Yo Man, what’s your opinion about that band, Neon Indian?

Neon Indian

Alan Palmero, who is the “Neon Indian,” is seriously talented.  As a live act though, I’m not too sure if Wilbur will demand that we follow him to their stage.  They use a lot of synths and sampled loops in their tunes and musically, I’m not sure how different their live sets have been from their recordings. On stage they play with a drummer (Jason Faries), keys/synth/vocals (Leanne Macomber) and usually a guitarist and/or bassist they pick up on tour (correct me if they’ve added a permanent member).  Alan brings a lot of energy as the frontman and many of their songs are fairly ambient in nature, so I am not saying  they need to be headbangin’ on stage, but their sound could be fuller and there could be more action in their performances.

Check out this recent clip of Neon Indian performing “Polish Girl” at the OFF Festival in Poland. There just isn’t much that is going on the stage to distinguish themselves from every other indie synth/pop band. They do travel with a full time lighting dude (Lars Larsen), but I think for Coachella they are going to have to step-up their game by adding more visuals and by bringing more energy to the stage. They could possibly add more musicians to fill out their sound.  Coachella’s the time to make a statement with their performance.  I have love for Neon Indian and am interested in seeing them but must admit they are not at the top of my list.

Watch: “Polish Girl” OFF Festival, Poland

Watch: “Should Have Taken Acid with You” @ MidPoint Indie Festival in Cincinnati

Superbowl Sunday thoughts on Sasquatch

The Washington State based festival released it’s lineup for the event in May. Modern folk is huge out of Seattle, and to no surprise the festival represents the genre well, featuring local Sub-Pop label’s The Head and the Heart and  Blitzen Trapper. You start to see recurring acts on the major festival cards, so you know who’ll be actively hitting the circuit this year. Coachella shares artists such as Bon Iver, The Head and The Heart, Childish Gambino, Feist, The Shins, Beirut, Explosions in the Sky, tUnE-yArDs, Beats Antique, Wild Flag, Nero, SBTRKT, Gary Clark Jr., Girl Talk, St. Vincent, LA Riots, Grouplove, Sheepdogs, We are Augustines, Gardens & Villa and M. Ward. 

Sasquatch does plenty to distinguish itself by including some great rising groups like folk rock group Alabama Shakes, soul-man Allen Stone, indie Unknown Mortal Orchestra, ambient-rock group The War on Drugs, electro-pop STRFKER, experimental indie group Yellow Ostrich and what will surely be a late-night, get weird act, beat-dude Beardyman. The most eye catching act on the card is Jack White, having taken some time off to record his new solo album Blunderbuss. Can’t wait to see him on tour this year.

Headliner Beck along with electronic acts such as Star Slinger, Com Truise, Tycho, Pretty Lights and up and coming Purity Ring add to the diversity of the lineup. It’s worth checking out Sasquatch’s site and sampling tracks from everyone- http://sasquatchfestival.com/lineup.

Have a great Superbowl Sunday. As a Jets fan, it’s rare I’ll say this, but LET’S GO GMEN!!

Folk/Folk Rock/Acoustic

The Head and The Heart – Dawes – Bon Iver – Feist – Andrew Bird – Laura Marling – Other Lives – honeyhoney – The Sheepdogs – Feist – Cat Power – Jeff Mangum – First Aid Kit – Lissie – Other Lives – M. Ward – Fanfarlo – The Growlers

 Folk- Rock/Acoustic Spotify Playlist (click to play):

This year’s lineup includes a range of folk based acts. Featuring one of this year’s most prolific female vocalists, Feist, along with other female-driven groups such as First Aid Kit, Cat Power and Lissie. Bon Iver comes into Coachella with a ton of notoriety after a very successful year with their self titled album.

Follow the Wilbur- Dawes

The complete antithesis to their hometown culture, this Los Angeles based band has been receiving tons of accolades for their grassroots folk rock. Their Album Nothing Is Wrong has been voted one of this year’s top albums by independent radio stations across the country land this band has been touring with the likes of Mumford and Sons and Blitzen Trapper.

Watch- When My Time Comes 

Follow the Wilbur- The Head and The Heart

The Head and The Heart, another band signed to Sub Pop Records, is one of many leading folk based bands coming from Seattle. Best seen up close and personal.

Listen To: “Down in the Valley”

Electronic Rock/Pop/Synth

Wolf Gang – M83 – AWOLNATION – Justice – Dragonette – Neon Indian – Radiohead – The Horrors – Metronomy – Wild Beasts – Miike Snow – Housse de Racket – Gardens & Villa – EMA- Destoyer

Click Here For Electronic Rock/Pop/Synth Playlist

With the ever-growing implementation of electronics into traditional rock formats and pure production from the lab, some of the genre’s most influential artists will be at this year’s event. Radiohead, one of the fathers of this brand, will headlining and goes without saying, should not be missed. It’s been a while since we’ve heard much from Miike Snow, but who won’t love a little “Animal” in the life come festival time? Neon Indian has exploded on the electronic indie scene with their fresh album Era Extrania (there’s an enye in there).

FOLLOW THE WILBUR- AWOLNATION

What initially began as a solo project from Aaron Bruno, the bands previously “struggling” frontman, the album was written as a representation of the frustration he was going through personally and through his music career. AWOLNATION has earned itself a reputation for its high-energy, original, get-your-rage-on performances. “Sail”, one of the bands hit tracks, has cracked the top 10 numerous times in the U.S. Modern Rock Charts.

Listen- “Guilty Filthy Soul”

M83

Follow the Wilbur- Justice

Not that these dudes need any introduction but their new album kicks arsenal with a heavier focus on Rock. Their DJs sets are second to none as well.

Listen- New Lands

Follow the Wilbur- M83

M83, AKA Anthony Gonzalez’s latest double-disk album Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming lived up to its hype after we got teased with the single “Midnight City.”

Listen- Raconte-Moi Une Histoire

http://soundcloud.com/icouldbeafish/moi-une-histoire

Electro Disco/Pop/Mashups

La Roux – Calvin Harris – Sebastian – The Rapture – Breakbot – Justice – Martin Solveig – Azaela Banks – The Midnight Beast – Jaqcues Lu Cont- Girl Talk

Calvin Harris, the producer most known in the US for his House tracks and collaboration with Rihanna, started out with full length, electro albums before house music took over the planet. Justice is all over the electronic category map as well. reinforcing why they should not be missed. Jacques Lu Cont is known for his remixes and Girl Talk’s mashups get the crowd going.

Click For Playlist

FOLLOW THE WILBUR- The Rapture

Leaders of the post-punk revival in the U.S., The Rapture blends rock and electronics into a disco-like mash of feet movin’ grooves.

Listen- “Sail Away:

Reggae/Afrobeat

Seun Kuti & Egypt 80 – Tim Armstrong – Jimmy Cliff

Click Here for Playlist

Unfortunately there’s only so much room for international acts this year but Coachella booked a good one with Seun Kuti and the Egypt 80. Seun is the son of Fela Kuti, the famous multi-instrumentalist Nigerian musician. Egypt 80 is the band his father used to play with.

Follow the Wilbur- Seun Kuti and the Egypt 80

Listen to “African Soldier”

TripHop/Chillwave/Ambient/BeatDriven

Flying Lotus – Amon Tobin – Sbtrkt – DJ Shadow – Modeselektor – Keep Shelly in Athens – Beats Antique – araabMUZIK – Pure Filth Sound – The Gaslamp Killer

 Click Here for Playlist

Follow the Wilbur- Amon Tobin

Known for his mind-blowing, tripped-out light shows, Amon Tobin hopefully will have full creative reign to set up his stage at Coachella.

Listen To- “Wifibon”

Watch- Amon Tobin “ISAM” Live.

Keep an Eye on– Beats Antique

A belly dancer is a permanent member of the band.  This group displays their Middle Eastern-type beats infused with horns and a live drummer and as you can see, they get into it with the crowd with tons of stage props.

Listen to- “Runaway”

Go out too hard? Here’s your First Aid Kit

First Aid Kit 

Swedish teenage sisters Joanna and Clara Söderberg give off a vibe as if they spawned from the forest dew air with a couple acoustic guitars in-hand and mystically flew onto your fire-lit campground, ready to serenade you into the night.  They began putting their talent on display in ’08 when they covered Fleet Foxes’ “Tiger Mountain Peasant Song” and quickly thereafter came out with their first EP, Drunken Trees on Swedish electronic duo The Knife‘s label, Rabid Records. They’ve since recorded two full length albums- The Big Black & The Blue (’10) and The Lion’s Roar (’12). They’ve gone on to collaborate with Jack White and Bright Eyes. These girls are just starting out and already doing big things with big people and now performing on a big stage in Coachella come April.

Listen to- “Lions Roar”

Listen to- “When I Grow Up”

Listen to- “Hard Believer”

Friday, Whattya say we Reggae?

Tim Armstrong and Jimmy Cliff

Tim Armstrong, formerly of Rancid, is and always will be, a punk-rock icon.  

Not only had he achieved widespread acclaim during his time with Rancid, but he collaborated with Rob Aston and Travis Barker (Blink 182) to form The Transplants in ’99, releasing a self-titled album in ’02. They broke up for a while but recently got back together to create a new album. Tim has contributed to tracks on Boxcar Racer albums and for Bad Religion and Good Charlotte. He’s also worked with Pink and Gwen Stefani.

Alright, so all this punk-talk, WTF is Tim doing in a reggae category?  Well, it just so happens that last year, Tim got together with reggae-master Jimmy Cliff to create an album. Their first single, “Guns of Brixton” you can listen to below. The two couldn’t come from more different backgrounds, and that’s what’s dope. In fact, before getting together in the studio, the two had never met before.

A little bit about Jimmy- He’s as old as your dad, born James Chambers in 1948. He’s the only Jamaican musician to hold the Order of Merit, which is the nation’s highest honor for achievement in the arts and sciences. He’s acted in movies- playing Ivanhoe “Ivan” Martin in The Harder They Come and also appeared in Club Paradise co-starring with Robin Williams and Peter O’Toole. He’s recorded 28 albums from 1968-2012, some of his most popular tracks include “Viet Nam”, “The Harder they Come” and “Many Rivers to Cross.” One of Jimmy’s most famous covers is Johnny Nash’s “I Can See Clearly Now.” Jimmy was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.

Listen to- “Guns of Brixton”

Listen to- “World is Upside Down”

Listen to- “Into Action”

What’s that you said? Zeds Dead?! But I talked to Zedd yesterday.

Dubstep, Brostep, You-step, I-step. We all steppin’. Whatever the F you want to call it, this multi-toned bass frizzle makes your brain buzz. We’re talkin’ the family of Skrillex, Bassnectar, Datsik, Doctor P, Flux Pavilion, Nero…to name a few. The _step is to electronic what Heavy Metal is to rock– hardcore, dawg.

Zeds Dead

Zeds Dead is two dudes from Toronto- “DC” and “Hooks.” Before they pronounced Zed’s death, they went around calling themselves Mass Productions. Their first single popped with the release of “Rudeboy” (’10). They’ve done a ton of remixing, including Blue Foundation’s “Eyes on Fire” and Dragonette’s “Volcano.”

Listen to- “Rudeboy”

Listen to- “Volcano”

 

Zedd

Zedd on the otherhand, is a 23 year old Russian-born-German electro-house/dubstep producer. WTF does that mean? Well, just think of it as slightly more melodic than pure multi-toned brain buzz. The “drops” tend to be _steppy, but similar to traditional house music, the “build” tends to be a rhythmic beat pattern of increasing pitch and tempo. In the end, it all packs a punch.

Listen:

Listen: “The Legend of Zelda Remix”

Tuesdays with WU LYF

WU- LYF

Or, “Tuesdays with the DEVIL.” WU LYF is short for World Unite Lucifer Youth Foundation. Yea, that’s right- these dudes are a bunch of devil worshippers. Cover your eyes, plug your ears and run as fast as you can back to Mommy’s house.

This Manchester, England based bunch has been flying under the radar since 2008. They refuse interviews, they won’t work with record labels and they speak in a made-up language on a lot of their tracks. They are under-cover, incognito spies from the underworld. And their tunes are dope. Describing their style as “heavy pop,” the tracks are deep, melodic, jammy and they love crash cymbals. Really not the satanic stuff you might have been expecting. Basically, like Wilbur, they are a bunch of jokesters. You can’t trust them.

BBC Radio 1’s Zane Lowe named the song “Dirt” the “Hottest Track in the World.” Their debut album Go Tell Fire To the Mountain was released in June ’11.  More info: wulyf.org. Enjoy.

Listen to- “We Bros”

Listen- “Dirt”

Listen- “Heavy Pop”

Wednesday We Rockin’ it UK Style

Glastonbury, Oxygen, Isle of Wright…pick your UK festival and these guys would be featured bands. In 2010, Kasabian won Q’s “Best Act in the World Today” award. Noel Gallagher shows to the world that his half of Oasis is alive and well. The Horrors new album Skying has reached #5 in the UK chart. They’re all worthy of being seen at Coachella. A common element between all of these groups is the prevalent use of electronics and effects into their sound.

Kasabian

In 2010, Kasabian won Q’s “Best Act in the World Today” award. The band has  4 studio albums and a number of EPs dating back to ’97- Kasabian (Self Titled) ’04, Empire ’06, West Ryder Pawper Lunatic Asylum ’09 and Velocipator! ’11. Their most recent album, Velocipator!  was produced by Dan the Automator. It is interesting to see a mainly hip-hop guy produce a rock based album but by golly it worked. West Ryder Pawper Lunatic Asylum reached #1 in the UK chart in April ’09 and won Best Album ’09 at the Q Awards. 

Debut Album (self titled) ’04 Listen to- “Club Foot”

West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylym- Listen To- Fire 

 The Horrors

3 studio Albums- Strange House(’08), Primary Colours (’09) and Skying (’11), basically, they’ve been busy. Their third album and most accolated, Skying marks a clear transition from a post-punk style to a electronic shoegaze/floaty rock.

Listen- “Still Life”

Noel Gallagher

Oasis giant shows that he can continue to innovate and create great records. High Flying Birds was released in October of ’11. Noel brought in Oasis producer Dave Sardy and keyboardist Mike Rowe and Lemon trees percussionists Jeremy Stacey and Lenny Castro. The band name was created to pay homage to Fleetwood Mac’s first album and Jefferson Airplane.

 Listen- “AKA…What a Life”

Don’t throw a Fitz and the Tantrums Tuesday, ok?

Fitz and the Tantrums

Michael Sean “Fitz” Fitzpatrick writes his songs on his piano and organ. He started playing these instruments at age THIRTY-TWO. However, it’s not to say that Fitz didn’t have a musical background- he studied vocal music and assisted the sound engineer who produced Beck, Ladytron, Flight of the Conchords and The Dandy Warhols.

But that was then, this is NOW. After writing the song “Breaking the Chains of Love,” Fitz began defining a sound classified as Soul-infused indie pop. We’re talkin’ Motown meets Maroon 5 with a chick in it (Noelle Scaggs, Vocals). The other band members are James King (Saxophone), John Wicks (drums), Ethan Phillips (bass) and Jeremy Ruzumna (keys).

If you haven’t heard their album Pickin’ Up the Pieces, do it now. Join the soul-infused indie pop movement and occupy the stage they’ll be playing at Coachella.

Listen – “Breakin’ The Chains of Love”

Watch- “Winds of Chains”

Listen- “MoneyGrabber”