Our Best New Band of 2013 Newbie Awards nominees are nicely split among men and women (since one band includes both).  While there’s no underlying message there, for our writers it just meant that 2013 was another kickass year for new bands.

 Our five nominees (in alphabetical order):

VOTING’S CLOSED – WINNER ANNOUNCED SOON

 

It’s been a qvick rise for Chvrches as the trio from Glasgow, Scotland only met in 2011.  After some earlier EPs, the group’s debut LP, The Bones Of What You Believe (on Glassnote in the US; Virgin elsewhere), was only released in September and has immediately earned buzz.  A reissue of an earlier single, “The Mother We Share,” has scored in numerous countries and our reviewer described it as “a massive synth-driven sound laden with impossibly catchy vocals” from lead singer Laura Mayberry.  The band is currently on tour in the US and has already booked worldwide dates through 1Q 2014.

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Our writers were early fans of Los Angeles-based sisters Este, Danielle and Alana of trio Haim, touting their “infectious brand of pop” last January in “4 Artists To Watch In 2013.”  Since then, they’ve toured the world on a full swing of headlining dates and festivals pre-promoting their debut album, Days Are Gone, released late September on Columbia.  Our Featured Artist profile noted “their luscious brand of alternative-meets new wave-meets sunny, California pop” and that certainly describes their popular “Don’t Save Me,” which was released last year and included on their debut LP.

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On Parquet Courts’ website, the Brooklyn slackers rather cheerfully note that they “have no Twitter or Facebook page.  Beware of imposters.”  Our writer who caught them live this summer noted that nonchalant vibe: “The gentle head banging to two-minute odes of intoxicated boredom stretched into fried-out noise jams…” well, you get the picture.  Fans should seek out their new ep, Tally All The Things That You Broke.

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Our reviewer described Savages’ debut album, Silence Yourself (on Matador Records) this way: “This is post-punk at its hardest hitting, the kind of music that’s half pleasure, half pain and 100 percent grim.”  The all-girl, four-piece formed in London in 2011 and toured almost non-stop this year.  We caught them live multiple times this year and observed the black-clad (save for lead singer Jehnny Beth’s elegant pink heels) rockers’ “intimate evening of controlled chaos.”

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US audiences will be forgiven if they haven’t heard of The Strypes.  You will soon enough.  The four-piece blues-influenced rock band formed in 2011 in the small Irish town of Cavan, and this year the group released their debut album, Snapshot, overseas on Virgin EMI.  Our London-based reviewer called the album “brilliant” and enthusiastically cited such diverse influences as The Beatles, Chuck Berry and Arctic Monkeys (for whom they’ve been opening for on an arena tour).  They’ve booked four North American dates club dates (Toronto, NYC, SF and LA) in January.  Stay tuned.

 

This year, we’re encouraging our readers to vote online for their favorite nominee in each category.  You’ll find the simple voting form on each of the four category pages:

See our nominees for Best New Male Artist and vote for your favorite HERE

See our nominees for Best New Female Artist and vote for your favorite HERE

See our nominees for Best New Album and vote for your favorite HERE

Eligibility was based on artists’ recording and touring activity from November 1, 2012 – October 31, 2013.  Voting ends Friday, December 6.  The winners will be announced the following week.