Okay I'm going to listen to the posted clips for every one of these bands.
The Big Pink: These guys regularly make mix CDs where the entire tracklist consists of Ride, Slowdive and MBV.
Dan Black: His video won't run but when the description consists of
Dan Black, former frontman with indie also-rans The Servant, is attracting attention as a leftfield singer-songwriter who uses samples and beats as his backdrop instead of guitars.
perhaps the content's non-functionality is a small blessing.
VV Brown: This is quite good, actually. If she took some cues from Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings and maybe made her sound a little less shiny (read: way less) then VV could really have something special here.
Empire of the Sun: Good music if it's 1986, you're desperately hoping that the year won't end and you literally reach orgasm when you hear a gated drum.
Florence & The Machine: Ah, okay. Now, here's the thing: Florence, unlike VV Brown, understands that good production and plastic production aren't necessarily the same thing. Instead, she has gone the creative route in terms of fucking up a good thing and as a result appears to
love the shit out of clowns.
FrankMuzik: Won't work but again, the description makes him sound like a twat, so no loss.
King Cudi: Catchy and dancey and poppy but just occasionally a little weird and atonal. I might look up more of this stuff later.
Lady Gaga: I didn't need to listen to this song because it's all over the radio along with the even worse "Poker Face," but if it makes a difference "Just Dance" was boring the first time I heard it and has only become more boring since. Brett, if you got your elbows out to this song, might I suggest cutting your arms off at the shoulders?
Little Boots: Her use of that weird little synth is amazing but the piano sounds so damn jarring and really has no place in the song which makes it kind of agonizing that she's decided to structure most of the song around it. Still, this is good ass-shakin' music.
La Roux: The video player won't work but the description of it actually makes me really curious this time. Either the BBC have no clue how ballsy it is to invoke Prince when describing a band or La Roux are really fucking good.
Mumford & Suns: I'm gonna have to get used to a dude with a really prominent British accent singing Americana because I get the feeling that it'll be worth it. also BANJO SOLO
Passion Pit: Sounds like a grower too, for different reasons. The problem is that a bunch of this stuff should work but just doesn't; however, the stuff that does work (like that oddly poignant zig-zagging synth line that makes up the chorus) is really remarkable.
Master Shortie: I loathe the word "rockist" but I have to grudgingly admit that music like this is part of the reason the word was coined.
White Lies: Ah yeah we have a copy of their single in the office, there's a Crystal Castles remix as the B-side. The lead singer has a rich baritone and sings brooding lyrics over dark, dance-friendly post-punk. Gonna guess they believe their own hype.
The Temper Trap: Description reads like "Australian Coldplay," and I can't get their video to work so I'm loading up their Myspace. Turns out I was wrong. They're an Australian U2. They even use The Edge's Guitar Sound
TM. Not actually bad but kind of bland.
If these bands become huge it won't be a big surprise but it will be a little disappointing.
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Topic: The BBC has anounced who they think will be the top new stars in 2009... (Read 9028 times)