Summer’s end is fast approaching as August usually indicates. August also brings many back to school sales and not to mention some of the best parties because we are all looking for that last hurrah before the temperature starts to drop.
With that being said I think I picked bands this month that not only help us bring summer to a close, but also get thoughts of autumn brewing
.
1) The Dean’s List
Now, I’ve gotten countless emails from you guys along the lines of “Hey Lito, where’s the hip hop love on your blog? Did you suddenly
stop listening to rap or something?” The answer to that question would be of course not; there just hasn’t been much hip hop worth mentioning. That is until I stumbled upon The Dean’s List of course.
The Dean’s List is a hip hop trio from Boston that has gained a substantial following within the internet community. Mik and Mendoza lay down the beats and Sonny Shotz delivers some of the most catchy, melodic, and meaningful lyrics that I’ve heard in quite some time. Songs like “Dear Professor” and “Everything” do a really good job describing the struggles and the good times that come with the college life, but don’t get it twisted, they can get a party started.
Be sure to catch them at the Studio at Webster Hall September 13th and download their “Generation X” mixtape from iTunes
Facebook , Twitter , Soundcloud
2) Le Couleur
Laurence Giroux–Do (vocals and keyboards) Patrick Gosselin (guitar and keyboards) and Steeven Chouinard (drums, vocals) make up this band of French Canadian pop rockers. Sporting a new wave laced brand of electro-pop, Montreal’s Le Couleur is a band you can’t help but dance to.
Translated to “The Color,” Le Couleur’s sound definitely brings vibrant arrays of colors to mind as you get lost within the music. With a new album in the works I’m gonna have to brush up on my French…and by that I mean learn French. Maybe next time I can say a little something about the lyrics.
Facebook, Twitter , SoundCloud, Bandcamp
3) Big Troubles
New Jersey based band Big Troubles have been making a name for themselves in New York’s indie scene since their formation in 2009. The band has already gotten coverage from Brooklyn Vegan, Altered Zones and countless other blogs. The band members include founders Alex Craig and Ian Drennan. Along with Sam Franklin and Luka Usmiani.
They are signed to Brooklyn’s Slumberland Records with bands such as The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Dum Dum Girls and Crystal Stilts.
I honestly don’t know where Big Troubles’ lo-fi/90’s feel good inspired brand of indie fits better: In Brooklyn or with the other great Slumberland artists. During dilemmas like these I think it’s best to just enjoy the music.
Twitter, Facebook, Bandcamp
4) Electric Guest
Asa Taccone (vocals, instrumentals) and Matthew “Cornbread” Compton (drums) make up Los Angeles based Electric Guest. Formed in 2011, Electric Guest has already worked with Danger Mouse, toured Europe and was featured on MTV’s list of Artists to Watch for 2012.
These guys have been described in so many different ways but my favorite has to be “indietronica.” I think that describes the innocence and sincerity of their sound yet still nodding to the electric feel that is prevalent throughout their music.
Website, Facebook, SoundCloud
5) O.Children
Yes! O.Children got their name from the Nick Cave song. Yes! Nick Cave is awesome. Now that all of that is out of the way, let’s talk about the band’s music.
O.Children are a London based band that describe their sound as “teetering on the edge of ‘goth’, ‘rock’, ‘pop’ and a mental breakdown.” Originally named “Bono must Die” with only original members Tobias O’Kandi (vocals) and Andi Sleath (drums).The guys added Harry James (bass) and Gauthier Ajarrista (guitar and BVs) and had to change the band’s name due to a lawsuit from Bono himself (Bono is such a pussy) thus O.Children was born.
The band has a great ear for melody and O’Kandi’s vocals are very reminiscent of Ian Curtis (We all know I’m a bitch for anything that sounds even slightly similar to Joy Division) but make no mistake about it, O.Children’s sound is all their own.
Facebook , Twitter, Bandcamp
There you have it guys! I hope you enjoyed this month’s musical acts.
Be sure to follow all these amazing bands and check out past issues of “5 Musical Acts” and stay tuned for all the cool shit I have planned for the month of August.
Thanks so much for reading guys and enjoy the rest of your summer!
Later,
Lito
Lito's Life 