Boards
My 10 for 2010
Thought i'd get together my 10 for 2010 obviously it's unlikely any of these bands will have chart success but will certainly be getting "indie big" in the next year methinks! Only putting small bands on too no point putting in who have already "made it" type thing.
Ran out of energy to write the blurbs towards the end but put the last ones in anyway.
1: Bo Ningen
For probably the 2nd half of this year Bo Ningen have been the undisputed heavyweight champions of the live music scene in London now with their debut release on Stolen Recordings coming out on December 9th and their getting bigger and bigger with every crazy show they play they are bound to be onto a winnner.
Additionally everytime I see them they seem to have more new and amazing songs and haven't heard before and I've seen em about 10 times this year!
2: Tristram
Maybe I'm biased as I manage the guy but obviously I only took him on as I thought he was fantastic and judging by the amount of amazing feedback and press we are getting I can't be the only one!
Tristram has gone from playing sometimes heartbreaking sometimes funny songs by himself to amazingly well orchastrated tracks with a full band. His voice is probably one of the best in any band currently playing in London with coy and clever lyrics you can listen to again and again.
His debut release in out on Feb 8th on Oh Inverted World records and already in the last week their have had probably a dozen blogs and music websites covering it.
3: Drum Eyes
Drum Eyes are underground noise and krautrock super group. Featuring DJ Scotch Egg, E-DA (Ex Boredoms), Kai (Phil Collins 3), Tom (I'm Being Good), Kathy from I'm not sure what but she's amazing and occasionally Liam from Trencher, Alastair from Sons of Noel and Adrian and you never know who else.
Shige ( DJ Scotch Egg) Just has a groove going in his head that doesn't sound very complicated but I guarentee you will never ever be able to fucking replicate it and when they play live every single person will get that groove and after it's played in really loud for about 10 minutes you will be thinking it's one of the best things you have ever seen.
4: Zun Zun Egui
I totally stumbled across ZZE I was between bands at End of the Road festival with no one I particularly fancied for another half hour when I was gonna watch Efterklang.
Walking past the Local stage I heard something that sounded like some good shit so thought I'd check it out. What I saw was a mad Malysian man, a beautiful Japenese girl and two white dudes making this amazing mixture of funk, psych, hardcore, experimental-rock & zappa esque meanderings that I had ever seen. Was pure amazingness and everyone in their was loving it. Even a stage invasion at the end! At a predominately folk festival!
They recently released a 12” EP on Blanktapes which was pretty good but didn't really capture what they are about so I hope for another release soon!
5: The Rayographs
I have been loving the Rayographs since fairly early 2008 when I stumbling across them on the top friends of a band that I liked.
Three girls playing stripped down post-punk, blues esque sort of stuff might sound like you have heard it before in Wet Dog, Plug in recent times and spate of others in the 80's but The Rayographs have got these songs in unique timings that you don't really hear around very often and it immedaitely puts it apart from anything else. Also really intelligent, clever songs, fucking BRILLAINT.
They have had two singles out on Ian's lovely label that is totally blank from my mind right now and they are currently in the studio recording an album!
6: Speak and the Spells
Another band that have been playing at my gigs since early last year and probably hold the record for most times puts on I think!
Fusing together retro garage & surf with punk and newer more experimental rock and shoegaze influences they are just a fucking cracking band. Great live, great on record, look good on stage & put on a great show! What more can you ask for!
And I'm releasing a 7” with them on the label I co-run in Feburary!
www.myspace.com/speakandthespells
7: Chimes and Bells
8: Wild Palms
9: Lofty Heights
10: Slaraffenland