The Apollo Effect came on to my radar when they uploaded their video for "The Honeymoon is Over" (posted below) to BNBTV.  Their sound is a little bit of 80s glam, a little 90s-Brit angst, and maybe a little 2000s era post-grunge/pop-punk.  Basically, the band sounds a bit like if The Killers' Hot Fuss-era Brandon Flowers, Oasis' Liam Gallagher, My Chemical Romance's Gerard Way, and Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl got together and made some music. You know, nothing too specific.  Hailing from Toronto, Canada, The Apollo Effect is fresh off a signing with American based label Spectra Records, and they're as ready as ever to get their music out there.

Start your weekend off with a selection of music by artists featured this week on BestNewBands.com.

“Outside the City” - Young Galaxy

Kelly Knapp caught this stellar act at the Knitting Factory in Brooklyn last weekend.

Kelly wrote, “Young Galaxy’s set was pretty entrancing in a danceable way. This was a band with original synth beats, intriguing rhythms with tempos speeding up to bursting breakdowns in the songs. McCandless and Ramsay trade off vocals - his being dreamy and melodic, and hers somewhat low and menacing. They balance each other out with these qualities, and it’s an interesting paradox their music has of somehow being haunting yet comforting at the same time.

“They also manage to throw in some socially aware commentary in their lyrics. In ‘Outside the City,’ off their debut self-titled album, McCandless makes the observation, ‘You know, it looks to me / That I am you and you are me.’ Maybe that really is what the power of the cosmos in a young galaxy sounds like – an aware and communal notion of noticing the details. The crowd had a communal call for an encore, but Ramsay came back to tell us ‘That’s all we have right now. We’ll come back with more next time!’”

Read the rest of Kelly’s review here.

This week, on BNBTV, we have been graced by a band called Noughts and Exes.  With their video "Start of Us," this Hong-Kong based multicultural band--with members from Hong Kong, Canada, Australia and Britain--brings a taste of their structurally (and culturally) diverse, folk rock sound.  In this video alone, it is evident that Noughts and Exes is a bit different: the violin crooning in at the beginning along with an almost Spanish-sounding guitar creates a beautiful harmony...and then...electronic blips? Brushed precussion?  It's like Sufjan Stevens, Postal Service, and talent got together and had a kid.  But, the best part about this song is that all of this layered complexity is cleverly disguised as simplicity.  The song sounds harmless and gentle--maybe even easily-disectable--ha! "Start of Us" has a whole lot going on, and it takes a quintet of intelligent musicians to devise such a feat.  Furthermore, the video's use of piecing layers knowingly or unknowingly reflects this complexity (Forgive me, I'm an English major. Overanalyzing [see: making s*** up] is what I do best.).  Let's put it this way: as a total nerd, I dig smart music and am really excited to look more into this band.  Expect an interview to follow soon (hopefully).

My first thoughts on watching this gorgeous video by Creature Colony were something quite unplaceable.  I was washed over with nostalgia, I could feel my eye softening, my jaw relaxing and melting downwards.  What am I watching?...What am I hearing that reminds me so much of being young and inspired?  This animation--where a streamlined series of Van Gogh paintings seemingly serve as settings--is simple and lovely; the story is sad and beautiful. There are hints of Charlie Brown reminisce, and, at times, bits of Fantasia appear and disappear. Watching the video, you can't help but become the line-drawn man; he brings out a sadness present in everyone, and illuminates a subtle struggle in the simple motions of life. The song parallels the story; it is simple and lovely, sad and beautiful.

I'm not sure if what I just wrote can accurately describe the entirety of my feelings and reactions to this song and video. Like I said before, it brings something unplaceable, and I think just the recognition of this ghostly thing should be enough...I mean, I don't think the ghost really needs to be made material. Wow, I feel like I could write an entire thesis statement on this. Moral of the story, I was really moved by this video, and I hope you have a similar reaction. Definitely looking forward to what else Creature Colony has to offer.

Claire Gallagher: Alrighty, who’s who? What are your names, what instruments do you play, etc?

Dustin Andrews: I’m Dustin, I sing and play guitar.

Chris Constancio: I’m the Drummer.

Allan Sechrist: I’m really good at Dance Dance Revolution and I play guitar.

Jon Jennings: My name is Jon… I play bass and sing.

Today we're looking at a whole new realm of music outside of the indie-alt-rock-bubble: Latin.  Andres Del Mar, a Chilean singer/musician, leads us into this unexplored genre with his songs "Contando Estrellas" and "Quizás, Tal Vez, No Sé"--two pop heavy tunes made sexy from a Spanish roll of the tongue.  My only experience with Latin pop/rock is with Juanes, and these songs are definitely along those same lines.  Me gusta.

Genre: Funk, Soul      

Mood: Party time, upbeat

Just like Minneapolis seemed to deliver a slew of talented acts to BNBTV (Hastings 3000, Phantom Tails, The Goondas), Portland area bands have been gracing our internet stage, starting with The Stagger and Sway.  So get your fedoras out, 'cause before us we have a group embracing a genre that doesn't usually reach a younger demographic these days: soulful funk and jazz.  Manimal House makes these historic genres (that often express lifetimes of hardships) young and fun, thanks to an injection of hip-hop and positivity alongside upbeat grooves and danceable beats. It's a deference from the alt-rock indie wave that has washed over the ears of the youth, and one that is welcomed and eye-opening.

CG: Alrighty, who’s who? What are your names, what instruments do you play, etc?

The devastating Reyna Mallare: lead vocals

The prodigy of New Orleans piano Mac Potts: keyboards

The funky and overwhelmingly handsome Dan Lee: guitar

Brody Lowe: lead vocals

Jeff Tummond: bass

Mark Blanding: drums

The powerhouse horn section: Jon Ramm-Gramenz on trombone, Brian Fitzsimmons on trumpet and Reid Neuman on saxophone.

MB: When we made our last album, Body Rock (which the song Comet is from), we had Travis Hanson rapping and playing percussion with us.  He has since moved to Arkansas to pursue a life of crime.  Since then, we've been focused more on funk and soul music and less on hip-hop—although we of course still love hip-hop music and still enjoy playing with MCs as much as possible.  In fact, we backed Serge Severe at his CD release for his amazing new album Back On My Rhymes just last week.

Take a pinch of Death Cab for Cutie’s honest but evocative lyrical style.  Add a dash of Ben Lee-sounding vocals.  Combine with a vintage Tom Petty feel, and mix with a hint of folk-country twang. Sprinkle with a warm sense of community.  Your tasty result? Eugene, Oregon’s The Stagger and Sway.  With this video, “Sam Bond’s Garage,” listeners get a chance to feel what it’s like to be a Eugene resident as the band talks about their favorite local bar, brought to life with lines like “empty pint jar and a bar stool spinnin’.”  Find out more about the story behind “Sam Bond’s Garage” by checking out our BackStory featuring this song.

Claire Gallgher: Alrighty, who’s who? What are your names, what instruments do you play, etc?

Mike Last: Acoustic guitar, vocals

Jerry "Groove" Abelin: upright bass, vocals

Ken Howe: Drums

Brian Patrick: electric guitar, lap steel

Warning: this is not Sigur Ros.  If you refer to Ólafur Arnalds as such, he will probably be offended.  Fresh off his one night engagement at the Echoplex in Los Angeles (read the review here), I got to talk with Arnalds about his music and background. Also, I attempted to capture this mind-blowing show on video, and, to be honest, the most advanced video equipment out there probably wouldn't do it justice.  Take this video sample as a mere bite of what's to be heard from Arnalds, and be sure to see him live at one point in your life.  Even if you don't [think you] like classical or neoclassical music, there's something about his sound--probably the electronic sounds and the young approach--that is modern and widely appreciable.

Claire Gallagher: So, what do you do/play?

Ólafur Arnalds: Composer, pianist, electronics

CG: Where are you from?

ÓA: I am from Iceland.

Minneapolis does it again, this time responsible for the futuristic one-man band Hastings 3000.  I have to believe Joe Hastings, the single man behind the act, has some impressively ambidextrous brain capabilities--he plays the guitar while operating his feet on separate kick-drums and singing at the same time--all while sound pretty darn good. And if it's widely believed and well known that loneliness leads to madness, Hastings takes this madness and embraces it.  He plays up his image and sound with an imagined, almost insane, overly-industrial-and-mechanized portrayal of the future (he often wears a gas mask), so much to the point where it's as if he is living in the future now, and the rest of us are the crazy ones. Maybe he's right.  Regardless, his sound is ironically old-school, especially on "Speed of Light," with Ramones-esque vocals and a gritty driving force behind his tempo and song structure.  Furthermore, his responses to the interview questions are minimal, carefully chosen and totally weird, which makes for a curious, strange, and hilarious picture of this man in a different time.

Claire Gallagher: So who are you?

Joe Hastings: Joe Hastings is Hastings 3000, and my band is as follows--Left foot (Snare, Hi-hat, tambourine) Right foot (Kick Drum) Left hand (String manipulation-pedal pusher) Right hand (Strummer and the leader of the band) Head (Voice and screams)

People By the Sea, comprised of husband and wife Leah Grounds and Jake Irwin and brother Dan Irwin is a heartfelt amalgam of rock, pop, folk, and sentimental singer-songwriter sounds.  I have been wary of their presence from word around the UCLA campus (the band formed at UCLA) and was first blown away by them live at the Troubadour last month. With their video for "Take Me Backwards," listeners are given a taste of the band's apt songwriting capabilities and are taken through a gradual increase in volume, dynamic, passion and mood.  The song starts out sort of blue and is taken to a sunny yellow by growing major chords and the transition of Jake's face from sad to smiling, only to briefly return to the previous melancholy.  Leah's harmonies add an indescribable element to the sound as a whole, and the song lingers as something tangible, relatable, and beautiful.

Claire Gallagher: Alrighty, who’s who? What are your names, what instruments do you play, etc?

Jacob Irwin: Well my name is Jacob, and I sing and play guitar,  Leah [Grounds] plays keys and sings, and Dan [Irwin] here plays the drums and sings as well.  I could've said we all sing.  We all sing.  And we're all in on the writing process.  I sort of get the bones of the song written, and these two help me bring it to life.