The Cold Cut

The Rest- The Close Western (Link 2)

If you read a selection of the more prominent blogs- my own core selection includes PMA, Hypeful, Gorrilla Vs. Bear and Stereogum- you generally get a comprehensive list (but by no means complete) of stuff that you're probably either listening to, or should be. Sometimes we miss stuff once or twice, but another blog will happily fill you in. And very, very occasionally, the collective blogosphere misses something altogether.

One of the few bands that full under this category (in my short time blogging) are The Rest. They emailed me a couple of weeks ago, bringing themselves and their debut album 'Atlantis, Oh Our Saviour' to my attention, even including a quote which addresses the above situation:

"…a seemingly seasoned performance which may be one of the biggest indie rock sleepers from the past couple of years…considering the band's apparently overlooked status in the blogging community."- Joe Tacopino- PopMatters.com

I try to take most submissions as they come, and not get over excited. I did the opposite, after being really impressed by one of the three songs on their Myspace: 'The Close Western'. The only thing I can really compare it to is the Arcade Fire, 'Funeral' era. The vocals from Adam Bentley are truly outstanding, and actually bring on chills; they're really reminiscent of Alec Ounsworth from Clap Your Hands Say Yeah mixed with Win Butler, and the 7 piece band's sound is complex, building from the smallest of openings into a full blown instrumental accompaniment.

The band have just released their sophomore album, 'Everyone All At Once', whilst debut 'Atlantis, Oh My Saviour' can be downloaded for free on the band's Myspace (although I suggest you pay for it!). I can't recommend them enough- great band's get overlooked, but I feel as if this time around, we're in a privileged position to change that. Lend a hand.

The Joy Formidable- Austere
The Joy Formidable- Cradle

Update: I (and the band) are overwhelmed by the reaction the tracks have had. On their last few hours, they occupied the number 1 and 2 spots on the hype machine popular list. If just goes to show you- great music knows no boundaries. This band are destined for huge things, and they really deserve it. Expect to see them in the near future.

Update: Holy shit. This post has gone 'mega', for use of a better word. The two tracks I posted have literally been stuck on the front page of the Hype Machine for the whole day- also, both tracks are within the top 20 most popular, and they only got indexed 20 hours ago. Impressive! I love to see a band such as The Joy Formidable benefitting from the publicity. Listen to the tracks, spread the word, and get it to number 1.

I am very occasionally impressed by a MySpace submission. Never before, however, have I been blown away. Sure, I do an inbox round-up every now and then, and the bands I feature are generally talented. The Joy Formidable, however, impressed me so much that now is their time to take centre stage...

Hailing from London, this three piece is the kind of band which maintains my belief in British music. A year ago, the band didn't even exist, but over the last few months they have crafted a distinctive sound that excuses their 'Other/Other/Other' genre choices on MySpace. Ritzy, Rhydian (who emailed me) and Justin have yet to release anything, but are already tipped by Steve Lamacq and Tom Robinson (radio DJ) as the next big thing for their 'dream pop', the missing link between mainstream rock and indie. I was instantly hooked when they cracked out that bassline on 'Austere'- I didn't even know those kind of sounds existed anymore, and the song was recently used in an advert for Skins. Even after a year together they are already beginning to sound like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, with their penchant for distortion and falsetto backing.

The most confusing aspect is their lack of a record deal- I have a strong sense that this is down to the band rather than labels, who must be falling over themselves to get their hands on such quality.

Check out their Myspace, and make keep your eye on this band. They are destined for huge things...

I'm feeling really uninspired today- creativity is out of the question- and a couple of great bands have been literally festering in my inbox for a while now. Well, today, your time has come.

The Mission District- An interesting one, this. Canadian 6-piece The Mission District sound as if they know exactly what they're doing, and where they're going, mixing the best bits of textbook rock and pop into some infectious tunes. Their debut EP, 'Youth Games', is due any day now (March 1), and you can take it from me, its fairly impressive. For an up and coming band, the production blows most of the competition out of the water, with clean cut vocals, catchy riffs and some cool electronic effects. David Rancourt also holds a place deep in my heart for his distinctive voice, one day destined to be heard on a radio near you.

The Mission District- Heartbreaker (removed by request)

Replaced by: The Mission District- Anchor

Check out their MySpace page for more tracks and info...

The Hysterics- Another band, another distinctive voice. About halfway through 'Mostly Untitled', the band unveil 'Good Vibrations'-esque harmonies and some mature musicianship. March 4th is a date to mark in your diary, when their long awaited debut EP is finally released. They've had a hard time of it, after being picked up by V2 just as it fell apart; the album was finished though, and this time around its being released on their own label.

The Hysterics- Mostly Untitled

Hear more on thier MySpace page

The Black Hollies- Retro is the word that first comes to mind, and whilst the band might dislike the comparisons, they are unmissable. If you like Cream, Pink Floyd or other classic groups, then the Black Hollies are most likely for you. 'Paisley Pattern Ground' sounds like the 90's never happened, taking you back to your heyday (I'm a bit young for it)... They've taken the music right back to its roots, and then developed into something familiar, but fresh.

The Black Hollies- Paisley Pattern Ground

More tracks are available on the MySpace page

The LK- My favourite, and most unexpectedly awesome submission of the week was this unknown band from Malmo, Sweden. 'Private Life Of A Cat', the only track that has yet graced my ears, is a beautiful song, emanating a real sense of warmth and happiness. For a few minutes, I really felt quite warm and fuzzy, an emotion which music doesn't generally elicit in me. Under label The Kora Records, the band- a collaboration between Lindefelt and Frederik, both popular artists, I'm informed- will be releasing 'Vs. The Snow', and touring, including dates at SXSW and The Kennedy Center.

The Lk- Private Life Of A Cat

Check out their MySpace page for some more tracks

One of the things I most enjoy about the burgeoning popularity of this blog is the band submissions. A couple of months ago I started to receive a trickle of emails from up-and-coming bands, which has now developed into a proverbial torrent of emails in my inbox. Its a great feeling when people start to value your input, and unfortunately I haven't really gotten around to listening to the majority of the music that's been sent to me. A bit of time has passed, and smaller bands like Destroy Cowboy (see here) have all of a sudden become bigger, supporting Stars and Cold War Kids. Living proof that music is a rapidly changing thing. Anyway, here are a few of the tips that grabbed me:

Synthar
Silky smooth. Those were the words that came to mind when listening to Synthar's new album, 'Evenings And Weekends'. A digital composition, including contributions from musicians all around the world, this album is more of a composition than a series of separate tracks. There are a few wonderful moments- such as on '047' and 'The Robots Among Us'- where a track-to-track transmission occurs, without any indication. The latter song is blessed with a brilliant, choppy guitar riff and some old-school synths. My other recommendations would be 'Beating Drum', a rumbling bass-scape, and 'Hurricanes', which probably walks away as the best track on this album. For a debut, this is impressive stuff, and if true, its a travesty that they are still unsigned. Check out their MySpace!

Synthar- Hurricanes

Tubelord
In short, Tubelord are a bit of a crazy band. On the face of it, they don't seem that different to the dirge of other 'alternative' bands fighting for the podium finish. However, once things kick off (take 'Obstacles'), things go a bit mental. For the first time in a while, I can't quite place my finger on what makes them different, but they are most definitely alternative, stuffing discordant screaming contests and lovely harmonies into cohesive songs. Visit their MySpace here, and listen to Propeller. You won't be disappointed.

Tubelord- Obstacles (link expired...)

Nancy
Css, Bonde De Role... what more has Brazil got to offer? Nancy, that's what. It makes me shudder to mention Nancy in the same sentence as the admittedly psychotic CSS and Bonde De Role. No- Nancy are placed miles away at the other end of the spectrum. Whereas CSS/Bonde De Role play high octane songs at 1,000,000 beats per minute, Nancy are a bit more subdued, less in your face, but no less intriguing. And as much as I love Lovefoxx's lyrics ("music is my beach-house!"), I'm not sure they're a full representation of what Brazil has to offer. Head over to their MySpace and take a listen.

Spitzer
A french dance duo. You don't say? Bringing a noticeable hint of originality to this familiar premise, brothers Bregere were indie musicians by trade, but traded that in for the 'animal beats' of the techno world. The two producers (not musicians, by their own admission) are already a big hit in their native Lyon, crossing over into the blogosphere, and this attention has even found Kylie Minogue request a remix (which still hasn't seen the light of day). I can't really say it better than they themselves: 'Spitzer creates a new map without boundaries nor rules, frenetic and grandiose techno music set in between Nathan Fakes grandiloquence and the rhythmic scathing of Trentmoller'. Their first EP, 'Roller Coaster', is pretty damn good, and whilst individuality is rarity in the techno/dance genres these days, Spitzer do more than enough to keep it fresh, and keep us moving. Visit their MySpace for a few more tracks...

Spitzer- Kaspersky
+Danger
Not really a submission, but Danger is tied to Spitzer in that they're both playing live together at the Local Heroes gig in Lyon on 18th January, and they're both bloody good. Regarding the nature of this post, he isn't getting a full write up, but check out the track below and his MySpace if you're interested.

Danger- 11h30