Vampire Weekend has transformed. With their 2008 self-titled debut, Rostam Batmanglij, Ezra Koenig, Chris Tomson & Chris Baio captured the ideals of young pop fans everywhere with their witty, intellectual constructions of strong pop songs executed with a standard rock set up. Their wistful dreaming from the dorms of an ivy league university sparked interest worldwide, and has subsequently conquered the hearts of bloggers and music-lovers alike. Clearing the difficult sophomore album hurdle with Contra (released last week), they have expanded their sound with their horizons.
(Photo: Justin Broadbent)
Reworks don’t get much more vulnerable than this acoustic version of Metric’s "Front Row," swapping lo-fi grit and glammed-up feedback for breathy vocals which ride a lone, strummy march into the night.
Imagine the internet – all the insanity, all the zillions of disparate thoughts, all the ridiculous fetishes – condensed into song, and you will have an idea of The Zookeepers. Perhaps they’re among the first bunch of real Internet Bands: shaped not by the content, but its buzzing, ever-altering nature.
.jpg)
Kurt Vile made the best album of 2009. That’s not overstatement. It’s just there, plain and simple - A FACT. Childish Prodigy is an incredible piece of work, and this track - made available by the heroes at KRAAK on their Meet The Philly Elite 7" - finds common ground with that record’s quieter moments, chords lulled and coaxed into changing through a guitar plucked like a hobo harp, Kurt’s voice ringing wry and right.
Last week we felt pretty lucky to catch one of three live sets from the new indie "supergroup" The Babies! Consisting of members of Vivian Girls and Woods, The Babies have had one tune on the internet for quite some time now, but seeing them do a full nine song set we kind of fell in love with the band and their pop-punk hooks and off key harmonies. It was a really energetic and fun little set from these guys and we were hooked by the end of the first song.
Tonights post is the second of the Devil’s two part predictions of the bands and artists who will breakthrough in 2010.
In no particular order the Devil’s second set of tips for 2010 are…
Predictions of who will make it big are always liable to provide a journalist with more egg on face than Humpty Dumpty’s renologist. The history of music is littered with band’s who were destined for greatness and disappeared without leaving so much as a smudge on the window of The Music world. It’s even harder for bloggers like the Devil because, by our very nature, we deal in the obscure and the uncommercial. However I’m going to stick my neck out and predict that during the next twelve months at least one of the bands featured over the next two days will become bigger than Obama.
In no particular order the Devil’s first set of tips for 2010 are…
Another band I discovered via Better Than Sex, it’s Denver’s Hideous Men; a two piece electronic outfit who make cut-up hip-hop style instrumentation and twisted indie Gameboy beats with dainty vocals and the odd sample. BTS compared them to Salem, but it reminds me more of Nite Jewel or some weird mash-up between High Places and Dandi Wind.
Take a break from all the herky jerky artrock sounds we know and love, and check out the country genius of Caitlin Rose.
Bill Drummond is sat opposite me, stirring his tea and debating whether his new book, ‘17’ is more accessible than his last one, ‘45’. I tell him I think it is; I think it’s an addictive read that...
Dave Taylor recommends Pegasus! who were in turn recommended to Artrocker by one of you...
We have collected some truly heinous examples of recent album covers, from Empire of the Sun’s Star Wars travesty to the truly banal evil that is Razorlight’s Slipway Fire. Discretionary...
Album art in this gallery was selected based on several simple traits: strong concept, fine graphics including creative typography and general lushness. The first three of ‘The Best Record...
Placebo pictures: just in - some photos of Placebo and Brian Molko from last week’s gig at the Glasgow SECC.
Also check out the review here
A juicy set of Pulled Apart by Horses photos to enjoy with the review of their gig at Captain’s Rest in Glasgow.
Electro punkster, show girl Merrill Nisker aka Peaches promotes her latest album, I Feel Cream produced by Simian Mobile Disco’s James Ford. Peaches shared stage at KOKO on the 13th of December...
Follow us on
twitter here