7 Buzz Bands to Watch at SXSW
There are literally hundreds of bands playing at SXSW this year, ranging from obscure unsigned Dixieland trios hoping to get some media buzz, to the inimitable Kanye West. Here is a handy cheat sheet of bands on the rise that are performing at SXSW this year.
1. The Indecent
Despite not even being born when Kurt Cobain died, teenage quartet The Indecent makes angsty grunge that is equal parts Nirvana, Black Sabbath, and The Cramps, and all sorts of good. Lead singer Emily Brout’s voice is reminiscent of a young Grace Slick, and their overall sound is both youthfully vibrant and beyond their years. The band, comprised of sixteen year-old triplets and a drummer, was just signed to Warner Bros after only a few showcases at Don Hill’s in New York and The Viper Room in Los Angeles. Check them out now before they blow up on the grunge scene.
The Indecent will be playing Buzznet’s Kiss Me Deadly showcase on Friday, March 18th.
2. Hanni El Khatib
If you throw garage rock, blues, soul, doo-wop and a dash of punk rock into a giant muscial blender, the sound smoothie you pour at the end is Hanni El Khatib. The half Palestinian half Filipino San Francisco native recently toured with Florence and the Machine and has been getting rave reviews of his stripped-down toe-tapping head-bobbing sound. He’ll be playing a whopping eleven shows at this year’s SXSW, so you’d have to try to miss him. Don’t.
Check out more info on Hanni El Khatib on his site and his Myspace page.
3. Twin Shadow
If you’re into melancholy musical musings, then Twin Shadow is right up your alley. 26-year old George Lewis Jr. has the vocal affectations of Morrissey, the simple, catchy instrumentation of the The Cure and Echo and the Bunnymen, and just enough synth to breed nostalgia, not nausea.
You can also watch Twin Shadow live at the Fader Fort on his Myspace page today at 6:45 PM CST.
4. Odd Future
Los Angeles teenage rap collective Odd Future have been making headlines all year with their controversial music and their wacky antics, including an appearance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon that spawned a viral web video that floated around the interweb for days. This group of skate kids (full working title Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All) makes rap music that is more Black Flag than Black Star, and have seen a meteoric rise in the past few months. They just landed the cover of Billboard Magazine, and various members of the collective have been picked up by record labels left and right. Expect big things from this motley crew.
Catch Odd Future at the Fader Fort on 3/18
5. Young The Giant
Young The Giant is a quintet from Newport Beach (don’t judge) who make unapolgetically catchy indie rock. Their sound is made up of soaring melodies, pleasant vocals, and rich, danceable progressions, party beachy bliss and part earnest emotion, and all just solidly good music.
Catch Young The Giant tonight at midnight PST at the Billboard Bungalow at Buffalo Billiards.
6. Kurt Vile
First of all, Kurt Vile is his REAL name. Secondly, he was hand-picked to play on Dinosuar Jr. front man J. Mascis’ solo record Several Shades of Why. Thirdly, he’s been called a “good-vibes merchant”. Fourthly, you really shouldn’t need a fourthly but Kurt Vile’s brand of lo-fi folk rock is pensive and bitter and and dreamy and sly, weaving together equal parts Springsteen and totally strange to create a sound that is wholly and uniquely his own. The end.
Kurt Vile will be playing the Auditorium Shores Stage at 3:30 PM CST.
7. Kerli
The Lady Gaga of Estonia is a bubble-goth babe who is slowly making her way into America’s heart on a bed of glitter and Bjork-ish electro-pop. This pop-princess in the making is poised to storm our radiowaves this year.
Kerli will be headling Buzznet’s Kiss Me Deadly showcase on Friday March 19th.
