2020: Adopt a new band/singer

[sglowrider]

I noticed that folks here seem to have stopped listening to any new music for a few decades now.
As the new decade of 2020 approaches, why not open your eyes and try something new.

These below are a combo of genre-bending music or sultry voices:

Bakar
After self-releasing his debut mixtape, Badkid, last year, Bakar has impressed audiences with his fervent, genre-bending sound. Bakar draws on the attitude of punk, utilizes a poetic, hip-hop vocal delivery and takes cues from the diverse sonics of alternative hip-hop, soul, indie rock and spoken-word. On songs like “BADlands,” his style morphs mid-song from guitar-backed rap to neo-soul, and no matter where he finds himself on the stylistic map, he possesses an innate swagger, magnetic presence and perceived effortlessness.




Fur
Brighton,UK quartet Fur have been delivering ’50s and ’60s-influenced pop songs with a sanguine sheen and toe-tapping beat for a few years now. Though retro pop and doo-wop are both at play here, their melodious songwriting could easily charm listeners from any decade.




Mahalia
Birmingham,UK-based singer-songwriter and Atlantic Records signee Mahalia is taking the world by storm with her silky smooth vocals.




The Ninth Wave
Over the past couple of years, Glasgow’s The Ninth Wave has consistently released expertly-crafted pop songs with a pitch-black underbelly. With frontman Haydn Park-Pattersonheir at the helm via brooding, anthemic lead vocals, The Ninth Wave’s synth-driven dark wave reaches profound peaks of ecstasy




Our Girl
Brighton, U.K. trio Our Girl’s debut album, Stranger Today, is the perfect gift for the listener that loves a good musical dichotomy. Fronted by The Big Moon’s Soph Nathan, the band exudes the sweet-and-tender-meets-heavy-and-formidable sound of groups like the Pixies and My Bloody Valentine with their cathartic, thoughtful pop/rock and distorted shoegaze and grunge. As much as the term “grunge” has been thrown around to describe the band, it doesn’t fully account for the beauty and richness of Nathan’s songs and guitar playing.




Sorry
South Londoners and Domino Records signees Sorry are currently on an impressive streak of single releases with their idiosyncratic, almost unclassifiable sound that melds indie-rock, electronic, noise and hip-hop.



Thyla
After the release of their exceptional debut EP, What’s On Your Mind?, earlier this month, things are only looking up for Brighton four-piece Thyla. Singles like “Tell Each Other Lies” “Pristine Dream,” “Only Ever” and “Blue” cultivate a misty dream-pop wonderland with frontwoman Millie Duthie’s enigmatic lead vocals as their euphoric centerpiece. Then add a framework of palatial, lush guitars and a dash of moody post-punk for good measure, and you have all the bearings of a band worth obsessing over. Thyla will make their first trek over to the states for SXSW 2019.




Yola
After fronting Phantom Limb for several years, Bristol, U.K. singer-songwriter Yola decided to go solo. Her music draws on country, soul, gospel and Americana, resulting in a warm, rootsy sound. After releasing her debut EP Orphan Offering in 2016, she’s finally set to release her debut full-length Walk Through Fire, out on Feb. 22 via Easy Eye Sound. The album was produced by The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach and was recorded in his Nashville studio.

 

[largemouth]

My answer would be, no thanks.

 

[evvcabinetman]

 

[evvcabinetman]

 

[IUAPEX]

Several good ones on here ... this is a group I listened to a bit this year.

 

[evvcabinetman]

 

[IUAPEX]

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Big time fan of Tyler ... if you like him you will also like Brent Cobb:

 

[tooold4]

From 2016



They do some old songs that feel brand spankin' new.

 

[T.M.P.]

I noticed that folks here seem to have stopped listening to any new music for a few decades now.
As the new decade of 2020 approaches, why not open your eyes and try something new.

These below are a combo of genre-bending music or sultry voices:

Bakar
After self-releasing his debut mixtape, Badkid, last year, Bakar has impressed audiences with his fervent, genre-bending sound. Bakar draws on the attitude of punk, utilizes a poetic, hip-hop vocal delivery and takes cues from the diverse sonics of alternative hip-hop, soul, indie rock and spoken-word. On songs like “BADlands,” his style morphs mid-song from guitar-backed rap to neo-soul, and no matter where he finds himself on the stylistic map, he possesses an innate swagger, magnetic presence and perceived effortlessness.

View embedded media

Fur
Brighton,UK quartet Fur have been delivering ’50s and ’60s-influenced pop songs with a sanguine sheen and toe-tapping beat for a few years now. Though retro pop and doo-wop are both at play here, their melodious songwriting could easily charm listeners from any decade.

View embedded media

Mahalia
Birmingham,UK-based singer-songwriter and Atlantic Records signee Mahalia is taking the world by storm with her silky smooth vocals.

View embedded media

The Ninth Wave
Over the past couple of years, Glasgow’s The Ninth Wave has consistently released expertly-crafted pop songs with a pitch-black underbelly. With frontman Haydn Park-Pattersonheir at the helm via brooding, anthemic lead vocals, The Ninth Wave’s synth-driven dark wave reaches profound peaks of ecstasy

View embedded media

Our Girl
Brighton, U.K. trio Our Girl’s debut album, Stranger Today, is the perfect gift for the listener that loves a good musical dichotomy. Fronted by The Big Moon’s Soph Nathan, the band exudes the sweet-and-tender-meets-heavy-and-formidable sound of groups like the Pixies and My Bloody Valentine with their cathartic, thoughtful pop/rock and distorted shoegaze and grunge. As much as the term “grunge” has been thrown around to describe the band, it doesn’t fully account for the beauty and richness of Nathan’s songs and guitar playing.

View embedded media

Sorry
South Londoners and Domino Records signees Sorry are currently on an impressive streak of single releases with their idiosyncratic, almost unclassifiable sound that melds indie-rock, electronic, noise and hip-hop.

View embedded media

Thyla
After the release of their exceptional debut EP, What’s On Your Mind?, earlier this month, things are only looking up for Brighton four-piece Thyla. Singles like “Tell Each Other Lies” “Pristine Dream,” “Only Ever” and “Blue” cultivate a misty dream-pop wonderland with frontwoman Millie Duthie’s enigmatic lead vocals as their euphoric centerpiece. Then add a framework of palatial, lush guitars and a dash of moody post-punk for good measure, and you have all the bearings of a band worth obsessing over. Thyla will make their first trek over to the states for SXSW 2019.

View embedded media

Yola
After fronting Phantom Limb for several years, Bristol, U.K. singer-songwriter Yola decided to go solo. Her music draws on country, soul, gospel and Americana, resulting in a warm, rootsy sound. After releasing her debut EP Orphan Offering in 2016, she’s finally set to release her debut full-length Walk Through Fire, out on Feb. 22 via Easy Eye Sound. The album was produced by The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach and was recorded in his Nashville studio.

View embedded media

Music died in the early 2000's. Except for the rare original groups on indie labels, the majority of "new" is just manufactured paint by number disposable tripe. They are feeding you a bad product, one completely void of creativity and artist's vision. It's instead a consumer oriented product made by business men and demographic charts using the same tired old hooks used since the Brill Building days. I don't like listening to demographic charts .. and it's not new at all, it's regurgitated. That shit is going to rot your brain, kid..

 

[PhyloeBedoe]

Music died in the early 2000's. Except for the rare original groups on indie labels, the majority of "new" is just manufactured paint by number disposable tripe. They are feeding you a bad product, one completely void of creativity and artist's vision. It's instead a consumer oriented product made by business men and demographic charts using the same tired old hooks used since the Brill Building days. I don't like listening to demographic charts .. and it's not new at all, it's regurgitated. That shit is going to rot your brain, kid..

Yeah, you might be right to some degree. Yes, so much of the new stuff is regurgitated from earlier masters. I know much of the music I play and participate in creating is fully derivative. I help it be so because I like all the old stuff! I can’t help it. So I’m guilty too.

But some of today’s music is definitely unique, and if not, sometimes the lyrics are of the moment. The general sentiment of the OP is still on point. Way too many here on AOTF looking back when there are plenty of new fresh versions of some of the stuff we already like, but lightly remodeled. I didn’t listen (yet) to the small collection he posted, but I’ll check it out. I did notice it’s all English, with a number from Brighton. That’s a little specific, but whatever.

I love Pink Floyd. I love all the albums, and wish I had more of their stuff to discover. But after a while, I can’t keep popping that stuff on. I must listen to something new, even if I know it’s perfectly derivative of something else I know. (Only Greta Van Fleet have gone way too far in copying Led Zep. Now THAT is offensive. They should be arrested.) ad An example, I really like the band Real Estate, even though they are a full ripoff of 80s era REM. I get it; they’re super derivative. But they’re writing cool stuff.

 

[tooold4]

Music died in the early 2000's. Except for the rare original groups on indie labels, the majority of "new" is just manufactured paint by number disposable tripe. They are feeding you a bad product, one completely void of creativity and artist's vision. It's instead a consumer oriented product made by business men and demographic charts using the same tired old hooks used since the Brill Building days. I don't like listening to demographic charts .. and it's not new at all, it's regurgitated. That shit is going to rot your brain, kid..

A bit over the top but I mostly agree. The search for good music worth listening to is getting longer and more difficult. The flood of shite is overwhelming. I try to listen to every suggestion posted on the board, try being the operative word. The early 2000's is a strange time frame though.

Ray Charles was a great singer, performer and such, but the laying on of strings used to drive me to distraction. Spector's wall of sound was fun for a bit and grew old and grating with age. Then we come to the machine or studio produced sounds that aren't really able to be reproduced on a live stage, the Beatles or Boston come quickly to mind.

There is no accounting for taste,unfortunately my taste isn't reflected in the popular "machine" generated sounds of today. Hell, I don't even recognize the bands or artists.Guess I prefer talent that can be displayed through a command of an instrument, vocal chops, or songwriting ability. Two out of three ain't all bad when considering a poet like Dylan. Combine all three and you can get a Chris Stapleton.

 

[T.M.P.]

Yeah, you might be right to some degree. Yes, so much of the new stuff is regurgitated from earlier masters. I know much of the music I play and participate in creating is fully derivative. I help it be so because I like all the old stuff! I can’t help it. So I’m guilty too.

But some of today’s music is definitely unique, and if not, sometimes the lyrics are of the moment. The general sentiment of the OP is still on point. Way too many here on AOTF looking back when there are plenty of new fresh versions of some of the stuff we already like, but lightly remodeled. I didn’t listen (yet) to the small collection he posted, but I’ll check it out. I did notice it’s all English, with a number from Brighton. That’s a little specific, but whatever.

I love Pink Floyd. I love all the albums, and wish I had more of their stuff to discover. But after a while, I can’t keep popping that stuff on. I must listen to something new, even if I know it’s perfectly derivative of something else I know. (Only Greta Van Fleet have gone way too far in copying Led Zep. Now THAT is offensive. They should be arrested.) ad An example, I really like the band Real Estate, even though they are a full ripoff of 80s era REM. I get it; they’re super derivative. But they’re writing cool stuff.

I listen to everything from early classical, to big band jazz, to african blues, to screamo and shoegaze ... and everything in between. Music to me is not stuck in any era .. there's good and there's bad that's it.

Record companies no longer take chances on original sounds, movements or bands.. because ears seek the familiar .. and it takes time for actually original things to make money. How many years did Little Feat lose money? In a quarterly profits industry, they no longer have that time, they want in the black now, not later. There's diamonds in the rough through ..

Bands like Floyd would never get a contract in the current extreme. It took them almost 5 6 years ..

This sells though .. Songs in the Key of Pussy.

There was a time where artistry and product were equal. Now it's almost all McMusic and manufactured like any other consumer product. Disposable and superficial ..

 

[tooold4]

I listen to everything from early classical, to big band jazz, to african blues, to screamo and shoegaze ... and everything in between. Music to me is not stuck in any era .. there's good and there's bad that's it.

Record companies no longer take chances on original sounds, movements or bands.. because ears seek the familiar .. and it takes time for actually original things to make money. How many years did Little Feat lose money? In a quarterly profits industry, they no longer have that time, they want in the black now, not later.

Bands like Floyd would never get a contract in the current extreme. It took them almost 10 years ..

This sells though .. Songs in the Key of Pussy.

There was a time where artistry and product were equal. Now it's almost all McMusic and manufactured like any other consumer product. Disposable and superficial ..

LINK?

 

[T.M.P.]

LINK?

Old timey ...

 

[tooold4]

Nah, I meant a link to the key of pussy.

 

[IUAPEX]

Old timey ...

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Was familiar with Billy Strings ... but been listening to The Dead South ... excellent stuff

 

[tooold4]

 

[T.M.P.]

Was familiar with Billy Strings ... but been listening to The Dead South ... excellent stuff

Strings is an insanely talented flatpicker.. guys like Doc Watson and Clarence White would be impressed with his ability. He overplays, sometimes, but only because he can and it's not so obnoxious as to steal away from the song.

 

[T.M.P.]

Nah, I meant a link to the key of pussy.

I know ... vbg ..

there's this thing called porn hub - all the kids are doing it.

 

[IUAPEX]

Strings is an insanely talented flatpicker.. guys like Doc Watson and Clarence White would be impressed with his ability. He overplays, sometimes, but only because he can.

Yea ... I don’t have the musical talent ... but I can appreciate when I hear it and he is one to appreciate ... like in this one:

 

[tooold4]

 

[MyTeamIsOnTheFloor]

New
Ish
To me

 

[IUAPEX]

New
Ish
To me

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Saw these guys in September at a festival ... really good group.

 

[outside shooter]

I'm seeing 70-something guitar picker great Leo Kottke next weekend.

 

[Crossblock]

Music died in the early 2000's. Except for the rare original groups on indie labels, the majority of "new" is just manufactured paint by number disposable tripe. They are feeding you a bad product, one completely void of creativity and artist's vision. It's instead a consumer oriented product made by business men and demographic charts using the same tired old hooks used since the Brill Building days. I don't like listening to demographic charts .. and it's not new at all, it's regurgitated. That shit is going to rot your brain, kid..

Here is one of the major differences I see between music today and when I grew up. Now days you can get away with putting stuff out on the internet and having it purchased with a posted video or minimal other promotion. In the old days you had Record Companies that had contracted musicians and groups that they marketed through concert tours and appearances to show their talent, And yes, I know that there was a lot of lip synching going on on shows like Dick Clark, Shindig and Hullabalo, where artists weren't actually singing. But you saw the Artists as people, not just an internet invention.

In fact, several of the known regional groups in the Midwest got their start doing school dances and sock hops before getting record contracts and selling enough records to make the top 40.

Now days, with the cost of concert production, and travel, nobody wants to risk capital financing a new or start up Group on Tour. Look at the Touring Groups today. The Stones, U2, Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Steve Miller Band, Springsteen, and probably several others I'm missing. Look at the age of these Groups. Ten Years from now when several of them can no longer Tour due to age or Health, Who will replace them? Maroon 5 Maybe? We maybe go back to the old days of the 60's and 70's where you don't have Groups with enough inventory to perform a 2 Hour Concert on their own, so you charge $15 a head to have a concert with 3 Bands doing an Hour each.

 

[sglowrider]

Here is one of the major differences I see between music today and when I grew up. Now days you can get away with putting stuff out on the internet and having it purchased with a posted video or minimal other promotion. In the old days you had Record Companies that had contracted musicians and groups that they marketed through concert tours and appearances to show their talent, And yes, I know that there was a lot of lip synching going on on shows like Dick Clark, Shindig and Hullabalo, where artists weren't actually singing. But you saw the Artists as people, not just an internet invention.

In fact, several of the known regional groups in the Midwest got their start doing school dances and sock hops before getting record contracts and selling enough records to make the top 40.

Now days, with the cost of concert production, and travel, nobody wants to risk capital financing a new or start up Group on Tour. Look at the Touring Groups today. The Stones, U2, Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Steve Miller Band, Springsteen, and probably several others I'm missing. Look at the age of these Groups. Ten Years from now when several of them can no longer Tour due to age or Health, Who will replace them? Maroon 5 Maybe? We maybe go back to the old days of the 60's and 70's where you don't have Groups with enough inventory to perform a 2 Hour Concert on their own, so you charge $15 a head to have a concert with 3 Bands doing an Hour each.

Or new genres would struggle to be introduced.

Bands like Pink Floyd, reggae/ska, punk or even bands like Kings of Leon wouldn't have made it -- since the record companies won't have the business model to 'educate' the listening public of its new cutting edge stuff. Beatles etc was easy since they were really the boy band of its period, bubble gum music, though not if they had started off with their later stuff first.

 

[Cream&Crimson]

There's plenty of good new music out there these days. You can find it all over the place. TMP is right in that the record companies only want to give big contracts these days to acts that are commercially safe bets. That said, there are plenty of other venues now to find music beyond the record store, and apps like Spotify help with that greatly.

Here's a indie pop band I kind of enjoy right now - mostly because my girlfriend turned me onto them, and I'm pretty much into whatever music she wants to turn me on to. Not saying there is anything unique about them, but I like the hook of this tune, and the general positive upbeat vibe of these guys. As a musician myself, I'm not embarrassed to admit that I dig a good hook, and that I like Pop. And as a drummer, songs with a great hook are the most fun to play...