I don't know if there is a post about this already and I realized that I start a lot of posts, but I find it incredibly difficult to remember all the bands that are hyped by blogs. So I thought I would start one to maybe help keep track of them. Keep this to bands who are still under the rader. For instance, Tapes n Tapes would not be included despite their obvious blog hyping.
Birdmonster The Little Ones !Forward Russia! Cold War Kids Candy Bars Envelopes Figurines Voxtrot Oh No! Oh My!
Has anyone heard any of this stuff? I've heard a few songs from each and can sincerely recommend them all. Especially The Little Ones.
Posts: 132 | Location: DC | Registered: 05 April 2006
Originally posted by Johnsofats: !Forward Russia! Voxtrot
Has anyone heard any of this stuff?
I've only heard these two from your list, Forward Russia didn't really impress me a whole lot but Voxtrot is great. I can't wait for their first full length.
I've never heard from any of those... I'll surely check around. Interesting idea to follow their "careers"! Do you know some label names they are signed with?
Other than Figurines who are on a Danish label, I'm not sure about any of their labels. I know Birdmonster is self-released and I think the Little Ones might be too.
Add Beirut to the list. Said the Grammophone and GvB had them in their best of (so far)'06
Posts: 132 | Location: DC | Registered: 05 April 2006
Voxtrot looks to be getting pretty good reviews for their two EPs. I didn't realize they were getting press beyond the blogs.
Candy Bars got reviewed in CMG today. The reviewer gave it an 84%, but the reviewer was Amir who ranks stuff notoriously high. (Case in point: Portugal: the Man - 91%? WHAT?) I've only heard 4 songs of the album which is called "On Cutting Tigers in half and Understanding Narravation." but I would have to agree. It takes some getting used to, but it's definitly pretty good.
Posts: 132 | Location: DC | Registered: 05 April 2006
Lily Allen, posted on the above post, has officially gone off the charts as far as the blogosphere (I hate that word) goes...She couldn't be getting any more hype. I don't think her album comes out until July though. At any rate, "LDN," along with Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" is probably the pop song of the year so far. For me anyway.
It's streaming at her myspace page.
Posts: 132 | Location: DC | Registered: 05 April 2006
I hate to keep updating every damn second about every little damn thing. But I have to...I made a promise to a dear old friend....and now he's gone. That's not true.
Beirut's song "Postcards from Italy" was reviewed by Pfork today. 4.5 stars. I agree. Beautiful. The album comes out next week I think. We'll see what the almighty Pfork has to say. Until then, put your pants back on and quit trying to fuck that rolling doughnut. What?
Posts: 132 | Location: DC | Registered: 05 April 2006
I've heard these. Birdmonster were just your average, typical Indie Rock. !Forward, Russia! are pretty catchy Dance Punk type stuff, but nothing too remarkable about them. Oh No! Oh My!'s S/T is easily one of the best Indie Pop albums of the year so far. Good stuff, I suggest listening to "I Love You All the Time."
I just got Beirut's Gulag Orkestar. On two listens I'd predict a "best new music" from pfork. It's not for everyone, but there are a few just brilliant songs. I think I read he's only like 19 or something too.
Posts: 132 | Location: DC | Registered: 05 April 2006
I stand humbled at the feet of the almighty Pitch. Beirut only got a 7.7 and a measly "Recommended" from them. We're going to have to agree to disagree. Although, I too, would recommend it, I would also put it on the short list of best of 2006 so there....
My theory is that they didn't want to have 4 best new musics in a week, so that had put one of them down and figured Beirut had a few more good albums in him...
Maybe not...
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Johnsofats,
Posts: 132 | Location: DC | Registered: 05 April 2006
If you haven't already, you all should check out Bound Stems. They're from Chicago, and right now, they have an EP released on Flameshovel Records. They're shopping their full-length around, as they've gotten quite a bit of interest from the bigger indie labels (V2, Vagrant (the new, trying to get cooler Vagrant), Domino, etc). They self-released their full-length from their website last spring, and it's a pretty great cd. Tons of changes, and odd song structures and time signatures...all while maintaining a big pop influence. If you haven't heard them or of them, you will.
Oh, and the last thing about Bound Stems, PFork (for those who do care) gave their EP, which is basically a teaser (and includes some cut-ups) of what's to come on their full-length, a pretty solid review. The album is exponentially better.
Birdmonster and Candy Bars were both given reviews that said they were promising albums but not phenomenal.
Figurines and Cold War Kids are opening for Tapes n Tapes in NYC two times this week (one already happened). I kicking myself for not getting tickets. Figurines got a recommended on Pfork too. Good stuff.
Oh No! Oh My! has gotten some press here and there. Pfork gave it a pretty good review. I've yet to hear it all, but the songs I heard were good.
Forward, Russia signed to...some lable...I forget. I think their debut already came out in the UK, and comes out here later this summer.
I saw Beirut with Sunset Rubdown (who was f'n amazing - if you're not sold on the album, see them live and the album takes on a whole new light) and it was really good. They had a 5 piece with Condon playing the Ukelele, a cellist, a violinist, a drummer and a guitarist. It was really good and supposedly they are adding a horn section. He's just going to get better and better.
Anothe blogger fav, SOUND Team, releases their debut this week. I've heard a few songs and it sounds good, if a bit safe. I'll still check it out though. It's streaming on AOL
Lily Allen hype continues to grow. She's incredible.
Posts: 132 | Location: DC | Registered: 05 April 2006
Some facts, or near-facts, since blogging's always in a state of flux about indie bloggers:
* Same tastes, same culture... virtually all of them. Stereogum and, of course, Fluxblog seem to set the gold standard.
* They like virtually anything that sounds bears resemblance to Neutral Milk Hotel, Pavement, the Talking Heads, Sonic Youth or really any other band full of nerdy, pasty and skinny people. The Pixies are a slight exception.
* Most of the bands hyped on indie blogs have terrible band names. I cite the original post as my example. (Birdmonster? Seriously?)
* As the lovely Sia Michel cited in NYT recently, "Tapes 'n Tapes is indie rock's latest Internet-driven mini-success story, which is no surprise. This charmingly nerdy quartet is just the kind of band a blogger loves. It makes hazily majestic, slightly experimental indie pop that honors at least two forefathers (Pavement and the Pixies)."
I'm convinced that there is a direct relation between the chances your band will get major blog hype and how horrible your band name is. Seriously, "clap your hands say yeah!", "tapes 'n tapes" and "oh no oh my"? Do these blogs just not listen to the music anymore and just pick out the worst sounding names possible?
So I forsee a future of music where every band name is absolutely horrible. I predict that the next blog-hype band will have at least 7 letters in their name, and three adjectives.
I checked out Cold War Kids and Figurines when they opened for Tapes 'n Tapes. I liked "Skeleton" but was a little dissapointed by Figurines. Cold War Kids were a nice surprise though. I never really got into their music but they were really good live.
Voxtrot's pretty good. I'm looking forward to their full album.
