Marcus Foster

 

Its hardly a surprise to hear that the same label as the folk/rock indie/wailing guitar strumming force that is, Mumford and sons, has signed Foster, after a listen or too. The grizley, husky, gravel grated tones are of this newcomer evoke every emotion through his ‘broken, lost, travelling with a battered guitar’, style. What makes Forster different from repeating the same sort of sounds we’ve heard many a time before, is the range of emotions and moods he manages to encapsulate, from moody ballads, haunting rock. Each track seems to have a soul and life of its own, from upbeat trumpets, to screeching violins, electric guitars to falsetto solo’s.

Sound: Keaton Henson, Jamie N Commons, Daughter

Songs: Old Birch Tree, I was broken, I dont need to lose you to know

Album: The Last House (2012) Nameless Path (2011)

Whitest Boy Alive.

 

One half of the great ‘Kings of Convenience’, Erlend Øye, left the soft folk-whisper for a more electric sound. Its laid back ‘Indie Synth Rock’ – get your head around that one. The drumming is tight and precise, the guitar riffs repetitive and neat, the vocals still soft. Oye describes himself as the ‘singing DJ’ and I guess in a way it describes it. The songs are cyclical, slowly building and changing, with clear clarity. Its toe-tapping sparsity at its best. Oye takes electric back to its basics, soft guitar riffs rolling over a sharp baseline and precise rhythmic drums. Single notes are plucked over the gentle percussion and creates an upbeat yet temporal nature to each song.  It’s the atmospheric simplicity that captures your attention, each minute detail and progression through the tracks that is seamless and timeless.

Sound: Bonobo, The xx, Little Dragon.

Songs: Fireworks, Courage, 1517

Albums: Rules (2009) Dreams (2007)

Afterlife Parade.

 

Described as music “that beckons hearts to march” you get the feeling this Indie rock band don’t just play the core. They mix lyrics of life experience with heartfelt emotion. Their latest album, a concept of Death and Rebirth, looks at loss as a journey and some how celebratory. It isn’t mournful or sorrowful – the songs are emotive yes – yet rich, inspirational, and atmospheric. You can be close to close to tears with haunting vocals, piano accompaniment and acoustic guitar riffs and then lost in the pulsing, upbeat tempo and anthemic vocals. Either way the subliminal driving force behind each track and the echoing vocals create the sort of album you want to go for a run to, or smoke a cigarette to, to get out of your own head space and just listen. The album not only achieves a refreshing outlook on life, but a new mix of an overpopulated genre.

Sound: Arcade Fire, Foals, Mumford and Sons

Songs: Arrows Fly, Phoenix, Cincinnati.

Albums: Death and Rebirth (2012)

Peter and Bjorn.

 

They don’t seem to make them like Sweden. We had Eagle Eye Cherry, Agnes, Miike Snow, Jose Gonzales and… well yeah, Abba. But they do seem to throw out some big hitters, and one of my favourite, Peter and Bjorn. Everyone knows Young Folks, the summery tune was a Uk top 20 Hit, featured on games, adverts and the like, and even covered by the Kooks. But, since then, no one seems to have stayed a fan, and that is a terrible shame. They’re indie pop or as I heard recently, neo-psychedelia, which if I’m honest, I’m unsure what it means. I think its best to describe it as, with a beat, but trippy, 60’s and techno meets indie guitar and whistling (yes on a surprising number of tracks). So why not rediscover another foreign classic and enjoy the upbeat sometimes summery, sometimes moody beats of a band we should not have forgot.

Sound: The Smiths, Velvet Underground, Pearl and the Beard.

Songs: Young Folks, Lay it down, Second Chance

Albums: Gimme Some (2011) Living Thing (2009) Writers Block (2006)…

Pearl and the Beard.

 

It’s not hard to look at my jumper clad, thick rimmed glasses friends and go, well this isn’t a band. No they don’t all have ripped black t-shirts and studded jeans, long hair or too cool for school glamour. Having seen them live in 2011, Pearl and the beard have a way with engaging the crowd. Their music is a mix of Acoustic Upbeat harmonised vocals, I heard it described as, “Weird, but I like it” and I guess they are for traditional band lovers, or even acoustic lovers. But what makes the band so amazing,  the talent. Their voices blend perfectly, the driving backing beats to tracks has you feet tapping and nodding away, the softer melodies of their more chilled tracks, warm your ‘ineds’ with their beauty and truth. It’s hard to sum this band up truthfully, funny, engaging, sexy (yes you’d be surprised) talented… magic? Well, all and quite possibly, many many more.

Sound – Paperbird, Nate Lithgow, City and Colour

Songs – Sweetness, Voice in my Throat, Oh Death!

Albums –  Killing the Darlings (2011), God bless your weary soul, Amanda Richardson (2009)

Coconut Records.

 

Ever heard of Jason Schwartzman? Actor? If you did – know he was in a band? You’re less likely to know that to. Now when you hear an actor sings in a band, you may as well write them off, right? Lets see if Coconut records will dispel that myth. Sounding somewhere between heartfelt acoustics of  Bright eyes, to upbeat pop classics  similar to the likes of owl Owl City, they manage to pull all off. A pop mix of catchy piano tunes, acoustic croaks and images of California and the ‘west coast’. They’re sound can be that different its hard to pick a track to sum them up, best way, listen to a few tracks, one of them you’re bound to like. . If you know the film funny people and the soundtrack, you’ll know Coconut records. No? Well, I said some of my music was obscure.

Sound- Death Cab Cutie, Iglu & Hartly, Owl City

Tracks- It’s not me it’s you, Microphone, West Coast, The summer.

Albums – Nighttiming (2007), Davy (2009)

Empire of the Sun.

 

One of my favourites – Not a new sound, not something we haven’t heard before, but since when did that make something less great?  A hippy, psychedelic,  mad-costumed-clad duo from down under with nasally vocals and mantra like lyrics. They’re songs are synth-pop  bundles of summer with catchy upbeat choruses and quirky lyrics. They might be fun in the sun, lie on a beach, cruise with the roof down songs, but yet at the same time, they are dance worthy, with driving beats and get up and grab you tunes. They may be a little off centre and sometimes a little too adventurous, but you cant help but get lost in head swaying vocals and dream like sounds.

Sound – MGMT, Foster the people, Passion Pit.

Tracks  – We are the People, Walking on a dream, Half Mast, Standing on the shore.

Album – Walking on a Dream (2009)