Gone Fishin' - New bands you need to know!

Here's a bunch of bands I stumbled across yesterday. Some unsigned, some on small independent labels, all of it very very good. A fair few of these artists are gonna end up in the first '8 Bands You've Never Heard Of' article for SP's magazine. One or two are broken up or on hiatus, but that's no reason not to check them out!

Spark is a Diamond














MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/sparkisadiamond
Label: Pluto Records
Lowdown: An absolutely edible mix of sounds make this band one of my hottest tips at the moment. They take the frantic dance punk and super fuzz of the now defunct Death From Above 1979, and give it a fresh treatment with the addition of female screamo vocals.
Music like this could teach hardcore fans how to dance properly. Or maybe the Indie kids will steal this one for themselves. Get into them before either of those two things happen!


The Wonder Years













MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/thewonderyearspa
Label: No Sleep Records
Lowdown: Let me be clear, I am not enjoying the pop punk renaissance. Mainly because so many bands are getting it wrong. I know a lot of you think my band is pop punk. It's not! I'm not here to talk about my band though, so let's get back to the point. These guys are taking a similar path to Boys Night Out, and that's one reason I really like them. It's so painstakingly sincere that you can't help but feel every word and want to sing a long, even on the first listen. It's not overly polished, there's plenty of grit and, thankfully, a lack of overly auto-tuned vocals. The hooks are poppy as shit without being too generic. Oh and did I forget to mention the Moog? Yep, they've got Moog :D

Balance and Composure















MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/balanceandcomposure
Label: None (which I can't believe)
Lowdown: Talk about aptly named. There really is a beautiful balance to the music these guys have put out thus far. Just listen to the first song on their MySpace 'Alone for Now', and you'll see what I'm talking about. A wonderfully light introduction with modest yet enticing lead parts builds to a warm crescendo to introduce the chorus riff. The verse simmers down, and Jon's vocals instantly remind me of Matchbook Romance.Yet once the chorus comes through, emotion takes hold and he yells with an impassioned college boy roughness not dissimilar to Max Bemis (Say Anything). Take a look at the influences they have listed, and you'll see a recipe for great contemporary "emo". And I mean that in the truest, non-commercial, thoroughly credible and enjoyable sense of the word. Someone, anyone, sign this band!

The Black Noise Party Boys











MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/blacknoisepartyboys
Label: Hold Fast Records
Lowdown: The terms 'party hardcore' and 'party metal' have been floating around for a while now, and it seems the movement has reached its logical conclusion. Southern as fuck, this sounds like someone took Every Time I Die, marinated them in tobasco, lathered on the smokey BBQ sauce and set the grill to extra hot. One bite will potentially cause cardiac arrest, but if you survive, you're in for a treat. True to their name, the whole EP is one big party, so much so that every song title has the word 'party' in it, and all the lyrics are about, yes good guess, partying! Extra credit for the most amusing and delicious MySpace profile layout I've seen in a while.

Anything on Fire















Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/anythingonfire
Label: Forsaken Recording Co.
Lowdown: Dirty and progressive, you'll dig it if you like Fear Before, These Arms Are Snakes and the Number 12 Looks like you. It's song writing on a level that many aspire to but few achieve. It's got balls but it's also got heart, and after listening to two tracks on their MySpace profile, I'm hungry for more! The most recent bit of news I have on these guys is that their drummer died mid-last year, and since then things have been quiet. My recommendation is to grab a copy of the Dead Eyes/Anything on Fire split, as this might be the last you ever hear of them.

I Am Alaska













MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/iamalaska
Label: Attic Records/No Sleep Records
Lowdown: Some excellent progressive song writing to be found here. Not too fond of anything that might resemble a verse or chorus, I Am Alaska will give hard-ons to those who are digging on Dance Gavin Dance, Circa Survive, and Emarosa. There's plenty more to it as well, and some other comparisons off the top of my head are Fall of Troy and the Mars Volta. It's worth mentioning their album was produced by Vince Ratti (from Zolof the Rock & Roll Destroyer) who is in fact responsible for the recordings of a few of the artists I've posted about today.

Annuals
















MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/annuals
Label: Canvasback/Ace Fu/Terpsikhore Inc.
Lowdown: I didn't discover these guys yesterday but I absolutely have to give them a mention. I've never heard such well crafted, innovative, and eclectic music come out of a group of musicians who are so young. I could list many different bands as reference points for what Annuals sound like and still not do them justice. It is a truly unique blend of post rock, pop, folk, country and so much more. Their latest album 'Such Fun' explores a variety of landscapes and atmospheres, and is best enjoyed with headphones on and lights off. Principle song writer Adam Baker has surrounded himself with young virtuosos, giving audiences something of an oil painting in a world of colour photocopies. Look at me, I'm gushing! Just check it out!

Destroy Nate Allen














MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/destroynateallen
Label: Quiver Society
Lowdown: Please don't hate me for mentioning this band. I'm not trying to make this guy out to be an amazing musical act, but I do think more people should know that this movement of music exists. You've got one ageing punk rocker with an acoustic guitar, who can't play or sing particularly well. What he can do is spin a good yarn and write amusing lyrics about a variety of topics, be it personal, social, political etc. This guy then plays pretty much wherever he can, mostly loungerooms and basements, and builds a cult following because he is just so damn good spirited and a pleasure to be around. It's heart-wrenchingly endearing in a pathetic but adorable way. In my experience it's a particularly American phenomenon, and for another example check out Atom and His Package.
Nate is now joined on stage by his wife, who takes on the role of enthusiasm director, encouraging sing a longs and dancing. This is below lo-fi. It's sub-fi!

Happy listening,
Trainwreck