Best New Bands » Reviews http://www.bestnewbands.com News, Reviews and Interviews Wed, 07 Feb 2018 02:08:46 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=3.8.41 Father John Misty Proves to be a Pop Idol http://www.bestnewbands.com/live-reviews/father-john-misty/ http://www.bestnewbands.com/live-reviews/father-john-misty/#comments Wed, 06 Apr 2016 06:57:35 +0000 http://www.bestnewbands.com/?p=29859 Oakland – “I want to be a pop idol.” That is Oscar Wilde’s first and only line in the 1998 film Velvet Goldmine, director Todd Haynes’ love letter to the glam rock phenomenon that took London by storm, during the 1970s. In the film, Wilde is found on a doorstep, affixed with a precious jewel that is meant

Continue Reading →

The post Father John Misty Proves to be a Pop Idol appeared first on Best New Bands.

Related posts:

  1. Father John Misty – I Love You, Honeybear Los Angeles – There is no doubt that Father John Misty is the most interesting person living in Los Angeles.  Okay, perhaps the previous statement is a bit overreaching when one considers the sheer density and diversity of artists dwelling...
  2. Father John Misty Previews New Material In Northern Calif. Sonoma, CA – It’s not often I travel up to a random auditorium in the middle of wine country to see a concert, but for Father John Misty’s show at the Sonoma Veterans Memorial Hall, I did just that.  Josh...
  3. Father John Misty Announces Tour Dates Upon releasing his Sub Pop debut, Fear Fun, at the beginning of the month, Father John Misty has not only received praise for the record, but has also made his late night debut on The Late Show with David Letterman...
]]> http://www.bestnewbands.com/live-reviews/father-john-misty/feed/ 2 White Denim at The Independent http://www.bestnewbands.com/live-reviews/white-denim-independent/ http://www.bestnewbands.com/live-reviews/white-denim-independent/#comments Mon, 04 Apr 2016 06:58:08 +0000 http://www.bestnewbands.com/?p=29782 San Francisco – Usually, crowded shows are not my cup of tea. As someone who likes to hang in the back of the venue, a sold out show does not offer the same sort of space than that of a less populated one, even when hugging the wall along the side or leaning against a pillar towards

Continue Reading →

The post White Denim at The Independent appeared first on Best New Bands.

Related posts:

  1. White Denim Looks to the Past and Future with ‘Stiff’ San Fransisco - iTunes is kind of the worst, sometimes. If you’re like me – which is to say, unnecessarily anal about the organization of one’s music library – then the seemingly painstaking problem of getting one album that, for some reason or...
  2. Shura Live At The Independent San Francisco – “I’m kind of obsessed with Kurt Cobain,” laughed Aleksandra Denton, the gentle, cooing presence behind Shura, the newest Manchester export that virtually takes the physical form of the future of music.  Shura graced the stage of San...
  3. San Fermin Live At The Independent In San Francisco San Francisco – The first time I saw San Fermin, it was in a tiny club in New Orleans called Gasa Gasa.  Their eponymous debut album was barely six months old, and even on a cool March evening everyone was...
]]> http://www.bestnewbands.com/live-reviews/white-denim-independent/feed/ 0 Yuck Rises Through the Odds http://www.bestnewbands.com/live-reviews/yuck-rises-odds/ http://www.bestnewbands.com/live-reviews/yuck-rises-odds/#comments Fri, 01 Apr 2016 07:06:24 +0000 http://www.bestnewbands.com/?p=29773 Los Angeles - After original lead singer Daniel Blumberg left Yuck in 2013, many speculated that his departure would cause the band to fold. Instead, the remaining members trudged on to release Glow & Behold in 2013. While it was not poorly received, critics found the energy from the band’s self-titled debut did not carry over with the loss

Continue Reading →

The post Yuck Rises Through the Odds appeared first on Best New Bands.

Related posts:

  1. Yuck Returns With Stranger Things Los Angeles – In 2013, London based rock band Yuck lost their lead vocalist and guitar player, Daniel Blumberg. Instead of letting this setback derail their future as a band, the remaining three members trudged on. Max Bloom (guitar), Mariko Doi (bass),...
  2. Alpine ’s “Yuck” delivers sexy, unwavering pop fusion Portland – Alpine’s sexy, unwavering pop fusion unravels on their new album, Yuck. The six-piece has no trepidation towards self-indulgence with songs that reveal attitudes about sex, love and all the hazy parts in between. Yuck’s title is apt in...
  3. Jacco Gardner Hypnotizes the Echo Los Angeles – Though outside The Echo the temperatures had fallen a few degrees from their scorching mid-day high by Jacco Gardner’s late 11:30 start time, the venue’s ancient cooling system still failed to provide relief inside the packed club....
]]> http://www.bestnewbands.com/live-reviews/yuck-rises-odds/feed/ 0 Petite Noir Made the Night Beautiful at Rickshaw Stop http://www.bestnewbands.com/live-reviews/petite-noir-rickshaw-stop/ http://www.bestnewbands.com/live-reviews/petite-noir-rickshaw-stop/#comments Wed, 30 Mar 2016 07:12:32 +0000 http://www.bestnewbands.com/?p=29601 San Fransisco – “Life is beautiful.” This is a sentiment that floods the minds and hearts of bright-eyed optimists all over the world. Everything is relative, obviously, so there isn’t really any objective way to assess the quality of consciousness and existence. There are many who would probably argue that life is, in fact, far from beautiful: the

Continue Reading →

The post Petite Noir Made the Night Beautiful at Rickshaw Stop appeared first on Best New Bands.

Related posts:

  1. Petite Noir – “La Vie Est Belle / Life Is Beautiful” Los Angeles - Petite Noir has successfully created one of the best albums of 2015 with La Vie Est Belle / Life Is Beautiful. 24 year-old South African artist Yannick Ilunga takes his electronic post-punk to a new genre, noir wave....
  2. All Hail! ‘The King Of Anxiety’ From Petite Noir Los Angeles – Considering the album title, The King Of Anxiety, it is no surprise that the five tracks on Petite Noir’s debut EP (out digitally January 19) display a complete mastery of the art of apprehension.  Subdued guitar work...
  3. MS MR Celebrate A Birthday At Rickshaw Stop San Francisco – On Thursday, New York-based indie dark wave duo MS MR brought the house down at the cozy Rickshaw Stop.  The twosome—consisting of vocalist Lizzy Plapinger and producer Max Hershenow (along with their touring bassist and drummer)—played a...
]]> http://www.bestnewbands.com/live-reviews/petite-noir-rickshaw-stop/feed/ 0 Melanie Martinez: More than a Pop Star http://www.bestnewbands.com/live-reviews/melanie-martinez-pop-star/ http://www.bestnewbands.com/live-reviews/melanie-martinez-pop-star/#comments Tue, 22 Mar 2016 02:58:45 +0000 http://www.bestnewbands.com/?p=29500 Chicago – Last Thursday, fans began lining up outside the Vic Theatre, in the Lakeview neighborhood, starting at six in the morning, to see rising pop star Melanie Martinez. By six that evening, the line stretched far down Sheffield Avenue, filled with kids, teenagers, and twenty-somethings, most of whom were dressed to the nines. Pigtails were

Continue Reading →

The post Melanie Martinez: More than a Pop Star appeared first on Best New Bands.

Related posts:

  1. Melanie Martinez Releases Her Debut LP “Cry Baby” Los Angeles – Competing as a contestant on a singing show like The Voice is stressful enough for young artists such as Melanie Martinez; add in the pressure of capitalizing on reality television success and translating that into a full-length...
  2. Meet Melanie Martinez Los Angeles – While being a contestant on the popular singing competition program The Voice was probably a boon for Melanie Martinez, it came with its own unique set of challenges. For one thing, the show has a weak track...
  3. Foxygen Brought Their Star Power To Chicago Chicago – Last week Foxygen took the Windy City by storm. The LA psychedelic rockers sold out two shows at Lincoln Hall, and their performance on Chicago’s WGN Morning News was the talk of the town. Even English rockers Temples...
]]> http://www.bestnewbands.com/live-reviews/melanie-martinez-pop-star/feed/ 1 Daughter Dazzled in Chicago http://www.bestnewbands.com/live-reviews/daughter-dazzles-chicago/ http://www.bestnewbands.com/live-reviews/daughter-dazzles-chicago/#comments Thu, 17 Mar 2016 07:16:38 +0000 http://www.bestnewbands.com/?p=29406 Chicago – London based band Daughter brought its indie folk rock to the Metro in Chicago last week, giving fans an emotional and magical evening. On album, Daughter is fantastic! Simply brilliant! However, the trio brings it ten fold live. Audience members at the sold-out show calmly and respectfully packed in. This crowd was the

Continue Reading →

The post Daughter Dazzled in Chicago appeared first on Best New Bands.

Related posts:

  1. Daughter Evoke Hearty Sentiment with “Not To Disappear” Chicago – After releasing the critically acclaimed debut If You Leave in 2013, British indie rock trio Daughter is back with their sophomore album Not To Disappear (4AD/Glassnote). After working out the fruit of the album in London, singer and guitarist...
  2. Daughter Unveils ‘HOW’ Music Video New York - Daughter, the London-based trio of Elena Tonra, Igor Haefeli and Remi Aguilella, have launched the final installment of their film triptych, for the soaring single ‘How’. Taken from their recently released and critically acclaimed second album, Not To Disappear. Shot in London last year...
  3. Finish Ticket and Vinyl Theatre Impress Chicago Chicago – Friday night, the Ones To Watch sponsored co-headlining tour with Finish Ticket and Vinyl Theatre blew into the Windy City. Hoards of teenagers and twenty-somethings lined up outside West Loop venue Bottom Lounge, down Lake Street, wrapped in blankets...
]]> http://www.bestnewbands.com/live-reviews/daughter-dazzles-chicago/feed/ 0 Lucius Delivers More Good Than Grief http://www.bestnewbands.com/album-reviews/good-grief-lucius/ http://www.bestnewbands.com/album-reviews/good-grief-lucius/#comments Tue, 15 Mar 2016 07:03:20 +0000 http://www.bestnewbands.com/?p=29326 London – Born out of experiences from an extensive bout of touring on the back of its stellar 2013 debut album, Wildewoman, the 2016 follow-up Good Grief by Brooklyn five-piece Lucius, is as individual as its predecessor. There’s a stylishness to co-founders Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig’s music and aesthetic that defines the essence of Lucius; a gloss

Continue Reading →

The post Lucius Delivers More Good Than Grief appeared first on Best New Bands.

Related posts:

  1. Alpine ’s “Yuck” delivers sexy, unwavering pop fusion Portland – Alpine’s sexy, unwavering pop fusion unravels on their new album, Yuck. The six-piece has no trepidation towards self-indulgence with songs that reveal attitudes about sex, love and all the hazy parts in between. Yuck’s title is apt in...
  2. Motopony Delivers Psychedelic Vibes On ‘Welcome You’ Los Angeles – Seattle based band Motopony will release their sophomore LP, Welcome You via eOne Music / Fast Plastic on June 23rd. The record is the follow-up to Motopony’s 2011 self-titled debut LP. It’s the result of the previous...
  3. Jack Name Delivers A Pop-Psych Concept LP With ‘Weird Moons’ Los Angeles – With Weird Moons being Jack Name’s second album in two years, the enigmatic artist is displaying the trademark prolificacy of his peers on the Castle Face Records roster.  Released this week, the follow-up to Light Show is...
]]> http://www.bestnewbands.com/album-reviews/good-grief-lucius/feed/ 1 Finish Ticket and Vinyl Theatre Impress Chicago http://www.bestnewbands.com/live-reviews/finish-ticket-vinyl-theatre-impress/ http://www.bestnewbands.com/live-reviews/finish-ticket-vinyl-theatre-impress/#comments Mon, 07 Mar 2016 08:19:39 +0000 http://www.bestnewbands.com/?p=29219 Chicago – Friday night, the Ones To Watch sponsored co-headlining tour with Finish Ticket and Vinyl Theatre blew into the Windy City. Hoards of teenagers and twenty-somethings lined up outside West Loop venue Bottom Lounge, down Lake Street, wrapped in blankets to keep the chill out. The passing Green Line EL train blew snowy gusts as

Continue Reading →

The post Finish Ticket and Vinyl Theatre Impress Chicago appeared first on Best New Bands.

Related posts:

  1. MisterWives and Vinyl Theatre Heated Up Chicago Chicago – At 6 p.m. the line snaked down the block, around the corner, and coiled in a factory lot. A redline train whipped by, ushering in a chilling breeze. The temperature began to dip into the 40s. Kids were...
  2. Featured Artist: Finish Ticket Chicago – San Francisco indie rock band Finish Ticket had a pretty great 2015. The five-piece released the EP When Night Becomes Day and hit the road with Twenty One Pilots, for two months, on the sold-out Blurryface Tour. 2016 is...
  3. Keegan Calmes of Vinyl Theatre Talks New Music Chicago – Back in 2014, Best New Bands had the privilege of getting to know an up and coming band from Milwaukee by the name of Vinyl Theatre. VT was then a four-piece, comprised of Keegan Calmes (lead vocals, guitar),...
]]> http://www.bestnewbands.com/live-reviews/finish-ticket-vinyl-theatre-impress/feed/ 1 Kaleo Brought Chicago Some Southern Comfort http://www.bestnewbands.com/live-reviews/kaleo-brought-chicago-southern-comfort/ http://www.bestnewbands.com/live-reviews/kaleo-brought-chicago-southern-comfort/#comments Fri, 04 Mar 2016 21:54:18 +0000 http://www.bestnewbands.com/?p=29192 Chicago – Despite it being a cold and snowy Wednesday night, fans packed Bottom Lounge in Chicago’s West Loop to see Kaleo. After witnessing the Icelandic band live, I completely understood why. The four-piece indie-folk band, comprised of Jökull Júlíusson (vocals and guitar), Davíð Antonsson (percussion and vocals), Daníel Ægir Kristjánsson (bass), and Rubin Pollock

Continue Reading →

The post Kaleo Brought Chicago Some Southern Comfort appeared first on Best New Bands.

Related posts:

  1. Mini Mansions Brought the Fun to Chicago Chicago – Blue and purple lights danced around stage. The men of Mini Mansions glowed turquoise, indigo, and cyan while singing, “Do you want to have fun / Do you want a good time?” Surely everyone at The Riviera Theatre...
  2. Foxygen Brought Their Star Power To Chicago Chicago – Last week Foxygen took the Windy City by storm. The LA psychedelic rockers sold out two shows at Lincoln Hall, and their performance on Chicago’s WGN Morning News was the talk of the town. Even English rockers Temples...
  3. Iceland’s Kaleo Rocks The Vera Project Seattle – On Sunday night at The Vera Project, audience members were privy to Kaleo’s first headlining show in the Emerald City. Following a sold-out show with Vance Joy just a few days before at the Showbox, the Icelandic folk-rock quartet...
]]> http://www.bestnewbands.com/live-reviews/kaleo-brought-chicago-southern-comfort/feed/ 2 Neon Indian Was Flawless At Noise Pop Festival http://www.bestnewbands.com/live-reviews/neon-indian-noise-pop-festival/ http://www.bestnewbands.com/live-reviews/neon-indian-noise-pop-festival/#comments Thu, 03 Mar 2016 08:08:26 +0000 http://www.bestnewbands.com/?p=29137 San Francisco – This past Saturday, the 24th annual Noise Pop Festival chugged ahead on its penultimate night with a slew of shows happening across the city at different venues, including a fantastic (though somewhat familiar) set by Texas’ Neon Indian, held at the Mezzanine in SoMa. The Mezzanine splits its time evenly as a nightclub showcasing today’s many

Continue Reading →

The post Neon Indian Was Flawless At Noise Pop Festival appeared first on Best New Bands.

Related posts:

  1. Neon Indian Illuminates San Francisco’s Newest Venue, The Social Hall San Francisco – As one of the first pioneers of the recently popularized genre of chillwave, Alan Palomo’s Neon Indian has been a steady source of entertainment, mixing glitchy electronic beats with catchy hooks and airy, heavily reverberated vocals.  Neon...
  2. Neon Indian – VEGA INTL. Night School San Francisco – Alan Palomo’s Neon Indian project is a hard one to pin down when it comes to genre.  Generally, the whole concept of genres—in terms of modern musical expression—are thought of in either one of two ways: there...
  3. Day Wave Front and Center at Noise Pop Festival San Francisco – Jackson Phillips – the mastermind behind dreamy guitar pop outfit Day Wave – has made a lot of, well, waves, within the indie music sphere, the past year or so, especially for someone who has yet to...
]]> http://www.bestnewbands.com/live-reviews/neon-indian-noise-pop-festival/feed/ 0