You know, music isn't what it used to be. For the past two decades we have been wandering through what can only be described as a junk heap of mediocrity and nonsensical malaise. We are living in dark times my friends. Nevertheless, I believe that such things come and go in inevitable cycles. Sometimes you have to dig through the junk heap to discover the shiny silver bike that was hiding under there the whole time. I have spent a bit of time doing a little bit of digging, here and there, traveling the interwebs in an electric odyssey, seeking for a reason to believe that there is more to today's music than mass-produced plastic totems which are defiling the airwaves these days. This is what I found.
10. Couer De Pirate
Quebec has blessed us with Beatrice Martin, better known by her stage name Couer De Pirate, pronounced 'car duh peeraht'. She has been gaining popularity since releasing her debut album in 2008. Since that time she has released two more albums.
9. Josh Ritter
Inspired by artists like Bob Dylan since an early age, Ritter's own songs have been covered by the likes of Joan Baez. Before he gained popularity in North America, he gained a fanbase in Ireland, which springboarded him to further success.
8. Yeah Yeah Yeahs!
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs are a band which support the growing theory that music is trending back towards the '80's, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Comprised of Karen O (Orzolek), Brian Chase, and Nick Zinner, they emerged from the New York indie scene back in the early 2000's, and have been going strong since.
7. Nico Vega
Aja Volkman, lead singer for Nico Vega, has a savage quality to her voice that invokes, in my mind, Joan Jett. Nico Vega is an excellent band, and they cover a wide variety of topics. Some interesting trivia about Volkman is that she is married to Imagine Dragon's Dan Reynolds.
6. She and Him
Not surprisingly, Zooey Deschanel, the eponymous 'She', is the more well-known of this particular musical duo. Deschanel met Matthew Ward while working on a film, and the two have collaborated to create a fairly unique take on '50's and '60's bubblegum pop, which has been quite successful.
5. Tame Impala
Tame Impala, the so-called 'psychedelic messiah', is Australia's great gift to us. If I had to describe them, I would say that are what would happen if you put Steppenwolf, The Beatles, and Syd Barrett in a room with lots of acid, and then told them they had twelve hours to create an album. That doesn't, however, do Tame Impala any justice.
4. Lana Del Rey
I could listen to Lana Del Rey for hours. Her voice has a rich quality in it that is lacking in most of today's artists, and her lyrics are very clever. Drawing inspiration from the likes of Elvis, Eminem, and Frank Sinatra, her style is unique to say the least.
3. Kongos
Johnny, Jesse, Dylan, and Daniel Kongos; four brothers from South Africa who have combined to make one of the most fun sounding bands of recent years. They have only become more-widely recognized in the US as of late last year.
2. Lindsey Stirling
At this point, the gospel of Lindsey Stirling has been preached to the ends of the earth to all living creatures. All that remains now is for everyone to choose which side of the line they stand on: Pro-Stirling or Anti-Stirling. Her music is great, covering a lot of genres, and being generally enjoyable to all audiences. She is living proof that Hipsters have come to rule popular culture.
1. Jake Bugg
I was pleasantly surprised when I heard Jake Bugg's music for the first time. I could barely believe he was a contemporary artist. His vocal style is gritty and substantial, and hearkens back to artists of another era. His no-nonsense, driving lyrics touch on relevant topics, and demonstrate a depth of understanding often found lacking in many of his contemporaries.
Alright, good enough. Now give these people your money!
