Category Archives: Future-Favorite-Band Series

D is for Deer Tick

Posted by dannidupa in Future-Favorite-Band Series and tagged with , , , ,

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If you like: Blitzen Trapper, Modest Mouse, CCR, Tom Petty, Dawes

Then let me introduce: Deer Tick

“Half of the crowd is here for Dr. Dog, but the other half is only here for Deer Tick,” said my guy friend/music twin at a show last spring. Though unconvinced to start with, by the end of Deer Tick’s opening performance, I was more excited to go home and download their full discography then to listen to the set of Dr. Dog–my actual favorite band. Fast forward and as reflected by the obscene play count numbers, Deer Tick has been the soundtrack of the past couple of months.

John McCauley’s voice is by no standards beautiful. But it’s the only voice I want to hear rasping through the lyrics of the bands’ three albums. Reviews of Deer Tick have thrown around the vague term “alt-country,” which confuses me. (If it simply means that this is the alternative to Brad Paisley then by all means I’ll use it.) But Deer Tick is a self-proclaimed rock and roll band, and I believe it. To have been 21-years-old when making War Elephant, McCauley proves himself to be a writer and a poet, not a “young fool” with too good of a life to be singing about such angst (as Pitchfork suggests). Good thing Pitchfork wasn’t blogging in 1962: Bob Dylan wrote and recorded his first album at 21, too.

Checking out Deer Tick’s purposefully outdated website makes me like them all the more. On the site, McCauley wittily explains their name, “It’s not like we’re advocates or parasitic arachnids, I just thought it sounded cool. I’d also like to note that I had never heard of Deerhoof or Deer Hunter until it was too late. Sorry guys.”

So, as I look forward to Deer Tick’s November date in Boston, it makes me wonder if maybe I should look up the opener before I get there.

Starter Kit:

“Twenty Miles“

“Ashamed“

“Easy“

“Mange“

“Smith Hill“

Check out the rest of The Future-Favorite-band Series:

|| Intro || A || B || C|| D ||

Peace,

C Is For Coconut Records

Posted by dannidupa in Future-Favorite-Band Series and tagged with , , , ,

If you like: She & Him, Ben Kweller, Rilo Kiley

Then let me introduce: Coconut Records

“I was the drummer in a band that you’ve heard of,” sings Jason Schwartzman, and that band was Phantom Planet. After ditching this role to pursue his acting career (thankfully), Schwartzman returned to the music scene with a much more clear-cut, poppy sound than his past band ever had. In two records, he churns out tracks that can be likened to the epitome of modern indie pop—friendly, re-playable, and hummable. In another leap from Phantom Planet, Jason went from strictly drumming to playing nearly all instruments on Coconut’s “records.” It’s a sound so sunny that at first it seems suitable only for your up moods; take another listen and the lyrics reveal themselves to be the smart, ironic lyrics only a Coppola actor could write.

Starter Kit:

“Microphone”

“West Coast”

“Any Fun”

Check out the rest of The Future-Favorite-Band Series:

|| Intro || A || B || C|| D ||

Peace,

B Is For Beach House

Posted by dannidupa in Future-Favorite-Band Series and tagged with , , , , ,

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If you like: The Zombies, Grizzly Bear

Then let me introduce: Beach House

 

When it comes to music, sometimes bigger is better. Giving you the ability to get lost in sound, big music is far from the grounding nature of say an acoustic ballad or top 40 anthem music. In a genre that could only be called dream pop, Beach House’s sound combines the slow, atmospheric rhythms and haunting lyrics of French-born Victoria Legrand and Baltimore native Alex Scally. (Legrand has also lent her Nico-esque voice to Grizzly Bear’s “Two Weeks” and “Slow Life.”) Each of their three albums delivers echoing music that floats right over your head in the best sense possible. Try to stay grounded, I dare you.

Starter Kit:

“Used To Be“

“Ten Mile Stereo“

“Apple Orchard“

“Zebra“

Check out the rest of The Future-Favorite-Band Series:

|| Intro || A || B || C|| D ||

Peace,

A Is For Alexi Murdoch And A.C. Newman

Posted by dannidupa in Future-Favorite-Band Series and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

[source]

If you like: Nick Drake, Bon Iver, Ray Lamontagne, Brett Dennen

Then let me introduce: Alexi Murdoch

The forerunner of my weekend morning playlists, Alexi Murdoch may just have the most powerfully soothing voice around. London-born and Scottish and Greek bred, the singer/songwriter has been featured in The OC and Garden State and more recently on the folksy soundtrack of Away We Go. Yet despite his perfect English-accented voice and amazing songwriting, he manages to fly under the radar. Maybe popular culture already has enough adorable singer/songwriters? [John Mayer and company] Or maybe the beauty of his music is that it is best appreciated alone and un-fussed? Either way, this Brit will hopefully have a permanent place on many-a-mix of yours.

Starter Kit:

“Orange Sky”

“All My Days”

“Breathe”

If you like: Ben Folds, The Shins, Spoon, The New Pornographers

Then let me introduce: A.C. Newman

On releasing a solo album, Carl Newman, lead singer of the New Pornographers, explains, “People will say ‘Man, this sounds like the New Pornographers.  And then I think if Jeff Tweedy put out a solo record, would people go ‘This is bull****. It sounds like Wilco.’ Well, duh, of course.” Just as I would never want a Toby Leaman solo project to not sound like Dr. Dog or a Zach Schwartz album to be completely un-Rogue Wave, A.C. Newman parallels the sound of The New Pornographers perfectly. Smart lyrics and the perfect musical hook continues to be his formula to success and the indie pop I love to love.

Starter Kit:

“Miracle Drug”

“Prophets”

“Take On Me” (a-ha cover)

“On The Table”

Check out the rest of The Future-Favorite-Band Series:

|| Intro || A || B || C|| D ||

Peace,

The Future-Favorite-Band Series

Posted by dannidupa in Future-Favorite-Band Series and tagged with , ,

There’s nothing better than hearing a song for the first time and knowing that this song, this album, this band is about to be the soundtrack to your near future.  So, I present to you: The Future-Favorite-Band Series.  Once a week in alpha-order, I’ll be posting about a band: photo, why they’re awesome, songs to start with, etc. The bands will be of varying levels of popularity. In other words, don’t be offended if a band you know and love shows up on the list. Pretentious music snobs are my number one enemy and I’m not trying to be one of them. The purpose of this series is to share bands that make me extremely happy and maybe you’ll happen to find some new favorites.

Check out the rest of The Future-Favorite-Band Series:

|| Intro || A || B || C|| D ||

Peace,