New York – A week closer to SXSW and we’re back with our part 2 of New Bands We Want To See At SXSW. You know we can’t just stop at 5 artists to watch out for and pretend we really could narrow it down to just that many out of the clusterf*ck of shows going on at any given moment, so here are five more seeds to plant into your skull to keep at the top of your mental list. Just sayin’, it may not be the end of all, but there is a good chance that if you don’t catch these bands you’ll hear about how you should have later. (Photo: Vampire Weekend By Rita Quinn)
Gardens & Villa
Lush is best way to describe Gardens & Villa. True to their name, these guys make music that is naturally striking, full of life and blissful to revel in. Their sound is one toxic indie-band cocktail. Start with all the crooning of Caveman, mix in the boundless energy of Generationals and add a generous dose of Painted Palms’ West Coast spirited vibe. The result is glo-fi, psych folk, alternative magic and it is seriously good. (Liz Rowley)
Pure Bathing Culture
One part El Perro del Mar, two parts Beach House and seven parts incomparably emotive dream pop, Pure Bathing Culture will win the war for your heart with their penchant for nostalgia and the sense of glory that surrounds their work. Following their debut, self-titled, EP last year on Father-Daughter Records, the group released their first full-length stunner, Moon Tides, in October on Partisan Records.
Pure Bathing Culture is guitarist Daniel Hindman and keyboardist Sarah Versprille. Both former members of Vetiver, the two separated themselves from the folk rock group in 2011 and migrated westward to Portland Oregon. (Liz Rowley)
PHOX
PHOX is an up and coming indie folk group hailing from Baraboo, Wisconsin, a place they describe on their website as, “where kids often drink poisoned groundwater and become endowed mutants.” Well whatever is in the water up in Baraboo seems to have been working for PHOX so far. 2013 was a break out year for the group, with big festival appearances at Capitol Hill Block Party in Seattle, Summerfest in Milwaukee, Lollapalooza in Chicago and Europe. The gang has been busy touring to support their 2013 EP, Confetti, which the band depicts as, “Less helium-fueled third grade birthday party, and more county highway roadkill buffet.” (Evan Clark)
Saints of Valory
“A Brazilian, a Frenchman, a Canadian, & an American walk into a bar…” This isn’t the intro to a terrible ethnic joke, but the Twitter caption, and essentially the story behind up and coming pop-rockers Saints of Valory, now hailing from Austin, Texas. Their roots originated when lead vocalist and bassist Gavin Jasper befriended guitarist Godfrey Thomson as kids in Brazil, where their parents worked as missionaries together while Gavin and Godfrey daydreamed of someday making it big as musicians. Eventually they moved away from each other, but continued to pursue music while still keeping in touch. (Evan Clark) (Photo By Chelsea Victoria @salted_cb2)
SKATERS
On Manhattan, the debut full length from Skaters, the band has honed a city into an album. Singer Michael Ian Cummings, drummer Noah Rubin, guitarist Joshua Hubbard, and bassist Dan Burke embody the kind of motion and energy that only in NYC can it make sense the way it does. These punks are hustlers, and they’re good at it. Influenced by the late 70s – early 80s punk scene in the city, the songs on Manhattan rush past like the subway, but if you get on the train it’s a pretty fun party. (Kelly Knapp)
