Unknown and Unheard: Brendan Benson

Ezra Furman - Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde - The Year of No Returning (2012)

- Debut solo album.

- 3 album albums with The Harpoons and numerous Best of the U & U selections!

- One of the most talented and refreshing artists going.

- Playing SXSW 2012

Official Site : MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine : DayTrotter

Jack White - Love Interruption - Blunderbuss (2012)

- Debut solo album

- First release since he announced the end of the White Stripes.

Craig Finn – When No One's Watching – Clear Heart Full Eyes (2012)

- Opening track on The Hold Steady’s Craig Finn’s solo debut.

- This seems to have a looser feel than most of what you get from the Hold Steady.

Awesome New Republic (ANR) - The Endless Field of Mercury - Stay Kids (2010)

- Debut full length

- Huge driving pop anthem.

- SXSW 2012

The Brute Chorus - Heaven - How the Caged Bird Sings (2010)

- 2nd album.

- Slightly raucous blues/folk UK band

- SXSW 2012

1, 2, 3 - Little Cure - New Heaven (2011)

- Forthcoming debut.

- Latest hard-to-google band!

- Jangily and Fuzzy rock.

- SXSW 2012.

Aunt Martha - Bloodshot - Bloodshot EP (2011)

- Download their latest EP for free on their site!

- SXSW 2012

First Aid Kit - Emmylou - The Lion's Roar (2011)

- 2nd full length.

- Swedish folk outfit.

- They also have one EP out and a DayTrotter session well worth your time.

MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine : DayTrotter

Shearwater – Animal Life - Animal Joy (2012)

- 7th album

- 6th album, Golden Archipelago was out in Feb of 2010

- they pack so much intensity in their songs. No one sounds quite like them.

- Austin band with ties to Okkervil River

- Almost a voice you’d expect at the opera

- Palo Santo is their best album.

- SXSW 2012

Band of Skulls - Sweet Sour - Sweet Sour (2012)

- 2^nd album

- UK alt-rock band that makes me think of JEFF the Brotherhood.

- SXSW 2012

Brendan Benson - Good To Me - Lapalco (2002)

- 5^th solo album

- Just released first single from his forthcoming new album, What Kind of World.

- Co-leader of the Raconteurs with Jack White.

- Polished power pop rock style, though this one’s more of a ballad.

- SXSW 2012

The Strange Boys – Who More Fitted Or Right – Son of Sambol (2012)

- Tour only release.

- Live Music, their latest and 3rd full length was out in 2011

- debut full length was The Strange Boys & Girls Club out in 2009)

- in the same vein as the Black Lips… lo-fi mash-up of 60’s/70’s rock, old r&b and punk.

- SXSW 2012

Allah-Las - Long Journey – Catamaran/Long Journey Single (2011)

- Debut Single.

- SXSW 2012.

Official Site : HypeMachine

Bare Wires - Cheap Perfume - Cheap Perfume (2012)

- 3rd album.

- T. Rex styled, fuzzy, rolling, raunchy 70’s rock.

- SXSW 2012

facebook : HypeMachine

The Black Belles - Lies - What Can I Do? Single (2011)

- Dark/noir style blues rock from the all-female Third Man Records' group.

- SXSW 2012

Official Site : HypeMachine

Bowerbirds – In The Yard - The Clearing (2012)

- 4th album

- Primarily Phil Moore and Beth Tacular

Delta Spirit – California - Delta Spirit (2012)

- Forthcoming 3rd album. Out in March.

- Just warmed the waters with two simultaneously released free EPs. The Waits Room EP and I Think I've Found It EP.

- debut album was 'Ode To Sunshine' and it exploded in 2008.

- I admit to not being totally sold on these guys, but I've come around on them.

- If you get into the Cold War Kids or the Strokes you should like this band.

- SXSW 2012

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

The Unknown and Unheard Show 266!

First Aid Kit - Blue - The Lion's Roar (2011)

- 2nd full length.

- Swedish folk outfit.

- They also have one EP out and a DayTrotter session well worth your time.

MySpace : Amazon : HypeMachine : DayTrotter

M. Ward – Rave On – Hold Time (2009)

- 6th album and a 2009 Best of the U & U selection.

M. Ward - Magic Trick - Post-War (2006)

- 5^th album

- Also in the Monsters of Folk with Jim James and Conor Oberst.

- a 2012 SXSW headliner.

Lucero - Sometimes - Women & Work (2012)

- New album due out in March!

- Ben Nichols, lead singer, has been working on solo stuff since this came out.

- Best bar rock band going!

Official Site : Myspace : Amazon : HypeMachine

Craig Finn – Apollo Bay – Clear Heart Full Eyes (2012)

- Opening track on The Hold Steady’s Craig Finn’s solo debut.

- This seems to have a looser feel than most of what you get from the Hold Steady.

Brendan Benson – Bad For Me – What Kind of World (2012)

- 5^th solo album

- Co-leader of the Raconteurs with Jack White.

- Polished power pop rock style, though this one’s more of a ballad.

Shearwater – You As You Were - Animal Joy (2012)

- 7th album

- 6th album, Golden Archipelago was out in Feb of 2010

- they pack so much intensity in their songs. No one sounds quite like them.

- Austin band with ties to Okkervil River

- Almost a voice you’d expect at the opera

- Palo Santo is their best album.

- This is the most frantic track I’ve ever heard by them.

- Almost sounds like the band Wilderness here which would normally sound like a ridiculous comparison. Hooray for the evolution and open mindedness of musicians.

Yellow Ostrich - Marathon Runner - Strange Land (2012)

- 2nd full length.

- Debut full length was 'The Mistress' and made the 2011 Best of the U & U.

- Sounds a bit like the Beatles and the White Stripes and even at times Menomena.

Official Site : BandCamp : HypeMachine

St. Vincent - Dilettante - Strange Mercy (2011)

- 2nd full length. Debut was out in 2009, Actor.

- Was a member of Sufjan Steven's backing band along with My Brightest Diamond, arguably two of the biggest breakout female artists of the past couple years.

Tennis - Tears in the Typing Pool (Broadcast cover)

- New album is on it's way.

- Playing an Indy show in Feb.

- Debut was out in very early 2011. 2010 Debut EP made the Best of the U & U.

Zoo Animal - Worker Bee - Zoo Animal (2010)

- 2nd album

- debut out in 2008.

Delta Spirit – When In Roam - I Think I've Found It EP (2012)

- One of two simultaneaously released free EPs. The Waits Room EP is the other.

- New album is out March 13th.

- debut album was 'Ode To Sunshine' and it exploded in 2008.

- I admit to not being totally sold on these guys, but I've come around on them.

- If you get into the Cold War Kids or the Strokes you should like this band.

Heartless Bastards – Late In the Night - Arrow (2012)

- 4th full length. Out on Valentines day 2012.

- Powered by the big voice of lead singer Erika Wennerstrom and some big rock riffs

- Out of Dayton

Eagle Eye Williamson - Black Gold / Comanche Peak - Black Gold (2011)

- Debut album from hard blues rock one man band.

Dirty Three - Rising Below - Toward the Low Sun (2012)

- Instrumental act that includes members of Nick Cave's bad seeds.

Cloud Nothings - No Sentiment - Attack on Memory (2012)

- 2nd album.

- Band led by 20 year old from Cleveland.

- Brooding, building track that starts like a Pixies song then explodes into something like that found on a raucous Nirvana track, or some other early 90's grunge act.