Looking at the youthful faces of the Chicago-based Smith Westerns, you’d swear you went to college with them. And you might’ve been right. It’s only been a couple years since the band members were in high school, and their second album,
Dye It Blonde has already made it to the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. Their shows have been selling out everywhere, including their most recent stop in Los Angeles at The Echo, where a couple celebrity fans (Kate Bosworth and
True Blood’s Alexander Skarsgard) were spotted enjoying the music. “We played here a year ago and there were like 20 people here. So we’re doing something right,” the Smith Westerns’ frontman Cullen Omori told The Daily Beast. The band sounds almost better live than they do on the album; if that’s possible. They have a sound akin to 1960s Beatles’ tunes that make you want to bop your head and dance around.
Rolling Stone compared them to the “bittersweet emotional power of Big Star and the shimmering production values of Electric Light Orchestra” and they’ll soon make appearances at South By Southwest, Lollapalooza, and Austin City Limits.
Smith Westerns’ album,
Dye It Blonde, was released Jan.18 on Fat Possum Records.
Anna Calvi has been compared to everyone from Nina Simone to Maria Callas to
PJ Harvey. Add a post-punk gothic Siouxsie Sioux, a hint of the legendary Grace Slick, and a Telecaster guitar, and Calvi is one sexy, kick-ass, heart-wrenching rock star. This London-born, classically trained violinist is influenced, in part, by her Italian father’s musical tastes and the likes of Debussy and Ravel. PJ Harvey’s collaborator, Rob Ellis, co-produced Calvi’s self-titled debut album, which is set to be released on March 1. The album’s opening song, “Rider to the Sea,” is an eerie, yet sensual blend of flamenco and southwestern guitar, reminiscent of early 1990s Chris Isaak tracks. And when you hear the first strum of the second track, “No More Words,”
Anna Calvi’s lustful allure truly reveals itself. She’s already made fans of Nick Cave and Brian Eno, who called Calvi “
the biggest thing since Patti Smith.”
Anna Calvi's self-titled debut is set to be released on March 1 on Domino Records.
Dublin-born James Vincent McMorrow’s first album—the self-recorded,
Early in the Morning—was released in the U.S. Jan. 25 from Vagrant Records. It’s a beatific concoction of soothing vocals, haunting melodies and poetic lyrics. His folk-rock sound is all heart, and it’s likely to speak to fans of Mumford & Sons or Bon Iver, or anyone who admires truly talented singer-songwriters. Songs like “Follow You Down to the Red Oak Tree,” “From the Woods,” and “Down the Burning Ropes,” read like a William Faulkner novel; but McMorrow told The Daily Beast he draws from the works of Roald Dahl, John Steinbeck, and F. Scott Fitzgerald when writing. While McMorrow chooses not to define his lyrics,
Early in the Morning’s musical narratives include loss and solitude, desire and love, and physical, emotional, and spiritual change. At a young age, McMorrow learned to play the drums and he later learned the guitar and piano. But he didn’t begin writing songs until just four short years ago. “I knew I needed to have things worth talking about before I put pen to paper,” he explained to The Daily Beast.
James Vincent McMorrow’s album,
Early in the Morning, was released in the U.S. Jan. 25 on Vagrant Records.
Before listeners even hear the lyrical honesty and heartfelt melodies of this Los Angeles-based band, their unique and ethereal name, Olin and the Moon, draws them in. David LaBrel (not Olin) is the band’s frontman. “I never wanted to name a band after myself,” LaBrel—who looks a bit like Beck and sounds a bit like Tom Petty—told The Daily Beast. “I was checking in a kid at the airport, his name was Olin, and at that point, I was staying up late… working on music, and I just thought, Olin and the Moon.” The band’s sound—which, on most tracks, includes the emotive steel guitar—cries out a melodic alt-country rock vibe, reminiscent of Beck’s 2002 album Sea Change and Ryan Adams’ 2005 album Cold Roses. On Olin and the Moon’s latest self-released album, Footsteps, songs like “Not in Love,” and “Waking Up” reach into the depths of the soul and tug at listeners’ deepest emotions (whether they want them to or not). “It’s great to know there’s still an audience for what we do. People can actually play instruments and still sell records,” said drummer Marshall Vore. “It sounds cliché, but we just want to play to the extent that we can survive [and] create freely. That’s what we care about.”
Olin and the Moon released their self-produced album,
Footsteps, January 11, 2011.
“Imagine the White Stripes fronted by Meg, powered by a malevolent drum machine, and bred on metal and hip hop,” said
Rolling Stone, which ranked Sleigh Bells’ newest album
Treats amongst its
Albums of the Year. Aside from the fact of the media’s respect, star artists back Derek Miller (guitarist/producer) and Alexis Krauss (singer), as well. British rapper M.I.A. signed Sleigh Bells to her label N.E.E.T. Recordings and the Brooklyn-based duo recently made headlines when they teamed up to record a track with Beyoncé. Sleigh Bells have a sound like no other: a combination of heavy rock, hip-hop, electronica, and Krauss’ funky-cool vocals. Their song “Kids” has the ability to get you dancing at a club or provide a soundtrack as you slowly cruise down the highway.
GQ and
Pitchfork both called Sleigh Bells’ mellower “Rill Rill” one of the best songs of 2010. Those lucky enough to get their hands on Coachella passes will have the chance to see them perform live at the festival, kicking off their two-month U.S. tour.
Sleigh Bells released their album,
Treats, in 2010 on Mom + Pop Records and N.E.E.T. Recordings.
A vocal mix between Rihanna, Pink, and Aretha Franklin, British artist Jessica “Jessie J” Cornish is not your average 22 year old. Not only has Justin Timberlake touted her as the “
best singer in the world, right now,” but she’s penned songs for Alicia Keys, Chris Brown, and also co-wrote Miley Cyrus’ irresistible hit, “Party in the U.S.A.” Now, she’s signed worldwide to Universal Music Group. Her debut album’s title track, “Who You Are,” is so intimate that you’ll feel like you’re sitting in a room with her, one-on-one. She wrote the song at a time in her life when she felt like quitting the music industry, but it speaks to anyone who’s ever felt weighed down by the pressure to succeed at something.
Who You Are also features Jessie J’s Dr. Luke-produced U.S. debut single, “Price Tag,” a collaboration with B.o.B. Her lyrics are intelligent and seemingly well thought out; not frivolous or overwrought. So far, Jessie J’s accolades include a BRIT Critics’ Choice Award and a spot on the trend-setting
BBC Sound of 2011 list. t’s only a matter of time before her songs catch on over on this side of the pond.
Jessie J is scheduled to release her debut album,
Who You Are, April 12, 2011 on Universal/Republic Records.
Their 1950s look and hard-hitting sound prove that Mona simply exudes rock 'n' roll. At a recent Los Angeles show, the Nashville-based band’s Rebel Without a Cause style was easily distinguishable in the crowd of hipsters. “You can tell they’re rockabillies at heart,” said one showgoer. But that’s not the only reason to love them-- Mona’s performances ooze pure energy. Nick Brown, the band’s frontman, has a voice that’s smooth, yet mischievous. And his high notes are so perfect, he caused a crowd of L.A. ladies to swarm the stage, singing along to the lyrics of “Trouble on the Way” and “Listen to Your Love,” the album’s first single. The band’s drummer, Vince Gard, rocked the set and the guitar and bass sounds were raucous, yet, oddly enough, elegant. While Mona has been focusing their efforts on the U.K., they’ve recently signed to Mercury Records and will embark on a U.S. tour following their album’s release this summer.
Mona is scheduled to release their first album summer 2011 on Mercury Records.
These curiously named Kiwis from Auckland, New Zealand got the inspiration for their handle from a song by British pop/rap artist Tricky Kidd. The Naked and Famous have been compared to everyone from MGMT to Passion Pit, but one of the co-frontmen, Thom Powers, told The Daily Beast that he’d rather “avoid such musical pretenses” and instead “be listenable by anyone.” The band grew up listening to the 1990s rock sounds of Nine Inch Nails, Smashing Pumpkins and Tool, but the vibe of their debut album,
Passive Me, Aggressive You, is not all rock 'n' roll. Instead, it’s a mix of an alt-rock with a synthpop sound, fronted by a co-ed duo of male (Powers) and female (Alisa Xayalith) voices. As Xayalith put it, their lyrics tap in into the “really powerful memories and emotions,” which at the end of the day, makes it “just about the music.” And that notion seems to be appreciated—The Naked and Famous have been hailed as a band to watch in 2011 on numerous occasions, including being a part of
BBC’s Sound of 2011 list, along with Jessie J.
The Naked and Famous album,
Passive Me, Aggressive You, is scheduled to be released March 15, 2011 on Fiction Records through Universal Republic.
This London-based band is probably the most-hyped group on our list-- not only have they appeared on U.K. magazines, but they were also named an
MTV Artist to Watch 2011. The Vaccines' highly anticipated first album,
What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?, is set to be released March 14. But all the buzz leading up to their debut album may not be a good thing in the band members' eyes. “I keep hearing things like ‘Ones to Watch’ and I think someone said that we were game changers,” The Vaccines' drummer,
Pete Robinson, recently said. “It’s all very flattering, but now, rather than people deciding if they like us or not, they’re deciding whether or not we live up to their expectations.” Skeptics and fans alike are waiting ever so patiently to settle the hype debate once The Vaccines officially release their mysterious debut. But if their EP-- which includes songs like, “Post Break-Up Sex” and “Wrecking Bar (Ra Ra Ra)”-- is any indication, we should expect a Strokes-like sound.
The Vaccines’ debut album,
What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?, is set to be released on March 14 on Columbia Records.
Los Angeles-based Warpaint’s psychedelic sound is comprised by a quartet of kick-ass women. Since the 2010 release of their debut album,
The Fool, they’ve picked up so much steam that the female foursome is gearing up to play the sold-out Coachella Music Festival this April. But it all began when childhood friends Theresa Wayman, Emily Kokal, Jenny Lee Lindberg, and original member (and Hollywood actress) Shannyn Sossamon, began playing L.A. clubs in 2004. Fast forward to 2010 and swap Sossamon for current drummer, Stella Mozgawa, and they're making BBC radio playlists with their single "Shadows." Warpaint's sound shows hints of Garbage, but with the mellow vibe of Zero 7 and Portishead. “While too many indie girl groups seem content to rebuild the Wall of Sound brick by brick," wrote
Spin, "this Los Angeles quartet dedicate their hypnotic harmonies and guitars to a different cause: the House of Ian Curtis."
Warpaint's album,
The Fool, was released by Rough Trade in late October 2010.
