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

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.  Of all the bands that get lumped into this cringeworthy subgenre descriptor, Neon Indian are one of the very best.

Originally from Denton, Texas, Palomo first broke into the scene with his debut album, Psychic Chasms, released in 2009 on Lefse Records. Propelled by singles “Deadbeat Summer” and “Should Have Taken Acid With You”, he was soon championed by Rolling Stone, Pitchfork and Spin, as one of the best new artists, earning spots opening for Massive Attack, Phoenix, The Flaming Lips and Chromeo, among others.

For his full-length sophomore album and most recent effort, Palomo secluded himself in an apartment in Helsinki, Finland during the winter of 2010. The result was Era Extraña, released on Palomo’s Static Tongues imprint the following year. Foregoing the sample-heavy sound of Chasms, Extraña more defines itself with electric guitar. Parts that would have normally been supported by a collection of synthesizer tones are now steeped in shoegaze’s murky guitar fuzz. This isn’t to say that Palomo’s unearthed synth effects didn’t play an integral role in the record;  “Polish Girl” pops with beeping electronic sequences, while “Arcade Blues” pays homage to 8-bit video game sounds, backed by classic drum machine beats.

Palomo and his three-strong touring band play Weekend 1: Friday, April 13^th and Weekend 2: Friday April 20^th at this year’s Coachella Festival.  Check below for the group’s post-Coachella show dates:

 

Apr 22             Mammoth Mountain, Hyde Lounge              Mammoth Lakes, CA

Apr 24             The Fillmore                        San Francisco, CA

Apr 26             Doug Fir Lounge                  Portland, OR

Apr 27             Neumos                                 Seattle, WA

Apr 28             Venue                                     Vancouver, Canada

Apr 30             Starlite Ballroom                   Edmonton, Canada

May 01            Republik                                Calgary, Canada

May 03            Pyramid Cabaret                    Winnipeg, Canada

May 04            First Avenue                           Minneapolis, MN

May 05            Majestic Theatre                    Madison, WI

May 06            Magic Stick                            Detroit, MI

May 08            Phoenix Concert Theatre       Toronto, Canada

May 10            Cabaret Mile End                  Montreal, Canada

May 11            Paradise Rock Club               Boston, MA

May 12            Terminal 5                              New York, NY

May 23            Mascotte                                 Zurich, Switzerland

May 24            Hinterhof                                 Basel, Switzerland

May 25            Summer Student Festival         Padova, Italy

May 26            Velvet                                       Rimini, Italy

May 28            Circulo Degli Artisti                Rome, Italy

May 29            Astoria (Basement)                  Turin, Italy

May 30            Sallumeria Della Musica        Milan, Italy

Jun 01             Burn Selector Festival            Krakow, Poland

Jun 02             Primavera Sound                   Barcelona, Spain

 

The lineup for this years Coachella Festival is out and, as you would expect, it's a great one. Headlined by The Black Keys, Radiohead, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dog. The lineup includes also includes a lot of our favorites here at BestNewBands.com including: M83, Florence + the Machine, Neon Indian, Dawes, WU LYF, tUnE yArDs, Childish Gambino, Gary Clark Jr.,  and our Best New Band of 2011 Grouplove.

The recession's over, so get your tickets now before they sell out.

Phoenix and Neon Indian are a match made in heaven for fans of artists on the forefront of synth rock. Both bands are incredible live performers, and both are riding on the crests of the massive waves of popularity that their 2009 releases garnered them. Before I even set foot in the Santa Barbara Bowl for the show, I was already buzzing with excitement to see the two titans take to the stage. I’ve seen Neon Indian before, and the show was absolutely incredible, but Phoenix is an entirely different story. The French rockers have become legendary in the past year for their amazing live performance of the album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix. After Sunday’s show, I must say that the rumors are true.

When I first “discovered” Phoenix (actually, more like when I found out that I was the last one of my friends to realize how awesome they are), I was awestruck. It was like the feeling that you get when you realize that someone you see all the time but barely know is actually awesome, and you should have been best friends ages ago. Sure I had heard of Phoenix, but their impenetrable hype kept me from listening to them for some time. Once I hit play, I realized what many people already knew: no one on earth can resist the danceable grooves of these French rockers. The tracks off their 2009 album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, are way too easy to love. The first time I heard “1901” and “Fences,” I thought it wasn’t possible for songs to be that catchy from first listen. Some time has passed since then and I have fallen into the same “Lisztomania” as the rest of the world, but still haven’t seen their live act. Well, something has got to change.

Let me start by declaring the obvious: SF Weekly’s All Shook Down Music Festival was a great idea. Being a San Diego native, I couldn’t help but be reminded of the time I spent in a haze, wandering down music packed streets and alleys at Street Scene back home. Those were good times, and so are these. The All Shook Down Music Festival played out like Street Scene’s little cousin from San Francisco, and it was an impressive display for being in the infancy of the festival’s first year. The show was too young to be a massive musical event but too intriguing and intimate for people to ignore. Attendees could wander down the streets of Grant and Green, stepping into any of the eight North Beach watering holes that were featuring live music all day and night. In addition to this already awesome showcase of local San Franciscan musical talent and various venues to get your drink on, there was an outdoor main stage at the corner of Green St. and Columbus Ave. This is where the festival highlights Janelle Monáe and Neon Indian took the stage and made their mark on San Francisco’s newest street festival.

On this glorious July weekend I come bearing gifts for all with open ears. This is a collection of songs that I have loved so much recently that I really just need to let them go and find something new to listen to. Assuming the rest of you haven’t suffered from the same tendencies of addiction, have a listen to some of my favorite tracks for the summer. I like to think of the playlist as the music that could span a summer day, waking up late to the dream-like feel of Washed Out and a mellower Neon Indian track. As night descends and there are people to see and drinks to throw back, we can all start appreciating animals with Crookers and maybe getting obnoxiously drunk with the Bloody Beetroots. The picture above is what summer is all about to me: enjoying a beverage with friends before a surf in Big Sur (props to Stephanie Wirkus on the Photo).

1. Neon Indian - 6669 (I don't know if you know)

This is a great waking up song because you might not be sure if you’re still dreaming or not (Inception anyone? It's awesome) and Neon Indian is right there with you. Who needs waking life when you have lucid dreams?

What is the Neon Indian? Contrary to popular belief, it’s not one of the tall sparkly blue people from Avatar.  It’s the five-piece psychedelic pop band lead by Alan Palomo, and their debut album Psychic Chasms might be one of the best things to happen in 2009. The Austin natives are embarking on a tour around the globe, including gigs at some of the premier festivals of North America such as Sasquatch and Bonnaroo. Fortunately, those of us who call southern California home won’t have to traverse the continent to get a peek at Neon Indian’s live act. This group of synth loving tribesmen will be playing at the Casbah in San Diego on June 2, Detroit Bar in Costa Mesa on June 3, and finally at the Los Angeles Museum of Natural History on June 4. They will be complemented by the hip-hop stylings of Peanut Butter Wolf for their big night at the museum, which will be their last stop in California for this tour.