Hypeful is long overdue for a Band To Watch feature and the summer heat probably has you thirsty for some up-beat, put-the-windows-down songs. Allow me to introduce you to Belaire! Familiar faces to the Austin music scene for the past couple of years, the quartet is made-up of twin sisters Cari and Christa Palazzolo and Voxtrot bandmembers Jason Chronis and Matt Simon.
After releasing their oh-so-catchy debut LP, Exploding, Impacting, last summer, there was some concern about the group’s future due to every bandmember having numerous irons in the fire. (Again, ever heard of a l’il band called Voxtrot?) The good news is that Belaire have recently reformed to get their musical project moving full-time, including focusing on the recording of a new album. In the meantime, last year’s Exploding, Impacting is a perfect summer pop album worth revisiting. It’s bursting with buoyant and colorful twee-electro-pop melodies that will put a smile on your face while outdoor temperatures escalate.
MP3s:
Belaire - “You Really Got Me Goin’”
Belaire - “Step Step Step”
Belaire - “Haunted Castle”
Belaire - “RIP”
The great Johnny Cash once said, “When I think about country music, I think about America.” It’s hard to disagree with the Man in Black, but Hypeful is rethinking his words after listening to Friends of the Stars‘ new album Lighting and Electrical. Sure the band has some folk-leanings, but they also nail a genuine country sound so well that Hypeful was incredulous that the alt-country/folk trio actually hails from Birmingham, England. Perhaps their American country counterparts should take notice - FOTS’s new album features alternating female and male vocals. “Old Souls” and “Dragonfly” are two clear standout tracks, although their new disc is packed with the kind of authentically sad, lovely, and whiskey-drenched tunes that are tragically absent from the modern country FM dial.
MP3s:
Friends of the Stars - “Old Souls”
Friends of the Stars - “Dragonfly”
After releasing their debut LP I Am Haunted, I Am Alive in 2005, Cheyenne quickly began gathering attention from their home base in Norman, Oklahoma. However, the following year brought big changes to the band: a relocation to Brooklyn, a solidified lineup, and naturally, a new group of songs. Building on their debut album (and the subsequent The Land Rush EP), Cheyenne is out to use past difficulties – relocation, lineup changes, freak weather delaying cross-country recording – as fuel for their brand new album The Whale due out December 8.
Having listened to a solid chunk of The Whale, it’s safe to say Cheyenne has raised the bar for themselves and crafted a collection of solid pop rock songs. Their rolling tunes are filled with down home harmonies and tinged by upbeat accents like handclaps(!), prancing piano, and shimmery sleigh bells. It’s difficult to believe that this band is currently unsigned - The Whale is a very positive indicator of Cheyenne’s talents and promising future.
While Hypeful offered you tips for surviving ACL yesterday, I thought I would share some more general tips to festival survival from Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips. As a man of the people, Coyne knows what concertgoers face at big music festivals - events that are both the best and worst things for music fans. Bend an ear and gain some sage advice from someone who knows the ins and outs of summer music festivals.
Following yesterday’s selection of The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir as a band to watch, it seems appropriate to also highlight Brighton, MA. After singer/songwriter Matthew Kerstein made the decision to leave The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir, he effectively formed the new band Brighton, MA. Comprised of five members, the band’s name is a reference to the town Kerstein was born in and is as much a general statement about nostalgia and “going home again” as it is an actual location. Combining rustic vocals and honest lyrics, their music delivers exactly that kind of nostalgic backporch perspective without being overly sentimental.
MP3s:
Brighton, MA - “Bet You Never Thought”
Brighton, MA - “Good Kind Of Crazy”
As if opening up for Arcade Fire and Spoon wasn’t enough of a reason to make The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir a band to watch, you can also add praise from Ira Glass, Wayne Coyne, and now Hypeful to their musical resume. Consisting of five core members, SYGC is described as a free-spirited collective of over 50 musical visionaries (take that Polyphonic Spree!). The group turns out short and sweet chamber pop comparable to Belle & Sebastian - and they’re just as infectious. After signing a deal with Bloodshot Records, The Choir will be releasing their self-titled second album on October 23 and undoubtedly receiving heaps of attention.
MP3s:
The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir - “Aspidestra”
The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir - “I Never Thought I Could Feel This Way For A Boy”
If the above photo doesn’t give you an idea of what Beatles era is often associated with the Seattle band Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground, then perhaps you should give their track “Hey Momma” a spin. When the song begins with confessions of being a “selfish bastard”, one may not anticipate the surprisingly fun trip ahead filled with pleasant vocal harmonies, whimsical pop orchestration, and (oh yeah!) handclaps.
Recently making their TV debut on “Last Call with Carson Daly”, KK&HWU proved themselves more than capable of skillfully translating their lush sound to live performances. KK&HWU are prepping for their upcoming full length album, having previously released a cassette-only(!) EP and live DVD/CD double-disc.
MP3:
Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground - “Hey Momma”
VIDEO:
Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground - “Hey Momma”
Listening to Los Campesinos!, one suspects a crazy party could break out at any moment like a scene from some lost 80’s flick. In their song “It Started With A Mixx”, seven-piece Los Campesinos! seem to self-reference their sound with the well-stated lyric, “Trying to find the perfect match between pretentious and pop.” Thankfully, the Welsh band skillfully puts their music where their mouths are and delivers songs that straddle the line between twee and something more dangerous.
Alternating between raucous male and euphonic female vocals, LC! (as they’re known in some circles) have been compared to Art Brut, The Futureheads, and Broken Social Scene. At once manic and controlled, “We Throw Parties, You Throw Knives” is a two and a half minute blast that delivers precisely what the title promises. By comparison, the densely layered “You! Me! Dancing!” clocks in at over six minutes and demonstrates LC! are more than capable of writing a lengthier track that never overextends its welcome. Check out these tracks and prepare yourself for spontaneous shindigs to breakout!
MP3:
Los Campesinos! - “We Throw Parties, You Throw Knives”
Los Campesinos! - “You! Me! Dancing!”
VIDEO:
“We Throw Parties, You Throw Knives”
Responsible for both helping to form the indie pop girl group The Pipettes and serving as their principal songwriter, Monster Bobby is also the guitarist for their all-boy back-up group The Cassettes. As a solo artist, Monster Bobby mixes electronic samples, offbeat songwriting and avant-garde intellectual influences for a decidedly different sound from the upbeat Pipettes.
The involvement of Ryan Morey (responsible for mastering Arcade Fire’s Funeral) on Monster Bobby’s debut full-length, Gaps, is a good reason to get excited. Another reason would be “The Closest Experience to That of Being With You Is the Experience of Taking Drugs”, which showcases his talent for solid songcrafting in a compact electronic-infused track.
MP3: Monster Bobby - “The Closest Experience to That of Being With You Is the Experience of Taking Drugs”
UK bands with big buzz are right up there with death and taxes. Luckily, they’re a lot more frequent and the hype surrounding them quite often pay offs. Like Arctic Monkeys before them, Cajun Dance Party is the most recent band of youngsters (their oldest member is 17!) from across the pond to generate high levels of excitement based entirely on demos and live performances.
Their name accurately reflects their nu-pop sound, which was described by The Sunday Times as “liable to make confirmed grouches dance like loons.” The five-piece are so catchy, they’ve even managed to score Thom Yorke’s approval and a deal with XL Recordings. CDP’s debut single “The Next Untouchable” was Single of the Week in both NME & The Guardian and their second single will be out later this summer.
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MP3s are for sampling purposes only. If you like what you hear, please support the artist by buying albums, attending shows, and spreading the word about them. If you have a complaint about a track's ownership, please contact Hypeful and I will remove it immediately. You may also contact me about artists, albums, etc. you would like to see featured on Hypeful.
