BIDDING HOPEFULS: 2009
PT.1 – THE BIDDING HOPEFULS
words: Jamie Milton
Welcome stranger, to the first part in three of MFM’s guide to the forthcoming year. Here, we note down all the bands worthy of being crowed next year’s MGMT, Klaxons or whoever was huge in 2006 and we ultimately forgot about…
‘Bidding Hopefuls’ is defined by us writers as an act that deserves to earn the dollar, is doing everything right to earn the dollar but might just watch that dollar pass ‘em by. Who knows why. Record companies not having wicked amounts of cash injected into them, is probably the primary reason. You’ll have to wait a couple of weeks to get a definitive guide of that lot. But here are a few lesser-known names that deserve to be on the edge of everyone’s lips by the end of 2009.
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Opinions-splitters between major and minor press, the audacity of Boy Crisis is an off-putter if anything. Drugs and sex is how it all goes in their part, and even though they may be in the less respectable side of the increasingly talked-about Brooklyn scene, they’ll shamelessly suck the boredom out of us, no problem. They may be the ultimate A&R band to deal with the MGMT hype and have it for themselves, but you get the feeling they’ll pull it off.
Catherine A.D
Even though the majority of female solo artists that “make it” tend to have something rather unique going for them when it comes to personality, Catherine A.D might just do it the hard way. In the style of a sombre, less-twisted PJ Harvey, her stripped down acoustic dreams have eased their way into many a head over the course of the last few months and the same looks set to occur next year.
Calories
Fresh but fatal, Calories have been fortunately chucked into drool-worthy bills next to the likes of Tubelord and Johnny Foreigner in order to help them gain some much-deserved attention. Pop punk with a serious edge, they merge an eclectic range of influences to form a driven yet delicate sound, capable of expanding into pretty much anything.
1- Would you agree that there seems to be a rush towards bands likeyours as the best new bands? The likes of Tubelord, Tellison and yourself seem to be seeked an awful lot at the moment…
We’ve only been going about 6 months so we haven’t seen all that much but there’s definitely more people taking interest in smaller and more obscure bands. Maybe it’s the ipod thing people can afford be more fickle now. Or perhaps it’s all the festivals like atp and field day etc wetting peoples appetites and encouraging them to look beyond mtv. I don’t know really.
2- What’ll be your first step in 2009 when it comes to recording?
We’ve already recorded our first album and we’re working on the second now. we like to stay ahead of the game.
3- How ambitiously will you be thinking in terms of the next 12 months?
We’re on tour with Tubelord and Colour as january the 6th. We’re releasing our first album through Smalltown America early next year and we looking to write record and release our second by the end of the year. Two albums in one year is our ultimate goal (fingers crossed)
4- Your myspace influences cite some of my favourite bands; Blonde Redhead, Les Savy Fav, Animal Collective, The Shins, but they’re all very different. Can we expect a wide range of sounds coming through in any new material or perhaps a debut album?
We don’t have a set way of doing things really, we just keep it simple and work with what we have guitar/bass/drums we don’t really have pre concieved ideas of how a song is going to sound but then again i spose anything’s possible.
5- What other acts should we be looking out for next year?
I only know about Birmingham bands other than Copy haho who are from Scotland they’re great, really good live and lovely guys too. Beestung Lips from Birmingham are recording their first album which should be good, they’re kind of like an even more pumped up Jesus Lizard.
I think Gentle Friendly will be doing alot more next year they’re a pretty unique band David’s kind of regarded as a genius by me and most of my friends. Johnny foreigner are going to release another album i think. And sunset cinema club have recorded a full length but i think it’s only available in Japan at the moment.
Gentle Friendly
Finally, a modern-day-American-punk inspired treat to hail from down here in the South East England area. Most impressions of the Brooklyn giants tend to falter on first listen but the edgy No Age-esque chunks of punk ferocity are ideal to lose your head to when witnessed on the live stage. Prepare to be blown away.
Lean Horse Marathon
Psychadelic swarms of unearthly fuzz vibrations, LHR are small-talk these days but word is casually beginning to spread through their self-released ‘LP1′, available for free download on their myspace. In the midst of the uplifting atmopheric flavour lies some of the most sincere melodies you’ll ever come across. Deerhunter-circa ‘Cryptograms’ delight.
Let’s Wrestle
Part of an indie scene that’s so scarce with no names, even though Let’s Wrestle have their fair share of experience to their name thus far, they might be deemed a breath of fresh air when all indie fans find themselves looking elsewhere when the lext Little Man Tate album kills us inside. But they’re more to these guys than just the lazy tag of “indie”. Lurking inside is a whole lot of attitude through their lyrics and live shows. If anyone deserves a bit of luck…
I don’t know most of the time it feels like we are in wheelchairs and cant walk at all
- What’s the key to obtaining hype these days do you think, and does it rely an awful lot on online buzz?
hype and buzz rarely ever struck me as having anything to do with us we are interested in a career in music other than paying attention to that we do what we like and and try and be polite to our fans we don’t keep any buzz.
- Can we expect an album within the next 12 months?
yeah deffo pads it will be out hopefully early in the new year
- How ambitiously are you thinking in terms of aims for 2009?
i dont know we may find girls to marry and grow beards and then bring our wives and beards on tour with us but not into the studio with us but just carry on with what we are doing
- Are there any other names we should be keeping an eye on at the moment?
Can’t you read that in the NME??
O Children
(top picture)
Prominent drums usher in a plethora of cool; these four-piece, old-skool photography lovers have everything it takes to become the next musical hipsters but my word there is so much going on sound-wise. Tobias’ deep and moody vocals bring about thoughts of all wrong and awful in the world, in similar response to a listen to the equally twisted These New Puritans. We have something truly unique and special with these ones. On a major label and ready to take the music scene by storm. They might just be the best new band in the UK right now.
PLAY: O Children – Ezekiel’s Son
Ox. Eagle. Lion. Man
Ghostly swarms of darkness enter without knocking, a build up of atmosphere adjusts itself occasionally to have as big an impact on you as possible. But once it all shatters to give way to unconventional, waltzly full band contribution, it’s just as affecting. Old-fashioned, maddening vocals from Frederick Blood-Royale torment you and force you to feel uncomfortable. This takes some getting used to but don’t put it past yourself to fall for it.
The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart
Who’d have thought that the fuzzed grunge of My Bloody Valentine might exist as something more timeless than ever before come next year? The nostalgia-led, shamelessly dated in production music of these guys would easily go un-noticed had they not had some awesome, moving songs under their belts. Their self-titled debut is on our stereo this very second and mark my words it’ll have an impact on you.
PLAY: The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart – This Love Is Fucking Right
Plugs
DIOY,Y? side-project they may be but the first time I came across Plugs I had no idea of that and frankly they sounded like ten times the act that the aforementioned could ever be. Comparions to Hot Chip might be getting old by now but with a couple of single releases to their name already, an electro-pop album to challenge and out-do their companions must surely be on the cards.
The Temper Trap
Note these ones down as a potential hero to emerge from next year’s SXSW Texas come March. Delay-heavy muted guitar lines surround accompanying atmosphere with alleviating vocals. There’s nothing much new about this light-hearted dance-pop, clearly influenced by fellow Australians Cut Copy, but expect their name to be mentioned over and over again, merely on the basis of ‘Sweet Disposition’. Their opinion-splitting nature has been put to use by Jim Abbis in regard to a debut album due early next year. His work with the likes of Kasabian, Arctic Monkeys and Adele proves that he’s had is fair share already of being a big part of success.
Titus Andronicus
Multi-instrumentalist Americans blend enthusiasm with pulsating hooks to melt your head with jovial punk spirit. Their self-titled track will kickstart any gig. Think Broken Social Scene with less melancholy and more shamelessness, Neutral Milk Hotel with a little less historical context. The fact that they’re supporting Los Campesinos! next February says quite a lot in itself and they look set to pick up the same sort of cult support that gave their companions career a healthy start.
The Tough Alliance
Most likely to be found under an “if you like Cut Copy then…” description, the tacky Swedish pop, courtesy of Eric Berglund and Henning Fürst, seems consistently excellent on the basis of previously released EPs and albums but word’s getting round that 2009 will be their year if any will. According to reports they condone violence by swinging baseball bats onstage but as far as it goes so far, all they’re condoning is some thrilling dance-offs.
PLAY: The Tough Alliance – Neo Violence
MFM @ HYPEM
