Local artist to: United Kingdom
RIYL: Tunng, Simon & Garfunkel, Indie-pop, Folk
This quietly refreshing group from across the pond got my attention before SXSW but time was not on our side during the crazy-packed festival. However they played a sweet little set at The Sunset Tavern in Seattle a month later and on my birthday! Months later, I still haven’t put this lovely album to bed yet. Nor do I plan to anytime soon!
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Shakey GravesLocal artist to: Austin Texas
RIYL: Joe Pug, King Jim, Middle Brother
A multifaceted artist, Alejandro Rose-Garcia wrote, recorded, and produced every element of his debut release “Roll The Bones” which has received rave reviews worldwide. With its jaunty high soaring choral arrangements and twangy finger picked guitar, his recordings have a unique, psychotic, forlorn appeal that has quickly made Shakey Graves a household name from coast to coast. source
Strand of OaksLocal artist to: Philadelphia, PA
RIYL: J Tillman, Damien Jurado, Phosphorescent, folk rock
listen & like & love
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Local artist to: Los Angeles California
RIYL: Flamboyant Folk, Vaudeville Pop, Devendra Banhart, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister was one of my choices for SXSW this year. Their performance was the first show I saw of the festival and well worth the trek ten blocks to Key Bar.
HMBSMS are heading out on tour starting May 1!! Some of the dates include opening for Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. Unfortunately, there are no dates in the PNW, but I will keep my fingers crossed for the next tour. Go see this band, you won’t be sorry! Tour dates here! He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister could be the Grouplove of 2012, just sayin…
How’m I Gonna Get Back Home Tonight
Tales That I Tell
Clip I shot from SXSW 2012 …no, that’s not Zach Galifianakis
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Local artist to: Seattle Washington
RIYL: José González, Iron & Wine, indie pop, folk rock, acoustic
Often, the combination of two opposites makes for a harmony previously unknown, a sum greater than its parts. Motopony is the embodiment of this notion – a band built on a bedrock of contrasts and the gorgeous alchemy of seemingly conflicted sounds, and the feelings mapped over them. Guided by soulful machines Daniel Blue and Buddy Ross along with guitarist Brantley Cady and drummer Forrest Mauvais, there is a warm efficiency to the hard-soul/glitch-folk contained on the quartet’s self-titled debut. continued here..
calhounlocal artist to: fort worth, texas
riyl: blind pilot, pete yorn, doug burr, cataldo, alt-folk-rock
cataldolocal artist to: seattle washington
riyl: indie folk rock, ben gibbard, hey marseilles, alexander
the robot heartlocal artist to: brighton uk
riyl: tunng, low, tim and sam’s tim and the sam band, indie folk
this video makes me want to visit brighton again. such a lovely seaside town!
i just love colorful animated videos.
pretty little song that reminds me of one of my fave bands, tunng.
syd matterslocal artist to: france
riyl: midlake, the eels, french folk
syd matters is jonathan morali from somewhere in france, but you wouldn’t know it from listening to his music. listening to the track, hi life, i thought it was new music from the denton band, midlake. i like the steady progression of his albums with brotherocean being my favorite.
listen & love
the head and the heart is my current band obsession and has been for months now. it’s funny to think this time last year, they were singing in coffee shops and record stores around seattle, which is pretty cool considering they formed not too long ago, in 2009. kudos to sub pop records for snatching them up.
they are so rad, they don’t even need instruments!
ghosts
t for texas (jimmie rodgers cover)
local artist to: houston texas
riyl: americana, folk rock, indie-ish
buxton played sxsw but i wasn’t exposed to them until after i left austin. sad, i know. they’d probably be really great live. i love the song doctor and the remix is pretty cool too. love remixes. i seem to be gravitating towards americana at the moment. listening to buxton, i feel like heading down to the continental club and chillin’ out with a lone star in hand. that sounds nice.
listen & love
local artists to: chicago illinois
riyl: margot and the nuclear so and so’s, folk rock, edward sharpe and the magnetic zeros
etc: they are playing sxsw next month and are on my must see list!
the bears of blue river are friends with day jobs who that began gathering in the evenings to make silly noises in a dilapidated old apartment with wooden floors. soon they found themselves playing folk diddies dressed up with some bop about them. their roots define them as hoosiers but currently they are split between chicago, indianapolis, and muncie. they are simple folks but with one request…. share the bear! from last.fm
listen & love
local artist to: portland oregon
riyl: acoustic, folk, chick singer, jade castrinos of edward sharpe and the magnetic zeros
etc: we saw them open for horse feathers and i liked the strong female voice
luz elena mendoza is a pisces goddess who plays under the name y la bamba. based out of portland, oregon, she graces the west coast with her haunting, angelic voice. her dark, minimalistic mexican-inspired experimental folk songs engage the listener in a realm of the dreamy solitude of a very old soul.
the band’s new album, “lupon”, was released on september 28th, 2010 on portland label tender loving empire. last.fm
listen & love
exposing unsigned or lesser known bands to the masses…or to the three people that actually read this. today’s artist:
pétur ben
local artist to: reykjavík iceland
riyl: folk rock, singer-songwriter, nick cave, jeff buckley, little bits of thom yorke
etc: pleasant discovery from the reykjavik calling kexp showcase
pétur Þór benediktsson is a singer and guitar player from iceland who regularly performs his own material. he was one of the highlights at the last iceland airwaves festival, and he will be playing various festivals in other countries this year. recently, he completed the arrangement of nick cave’s score for the production of woyzeck, which debuted at the barbican center in london this month. he has also arranged music for and performed with mugison, slowblow and other icelandic artists. he is working diligently on his first solo album which is due for release this coming january. last.fm
exposing unsigned or lesser known bands to the masses…or to the three people that actually read this. today’s band:
tim and sam’s tim and the sam band
local band to: manchester uk
riyl: boats, pick a piper, glockenspiel, seaside music festivals
we stumbled upon this band playing in a cave-type venue in the gorgeous town of brighton while on our honeymoon in 2008. they have progressed into a great band and have added lyrics over the years. hope you like them as much as we do!
photo courtesy of myspace
tim and sam started their live career at manchester’s world renowned in the city festival. since then, the band have perfected their performance playing over 200 live shows, including sets at latitude, swn and the great escape festivals. all four members oft tim and sam are accomplished multi-instrumentalists, effortlessly switching between instruments such as glockenspiel, harmonium and clarinet during their live performances. tim mciver takes the lead role and constantly impresses fans with the flawless use of his acoustic guitar and loop pedals.
their live set builds to a climax with three members of the band taking to the drums and building a firework like crescendo. away from the live arena, the band’s music has been championed by many radio tastemakers including huw stephens, rob da bank, john kennedy, bethan eflyn and tom robinson (to name a few). their support has been cemented by the offering of live radio sessions on several major radio stations, playing sets on radio 1, 6music and xfm. (read more)
wackdelly 