Five unknown artists you love
One thing I’ve heard a lot about since ND went out of print was that people were sorry to see it go, since the magazine was responsible for introducing so many great artists to readers. So, in that spirit, I handed it to our Twitter followers this afternoon (and, by extension, Facebook) and asked you guys to share with us names of unknown artists we all need to check out. I gave you bonus points for linking us to their work, and then I went and listened to every single artist you suggested. You guys have good taste, so thank you for that – made that little project a lot easier on me.
Now, here are my five favorites from your votes (in no particular order). I’d like to disclaim this by saying I already knew about several of the artists you mentioned, so I opted to spotlight five that I’d never heard of. Which is to say, don’t assume that the “Honorable Mentions” list at the end means those folks are not worth checking out. By all means, leave some more links in the comments and make a case for the unknown artists you love, as you wish.
Now, without further ado, I present some new music recommendations from the ND community:
**The California Honeydrops
These guys are a really interesting blend of soul and folk music. The first phrase that came to mind was “old school,” but that doesn’t really cover it. They sound a little like sunshine, a little like driving away. Regardless, it’s hard to argue with a trumpet and a washtub bass. This is what I found of them on YouTube:
**Chris Castle
Singer-songwritery stuff that’s packed full of imagery and interesting chord progressions. A bit loquacious, but in the good, memorable way, all layered over some close harmonies and rhythms that are sometimes textbook country, sometimes a little more funky. This is what I found of him on YouTube:
**Scott Nolan Band
This is great, gritty, rocking alt-country stuff, whatever that is. Reminds me a little bit of Hayes Carll, but slightly more rock and roll. I found this great live video of Scott performing with Gurf Morlix. Video quality isn’t stellar, but the audio’s just fine:
**The Wiyos
I’ve been listening to the Wiyos for a good while now and have heard everything from hip-hop beats to old timey Vaudevillian qualities and everything in between. Besides, check out this kazoo solo:
**Emily Arin
Very lovely, peculiar songs. I know “she sings like a bird” is kind of a cliche but there’s a reason for every cliche, and I think Emily Arin’s voice is just flat-out birdlike. If I could choose the soundtrack to my REM sleep, I think it would sound like this. Kind of reminds me of Laura Gibson, if I must draw a comparison. Here’s what I found of her on YouTube:
Honorable mentions – all the other artists you folks voted for before I wrote this blog post (all worth checking out):
Danny & the Champions of the World