Over the past week, we’ve showcased the best new bands to check out at Coachella. Like last week, we’ve dedicated our Artist of the Week feature will again take a look at some of our favorite new bands to play at the festival that we didn’t have a chance to cover last week. Without rambling anymore, here are some more highlights from our Coachella series.

Neon Indian: Much has been said about Alan Palomo. Since rising from obscurity to bandblog sensation, his group, Neon Indian has become one of the de facto emissaries/new bands for a movement popularly known as “chillwave”—I’m guessing you’re familiar. To be sure, there are plenty of bands out there that draw parallels to Neon Indian, with woozy electronic sounds that melt through vintage synthesizers and echoing vocals taking the form of aural acid hits. What sets Neon Indian apart, however, isn’t the perpetuation of stereotypes, but the quality of their music. Their brand of electro-synth music combined with murky guitar fuzz, is sure to keep the bodies moving on Frida – Zach Klassen

Gary Clark Jr.:  Gary Clark Jr. hates the term bluesman. Judging from his brand of music, you would expect this new artist to embrace the label, but being a nasty guitar player is only the tip of the iceberg to this man’s talents.  Sort of like a latter day John Mayer, Clark can play many different types of guitar: jazz, blues to straight up balls-to-the wall rock, making it all sound delightfully good in the process. Though he has one of the earliest timeslots on his Friday performance, he may not get the crowds that he deserves. However, the one thing that is certain is that whoever catches this up-and-comer, won’t be disappoint with the music they hear emanating from the stage and who knows, this could be one of those “I remember where I was when” or “I saw Gary Clark Jr. when he was the first act at Coachella” moments that could go down in music folklore. –Daniel Kohn

Grouplove: As our official Best New Band Of 2011, Grouplove are one of the most promising voices to emerge in indie pop. Grouplove produces poppy, twangy, indie rock, which is nothing new in the world of music. What really makes the quintet stand out in a plethora of similar acts is its sincerity. Blaming the band’s chance meeting on fate, each member plays from the heart, creating large, swelling tracks that hit its listeners directly in the soul.

This passion and devotion translates into the five-piece’s live show. Every band member drips with enthusiasm and genuine love for what he or she is playing. This warm energy floats into the crowd, making a Grouplove show feel like a party hosted by familiar friends. It’s amazing how bands can be playing to crowds of 100 people (if they’re lucky) one day and massive theaters the next. This is the exact case with Grouplove. I remember writing a show preview back in January for the band’s free, month-long residency at Bootleg Theater. I had never even heard the music, so I listened to the self-titled EP, and it was pretty good, but I never got the chance to see the indie troupe during that residency…and I am kicking myself for that right now. - Katrina Nattress

The Vaccines: West London’s The Vaccines are one of the hardest new bands to peg at times.  On first listen, they’ve totally got one of those late ‘50s, early ‘60s pop revivalist things going, except with a little more reverb and maybe a pinch more aggression.  But if you listen a bit more closely, the lines begin to blur.  They’re clearly on their way to becoming (or maybe they’ve already become) something far more interesting than just another pop band. The Vaccines music has all the makings of great pop music; simple, catchy, easy to clap along with, but there’s a little something more that’s enough to send a shrill shiver down your spine. It’s 21st century guitar pop for the kids who like to stay out late and wake up to a few bad decisions. –Chris Castro

Sleeper Agent: You might've heard of Sleeper Agent from their recent hits, "Get It Daddy" and "Get Burned."  "Get It Daddy," an upbeat, dance-around-in-your-room kind of track, was an iTunes free single of the week and was #14 on Rolling Stone's 50 Best Singles of 2011.  Furthermore, they were featured on Rolling Stone last summer as a Band to Watch. The band hails from Bowling Green, Kentucky and made their way up through the rankings by playing loud, noticeable sets at SXSW.  They eventually caught the attention of Matt & Brad Shultz of Cage The Elephant and ended up touring the US with the band (not to mention making some hilarious videos). So, with that kind of publicity, it's safe to say that these Kentucky-bred kids are on their way to rock stardom. And the next stop on that road? Playing Coachella, obviously. Lead singer Alex "Kidd" Kandel is a monster on stage, and her vocals fit the music's youthful grunge perfectly.  The album as a whole and the band's presence are so much fun, and I can just imagine how incredible it al will be beneath the daze of the Coachella sun, dancing your ass off before some seriously talented kids. – Claire Gallagher

West London’s The Vaccines are one of the hardest new bands to peg at times.  On first listen, they’ve totally got one of those late ‘50s, early ‘60s pop revivalist things going, except with a little more reverb and maybe a pinch more aggression.  But if you listen a bit more closely, the lines begin to blur.  They’re clearly on their way to becoming (or maybe they’ve already become) something far more interesting than just another pop band.

Formed in 2010, the band consists of four members: guitarist/vocalist Justin Young, bassist Arni Hjorvar, guitarist Freddie Cowan (younger brother of Tom Cowan from The Horrrors) and drummer Peter Robertson.  The fresh-faced quarter uploaded a demo of the single “If You Wanna” to YouTube in August 2010, and the track immediately exploded.  One UK tour, a Jools Holland performance and several starry-eyed reviews later, the band released their debut album What Did You Expect From The Vaccines? to widespread praise and criticism in March 2011.

Even when the The Vaccines’s music was littler more than whisper rumbling through the blogosphere, they had an ability passionately divide the British press.  Some loved them (NME called them “The Return of the Great British Guitar Band”), while others hated their guts, as most critics inevitably will when any baby band fresh off the blogosphere seems over-hyped (it’s a habit the industry is making no effort to break).

A star-stuck mix between 50s classic rock n’ roll, 1980s American hardcore, post-punk and so much more owing equally to The Ramones, Jesus and Mary Chain and The Strokes, What Did You Expect From the Vaccines? entered the UK Album Chart at #4 and went on to become the bestselling debut of 2011 in their native land.  The band released six singles from the album.

The Vaccines music has all the makings of great pop music; simple, catchy, easy to clap along with, but there’s a little something more that’s enough to send a shrill shiver down your spine. The album is heavy laden with reverb and echo, a cavernous mine of punk rock crescendos with the sparkling diamonds of synth pop strewn about the cave walls.  Justin Young’s baritone bark bites from the beyond while the drums pound guitars chime.  It’s 21^st century guitar pop for the kids who like to stay out late and wake up to a few bad decisions.

The Vaccines will be appearing at Coachella on Saturday April 14 and Saturday April 21.  For more information visit www.thevaccines.co.uk.

Our Daniela Montelongo spent three days shooting the fun at Lollapalooza. She sent back so many great shots, that we couldn't use them all. So here are some of the great photos we didn't have room for the first time. We're at Outside Lands in San Francisco and The Wilderness Festival in the U.K. this weekend, so stay tuned.

Muse

Crowd Surfing with Cage The Elephant

More Cage The Elephant

Imelda May

Bright Eyes

Ok Go

The Vaccines

My Morning Jacket

The Naked and Famous

Lykke Li

The rainbow on Sunday afternoon

All photographs (c) Daniela Montelongo

Young Buffalo are Oxford, Mississippi natives (the home of Ole Miss), but they could just as easily have come from Oxford, England (which has, you know, that OTHER Oxford school). The trio of Southerners released their Young Von Prettylips EP on Tuesday via Cantora Records and is set to go out on what is sure to be one of the hottest indie rock tours of the fall with The Vaccines and Tennis. While out on the road, Bestnewbands.com caught up with bassist Alex Von Hardberger to discuss a number of things, ranging from which of their touring band would in a fight to what they do on their days off.

Alex Von Hardberger: Extremely. We've been sitting around for a little too long and it's time to get out and play some shows.  Especially now that we have a release to support it feels like we've got some new wind in our sails and we are all gung-ho about hitting the road again.

DK: How did you get hooked up with Tennis and The Vaccines? What have you learned from them thus far?

AVH: Well, we've played with The Vaccines before at Bowery Ballroom - actually it was their first show ever in America, I believe - and they were really great guys.  Tennis is on Fat Possum, which is based out of our hometown; so, there were a couple different connections between the bands.

DK: Of those two bands and a brawl went down, which band would win and why?

AVH: Oh man, I don't want to get on anyone's bad side right before touring, but I guess I'd have to go with the Vaccines. You never can tell when one of those crazy Brits are just gonna go and pull a knife out on you.

DK What city are you excited to perform? Also, is there a place that you've never been before and are excited to explore?

AVH: Both of those questions can both be answered with one city- Toronto.  We've never played Canada before, and I've never even been to Canada personally, so I'm really excited

DK: What's a typical day-off like? Do you go shopping, record hunting or get drunk and do laundry?

AVH: Well, getting drunk is something that happens regularly enough after playing a show.  On our days off I'd say we are more in the business of nursing hangovers and trying to take it easy for the next gig.  And, yes, plenty of record shopping.  There is nowhere in Oxford, MS where you can buy vinyl anymore, so we all take the opportunity to stock up while we are traveling.

DK: What's with the new EP? How did it come to fruition?

AVH: We have been playing together now for two years, and still hadn't had a release.  And it was getting really frustrating- how you can be taken seriously as a band when you don't even have a single or a 7" or something out?  So we actually recorded a full-length album at Sweet Tea studios in August 2010, but, as things happen in the music world, it got stalled and pushed back and finally thrown into limbo.  So that's when a mutual connection introduced us to the wonderful people over at Cantora Records. We sat down with them and figured out a plan for what is now the Young von Prettylips EP.

DK:  Who would you say has had a greater influence on the band: Thurston Moore or Kim Gordon?

AVH: Thurston Moore, he's a beast!

DK: After the tour, what's the plan for the rest of 2011?

AVH: More touring and hopefully getting back in the studio.

Young Buffalo’s EP is available on Cantora Records’ website and you can check their website for when they’ll be in your town next.

Picked By: Daniel Kohn

Who: The Parlotones

Where: The Troubadour, West Hollywood, CA

When: Tuesday, May 31st at 8pm

Cost: $12

Age: All Ages

Yesterday I caught up with Madison, who recently released installment one of four of her EP series, The Noise Some People Make. As mentioned before, Madison left her studies of neurology and psychology to pursue her pop ambitions. The coolest thing about Madison is that she is writing, recording and producing her records on her own. No label, no manager and no big budget.

What’s come out is surprisingly honest pop. Madison makes dancey club pop, with smart lyrics and sassy delivery. Our phone interview is in two parts because Madison’s phone died halfway through! Madison 03 by bitsy