bedsitter23

One of the artists that I have watched closely over the last 15 years is Matt Elliott. Pushed to describe him, I would say he certainly falls in a category of Nick Cave and Tom Waits in dramatic music, though perhaps closer to the Tinderstsicks, Piano Magic, and others who dabble in baroque pop, as well as more esoteric fare like Swans and Current 93. The atmosphere of the music comes first, and lyrics second.

Of course, Elliott has been around longer than that. He was a member of Flying Saucer Attack on their first album, before making many records as the Third Eye Foundation. 3EF was active in the 90s, and I am not knowledgeable enough to speak on them, but Elliott's run in the 21st Century as a “solo” artist is worthwhile. His best starting spot is perhaps the albums that have a theme (04's Drinking Songs, 06's Failing Songs, and 08's Howling Songs). Plus somewhere in here, I want to work in that he has an album with the fantastic title “Only Myocardial Infarcation Can Break Your Heart” (2013).

2020's Farewell to All We Know may be his best. Coincidentally, it's hard to listen to without thinking of last year's Leonard Cohen album Thanks for the Dance. Smoky, husky vocals, Spanish guitar, cello and apocalyptic folk minimalism. Of course, Elliott has charted this course long ago. In any case, this appears to be worthwhile

Even as I turn into an old fuddy duddy, I still occasionally find new music.

Lacing is a four-piece from the perhaps unlikely launching place of Chattanooga, TN with a 2019 album and a 2017 EP to their name.

Shoegaze is a term that pops up a lot, perhaps now, more than it did in it's alleged 90s heyday. I don't consider myself a huge fan of the genre, but I guess I really am.

I say this, because I am not a huge fan of the bands I associate with the genre (My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, Curve, and others). Not that I don't like them, but if I sat down and wrote my favorite 50 or even 100 bands, they would not make the cut.

I say I am in fact probably a shoegaze fan, though, having lived through it, and picking up on some of the bands who have since grown legendary in the ensuing decades, who often were ignore at the time. Favorites of mine in this category would be Chapterhouse, Kitchens of Distinction and the Telescopes, as well as some of the big names- Lush, Galaxie 500, Ride and Spiritualized.

Of course, though it's awesome that bands like Starflyer 59, Adorable, and the Drop 19s are getting their due, does Shoegaze (the word) even resemble Shoegaze (the 90s genre)? We have seen a plethora of relaunches and variations- nu-gaze, sh*tgaze, and blackgaze (a hybrid of black metal and shoegaze). I would have considered the Cocteau Twins "the" shoegaze band. Nowadays, are they even considered shoegaze? Does "shoegaze" just mean you sound like the Jesus and Mary Chain? Should we more accurately call it the "Bastard Sons of J Mascis".

Which brings us back to if it even matters. I just decide I like it or don't, and Lacing is the kind of band that has a sound I like. Shoegaze indeed, especially on the heavy side of that sound. At times, it has a punk influence (in that 90s vein of Nirvana/Pixies/Dinosaur Jr), at others, more towards atmospheric noise (like a heavier Hum), and you probably have to reference the J&M Chain in there somewhere,too. They certainly have a depth of sound. Check them out!

I am hoping to throw a few new artists in the mix this year. The system that still works best for me is curated music like playlists, or specifically for me, Indie Radio.

This struck me and I had to check him out. This record is a lot better than I expected it to be.

Furman is still fairly young (31), but he's already got about eight albums of material in either by himself or with a backing band.

Furman calls hs new record Transangelic Exodus, a "queer outlaw saga" album. That's the type of statement that might scare a lot of people off, but Furman pulls it off. It's a record that is once a collected story but great individually as songs.

Furman immediately brings to mind those artists that are one-man bedroom projects of genius (Car Seat Headrest, Beirut), but there are strong hints of the Great Three American Songwriters (Dylan, Springsteen, Reed), All weave in and out as his muses.

Allmusic compares him to the eccentric geniuses of the last few decades like Daniel Johnston and Half Japanese. They are not wrong (especially, his love for occasional noise), but I think the comparisons sell him short.

Indeed, the one name that comes up time and time again in Furman reviews is Jonathan Richman. Furman doesn't sound like Richman, but it is probably a good description. There's the strong Velvets influence, the love for the road, a certain eccentricity and neuroticism, and that nerdy voice that outsiders like Richman and Gordon Gano have. But he's not quite Richman. Maybe he's Jojo if Jojo grew up on Tom Waits and Rufus Wainwright records.

Anyway, this is one of those records that not everyone will like, but I am really, really enjoying it.

As long time readers might know, one of my all-time favorite bands is The Misfits and specifically the songs off of Legacy of Brutality, which mixed rockabilly, 50s rock, surf, punk, and metal into a hybrid that was rarely seen before. It has taken the Misfits years to get their due, and they are usually overlooked by critics, likely because they were not a major label band like the Clash, the Sex Pistols, or Black Sabbath. At this point, though, they have enough big name fans and they probably sell a million t-shirts a year.

There is a genre for everything, and there are plenty of horror punk bands who have followed, some like AFI and Alkaline Trio have had a great deal of success. Though, like many genres and influenced bands, there's not many that really move me. For me, the best "imitation" is the profanely grotesque Cancerslug (and I prefer the 2002 Alabama Bloodbath to their more recent material). I would also put a good word for the Michale Graves Misfits as a good 'Misfits influenced band', if not a proper replacement.

So add Radkey to the list. Three teenage brothers from Missouri. There are probably thousands and thousands of bands like this in the US, but people are starting to notice. It is hard to hear Dee Radke and not think of young Glenn Danzig with his tone and range. The band is pretty sharp too.

They teamed up with Ross Orton (who produced the Arctic Monkeys, MIA, the Fall, and was part of Jarvis Cocker's solo band) which was a pairing of genius. It's a clean record that would appeal to fans of both punk and Brit alt-rock. They recorded and released Dark Black Makeup last year, and now the material is getting a re-release with two added songs for more exposure as Delicious Rock Noise.

The band's lyrical content is general teenage alienation with quite a few songs about Superheroes.

Delicious Rock Noise isn't perfect, but it is noteworthy. It's a pretty solid start, and it shows a huge promise for the future as the band matures.

One of the reasons I have a blog is to promote new bands to my (ever decreasing) audience. I have been actively searching (if not blogging) in 2016. I find that I still find most of my music through DJ-created playlists (usually via Iowa Public Radio) as opposed to "modern" techniques like algorithm-based websites.

Glint is one of my favorite discoveries of the year. The brain child of New York musician Jase Blankfort.

The type of music Glint makes is probably not everyone's cup of tea here. It's synth based and more pop than rock. Some people dismiss this genre outright unless its KMFDM-style bombast.

The artist I see most mentioned in Glint articles is David Bowie. I would not have made that comparison, except that of course, Blankfort, like most artists in his style is probably a Bowie fan. There is a certain similarity to nth-generation Bowie, and the 3rd most mentioned artist in Glint reviews- TV on the Radio.

The band Glint reminds me alot of is the band that gets mentioned 2nd most often- and fuses the synth and guitar, pop and rock, new wave and Britpop- Muse. Glint reminds me of Muse in many ways- musically and in presentation- supremely confident.

Which still probably won't turn everyone here on, but for those that might like it, check out the new album Inverter. There are a couple of standout tracks, but the good news is that it is pretty solid throughout, which is a tough feat to pull off.

I haven't shared a lot of new artists here lately which is fine, but it also kind of freaks me about.

Such is life of course, and although I am not in College Radio and can't know everything, to be honest, with the internet,there's probably never been a better time to discover music than now. There are listener-driven radio stations, as well as streaming broadcasts from great tastemakers, and essentially with blogs, you have every magazine at your disposal as well as places that chronicle everything.

So i start to worry, because these days, I really need to be blown over right away or I am likely to pass on something. That is unfair, because music should have a chance to "grow", but maybe it is the nature of having all these potential stimulus, that I clam up anymore.

Or maybe it's all true. I'm old.

In any case, I try.

One new band that I am digging alot right now is San Cisco. They just released album #2 and as far as I can tell are kinda big thing in Australia.

I am not sure who they remind me of, though almost to a man, every review seems to mention Vampire Weekend. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah show up quite a bit too.

I didn't pull the VW infuence right off, though I guess I will acknowledge it. They have big pulsating guitars which drive a lot of their songs, and that is VW-like, though in some ways the pulsating guitars make me think of Franz Ferdinand's "Take Me Out", while the more 80s-type material sounds like latter Franz.

There is certainly an element of glam that informs them. I think that was a draw from me. Though it is not obviously T Rex or Bowie, but n-th generation Glam. It is more akin to bands like Tribes or Smith Westerns than anything Bolan actually recorded, but we know that's the original source.

They would fit in well with 200x-pop, especially some of the bands who came out of the UK. I have seen one reviewer say Arctic Monkeys, and though I am not sure it's completely accurate, they could probably share the stage with that band and it would not seem strange.

In any case, i am getting this out there, before they hit big. "Run" seems to be making its way up Modern Rock charts and I want to get this on here so i can tell you I heard it first. The chops are there, they're catchy as hell, and it's hard to imagine them not taking the place over by (comparative) storm.

I haven't exactly been on the spot this year with discovering new music, but I do share what I learn.

When I first heard Mystic braves (on Iowa Public radio!), they immediately reminded me of last year's discovery The Growlers. It was Nuggets influenced garage (and a touch of psychedelic) rock.

Most press I have heard about the Mystic Braves starts off asking if they are legit. Maybe it's because they're not from an Austin TX area code like the Growlers (My Growlers comparison must be pretty apt, as the Braves opened for them last year on tour). Maybe it's because they take their garage sound to a level where it's pretty radio friendly (Think of the Caesars and the moment they looked to take over the world with the song "Jerk it Out"). Maybe their look appears out of Central Casting and the album cover a 13th Floor Elevators reject.

I think the Braves are really good, and new album Desert Island is worthwhile. Garage rock can be a tricky thing, and these guys are polished in the right kind of way. Certainly, one of my favorite finds of 2014. I also found out they played live here just before I discovered them (Dang!)

Everything Everything are a much buzzed about four piece from Manchester, England.

Allmusic gives these guys a RIYL of Franz Ferdinand and Vampire Weekend. That probably is accurate though possibly misleading. They certainly fit in that same genre of the most accessible side of the indie rock pool. The band's strength is that it jumps genres, which will make you recall a few similar bands (the first that pops in my mind is TV on the Radio, but you may name others).

That said, the band I see consistently mentioned in reviews is Radiohead. I think a more accurate comparison would be one of the 'sons of Radiohead' (EE have a lot of moments that sound like Elbow, and Coldplay (and to a lesser extent, Muse) is probably more accurate than the comparison to Thom's gang.

I will temper expectations some- it's not entirely life-altering, but it is some enjoyable music.  Arc is the new album.

I am not always good at predicting such things, but I am going to go out on a limb and say 2013 will be the year of Sallie Ford.

SF&tSO are a Portland Rockabilly band that have been championed by the Avett Brothers and their new album is Untamed Beast, which you can find cheaply on Amazon.

Like ska and swing, rockabilly is surely due a resurgence, and Ford would seem to be a good choice to lead the charge. While I am not predicting she is the next Gwen Stefani (that's not her style, but who knows?), surely the band will reach the heights of acts like Goldfinger, Big Bad Voodoo daddy, and the Cherry Poppin Daddies.

How could they not?

Sallie would do well on her own, but part of the reason I like them so much is that she is backed by a great band. Similarly, the band that front person, and Ford is a memorable one. Strong, soulful, and brassy, reviewers seem to consistently go for the Amy Winehouse comparison. I get it, but I also don't get it. I don't really hear Amy, but her voice is powerful, and reminds me just a bit of Karen O.

A new year means new possibilities.

What could 2013 bring?

A collaboration between Thom Yorke and Flea?

David Bowie coming out of retirement?

A new My Blood Valentine album?

Yeah, that's crazy.

How about Willow Smith (of "Whip My Hair" and "Will Smith's daughter" fame) sampling Radiohead and becoming an indie rock darling?

Well, let's not get silly.

My first 2013 plug is for Serafina Steer, an artists championed (and on her new album, produced) by Jarvis Cocker.

I am hearing good things and the debut single off The Moth is Real is strong. (BBC review and samples of the album here).

It's folky (she rocks the harp), but I've found plenty of room for folk that has 'something interesting about it' in recent years.

Get in on it now.