip-roaring guitars, swirling synths, layered vocals and jangling basslines. If spiky rock and unabashed romanticism is your bag, you’ll love these guys. They’re touring extensively this year and visit The Cluny, Newcastle on 13th February.
www.myspace.com/peteandthepirates
Oh No Ono
Angular guitars mix with inspired electro beats, sounding not unlike something David Bowie would have rejected as a bad b-side 30 years ago (in a good way!), Oh No Ono hail from Denmark and their music is quirky and catchy. A completely different ‘dance/rock’ prospect than a lot of bands about to break this year, Oh No Ono mix every corner of electro/pop/rock music from the last 30 odd years and fuse it with their own unique twist. Their debut album, Yes, is available on 14th January through Morningside Records.
Frightened Rabbit
Glaswegian’s Frightened Rabbit peddle skewed pop songs along the lines of The Twilight Sad and, rather bizarrely, Snow Patrol. Their songs have a beautifully jarring sensibility and frontman Scott’s voice is emotive and impassioned. They veer from uplifting, layered instrumentation to minimal, breathy arrangements that leave the listener craving more. They release a new 7” single, Head Rolls Off, on 3rd March and their debut album, Midnight Organ Fight, on 14th April, both via Fat Cat Records.
www.myspace.com/frightenedrabbit
Sky Larkin
Leeds-based Sky Larkin’s lush pop songs are invitingly catchy, their recent single, Molten, is chock full of bouncy keyboard hooks and euphoric vocals. In lead singer Katie they have a frontwoman to rival any Long Blonde and their exciteable sound is guaranteed to please fans of fun electro-tinged pop. Signed to the influential Dance To The Radio label, keep an eye out for tour dates this year.
www.myspace.com/skylarkinskylarkin
Black Kids
Although Florida’s Black Kids are currently unsigned you can guarantee they’ll not stay that way for very long. One of the most talked about bands at this year’s CMJ music conference in New York their songs are full of melodic boy/girl vocals and joyous choruses. I’m Not Going To Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You brings to mind a perkier Cure and Hurricane Jane is a perfect slice of anxious pop perfection. Despite having played only a few low-key gigs in London in December, they’ve already set tongues wagging. Their debut EP, Wizard Of Ahhhs, was available to download for free from their MySpace, but someone’s obviously realised they can cash-in big time and it’s now only available to listen to. I promise you, they’re going to be massive, check them out now so you can tell your mates about them first!
It Hugs Back
Switching between joyous punk pop and delicate melancholia, Kent’s It Hugs Back are simply sublime. Recent single, Carefully (released through Too Pure), is quietly delightful, with soft guitars, bouncy beats and a hint of vulnerability. One for fans of Wilco and Bright Eyes. The band are touring extensively this year and they’re currently working on their debut album. A single is also due late February.
Sargasso Trio
Norwich-based Sargasso Trio started life as a 40-piece Samba band before realising it was far too complicated and stripped down to a threesome (oo-er!). Fusing country-folk arrangements with Emily Siddall’s soulful sweet voice, recent single Heels On Fire is bouncy and pretty. Their debut album, Burnin’ Burnin’ Burnin’, is released in February.
The Beep Seals
Aside from having the cutest name I’ve ever heard (seriously, imagine a cute little baby seal beeping! Awwww!!), The Beep Seals started life as Jim Noir’s backing band. Their sound is psychedelic, catchy and huge fun – think along the lines of The Flaming Lips – and songs like Tell Your Friends has a 60s pop glow about it that makes it impossible not to like. The band are currently working on their debut album.
Cut Off Your Hands
I’m a little wary of bands describing themselves as ‘power pop’ – it makes me think of Busted or something – but it’s a perfect description for Cut Off Your Hands. With Beach Boys-esque harmonies, absurdly bouncy rhythms and catchy choruses, Cut Off Your Hands are great fun.
www.myspace.com/cutoffyourhands
Noah And The Whale
Taking folk in its broadest sense as a starting point, Noah And The Whale are positively brimming with ideas and ambition. Their debut single, Five Years Time, is full of handclaps, jangly guitar and whistles, and so summery you can almost feel the sun on your skin! They’re releasing a new 7” single on Young & Lost Club in January and are bound to be touring a town near you soon.
www.myspace.com/noahandthewhale
You can pick up your copy of NARC from almost every music venue in the region as well as record shops, pubs and selected shops. For the full list see OUTLETS in the left panel
