ID: Black and white stock photo of a band performing on a stage, framed by white neon lights.
Hello all! Back again with more musician recommendations, this time with bands that will expand your horizons and knock your socks off. These are some lesser known bands that I personally listen to, along with some indie groups that I found on social media. If there are any bands that you wish more people listened to, say their name in the comments so we can all enjoy!
With each entry are links to their Spotify and other main platforms, an official introduction (if they have one), my personal thoughts on them, and some videos for their top songs! I hope you enjoy discovering some new bands, as I've enjoyed finding them for this post!
ID: A white millennial couple sporting old fashioned track suits and roller derby gear.
Caek and Minko had made an entire life together before ever writing a song together. Born and raised in Rhode Island, the pop duo started as friends and occasional collaborators before becoming partners - and eventually parents to a son. Separately, they accumulated separate musical success: Caek as a multi-instrumentalist with unmatched vocal prowess; Minko with millions of streams under the name Mike Slap to go with high-profile collaborations with the likes of Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. But it wasn't until 2020 - after years of grinding through the music business and honing their individual crafts - that they ever decided to write alongside one another. The process unlocked a new level to their music - and their partnership too. As a team, Caek and Minko are a self-contained pop duo with a distinct sound. The songs they churn out their humble home studio are infections, bright, and organic, with effortless hooks and always with a powerful message. Now on the verge of releasing their debut album, they stand as proof that finding a missing piece can make everything click - and that sometimes, the missing piece may have been right alongside you all along.
While yet to release a full album, Caek and Minko present singles that are brimming with funk, feelings, and skyrocketing potential. Akin to the likes of OneRepublic and Cage the Elephant, their music combines a strong rhythm, declarative lyrics, great vocals, and at least two unique elements per song -- like adding choir, synth, or plucky piano.
My Favorite: "Big Feelings"
IDs: Four while fellas, all most likely Gen Z, cramped together in eclectic yet cozy outfits.
Bears In Trees are four rapscallions. four certified up to no-gooders. voted 'most likely to incite public nuisance' by time magazine four years running.
This band, while from England, would likely identify as a gang of raccoons standing on top of each other in four trenchcoats. If you're someone who enjoys staring into the void, screaming at the moon, and ruminating on the absurdity of creation, then you'll enjoy the upbeat existentialism of Bears In Trees. Their style blends modern British pop-punk reminiscent of The 1975 and others, with relatable problems and a "hype-sad" vibe. Their biggest hit, "Ramblings of a Lunatic," was written by one of the lead singers who deals with schizophrenia; it's pretty cool to find solidarity for serious mental illnesses in music. Overall, their simultaneously colorful and dark music, and humor as bandmates, makes Bears In Trees a unique voice of Gen Z.
Top Song + My Favorite: "Ramblings of a Lunatic"
Top Song: "No Point Pretending" ft NOAHFINNCE
IDs: Four fellas, late 20s to early 30s, in casual, neutral colored clothes. Their symbol is a red circle containing the silhouettes of a palm tree and a lynx with the band name in yellow cursive.
This alternative pop/rock group caught my attention on Instagram, where it is all too easy to hear a second and a half of a song and then scroll onward. But, they made me stay. Specifically, it was their song "Next To You." For the life of me, I cannot tell if it is about Jesus or a romantic interest! But in either case, it is a beautiful illustration of being caught off guard by love and receiving influence to become a better version of yourself. The rest of their playlist continues to impress, with meaningful lyrics, passionate instrumentation, and vocals like from a pleasant memory.
Top Song + My Favorite: "Next To You"
Black Country, New Road | Spotify | Website
IDs: Four white fellas and three white girls, dressed very British. In one photo, they look down with shrugs at one of the guys who planks face-down on the ground. In another, they jam out on their respective instruments.
Black Country, New Road are Lewis Evans (saxophonist), May Kershaw (keys), Charlie Wayne (drums), Luke Mark (guitar), Tyler Hyde (bass) and Georgia Ellery (violin).
Black Country, New Road are an English rock band formed in Cambridge in 2018. They play experimental rock, post-punk and post-rock, and have released two acclaimed albums: For the First Time (2021) and Ants from Up There (2022). (I plagiarized this info from Wikipedia, don't judge me.) "Experimental" is right on the nose for this eclectic band; Their style of infusing seemingly contrary instruments with unlikely keys and rhythms creates an unexpected rhapsody that makes your feet break out into tapping.
Top Song: "The Place Where He Inserted the Blade"
IDs: Two band photos of three white men in plain, black clothes barely illuminated on a soundstage.
Described as an enigmatic band with a distinct identity, Neon Fields formed in 2020, mere weeks before the start of the global pandemic. Throughout the proceeding lockdowns, the southwest UK-based trio pushed the boundaries of rock and electronic music in isolation, sharing music remotely and refining their style. The result was a unique and sophisticated sound that captivated audiences with cinematic soundscapes, industrial tones, and creative narratives.
Based in Bristol UK, Ed Barrett (vocals), Luke Russe (Drums) and Piers Ward (Keyboards/Guitars) draw from a diverse set of influences and seamlessly traverse multiple genres to deliver their brand of electronic rock. Their self-titled debut album released in August 2022 has received enthusiastic approval from critics and fans.
In the short time since Neon Fields arrived on the scene with their exhilarating release, Light Them Up, they have continued to release material that resonates with a continually growing international fanbase.
As one article put it, Neon Fields creates a distorted and thrilling listening experience with a resounding blend of sound, enticing the listener and keeping them fixated on the music pouring into their ears.
- Website
I came across these guys on Instagram too, compelled to stop and behold their powerful vocals and quaking drums. As someone who's had some classical voice training myself, I was impressed to see a singer blend a similar style of skills with the instrumentation of rock and the sweeping rhythms of film scores. If you've never heard something that can only be described as "Phantom of the Rock Opera," then you need to hear them!
Top Song: "Light Them Up"
My Favorite: "Time To Leave"
IDs: Three fellas in their thirties in three different settings. The first, they hold props like a guitar, a cord phone, and an old radio. The second is a painterly album cover reminiscent of old-fashioned Christmas cards. The third, they pose dramatically yet humorously against a black-drop, one sitting in a leather armchair and the others leaning with eyes directed to the middle distance.
Cold Weather Company blends the influences and experiences of three singer-songwriters (Steve Shimchick, Jeff Petescia, and Brian Curry) into a cinematic, storytelling soundscape. What sprouted with a serendipitous park bench meeting at Rutgers University grew roots through dorm room and cabin recordings, branching out with performances near and far. With mirroring guitars on either side of the piano, the band’s symmetry reflects this balance between individuality and cohesion.
On their latest records and for select live shows, the trio is joined by percussion, brass, strings, and more instrumentation to expand their distinctive alternative-folk foundation.
Love and respect for their craft, supplemented by a desire to contribute to the dynamic world of music propels CWC as they approach their eleventh anniversary as a band. With more than 10 million online streams and 60 released songs, CWC is excited to announce more music and performance dates this year, with a fifth full-length album due by early 2025.
- Website
With a decade of experience under their belt, and a Kickstarter for their fifth album live now, Cold Weather Company nestles neatly in the niche of alternative folk. Their soothing balance of classic guitar with keys blends with patient strings and occasional techno influences. If you like Death Cab For Cutie, string instruments, and winding drives in a cozy car, then you'll love these guys.
IDs: The East Pointers, three white guys in casual clothes standing against the green Canadian wild. Featured on the right with their instruments: a guitar, a banjo, and a violin.
JUNO Award-winners, The East Pointers, are redefining the ever-evolving genre – modern folk – with dancefloor-shaking, ceiling-rattling, electro-trad breakdowns, and a glorious combination of folk, pop, and dance music. Already internationally acknowledged as musical trailblazers, their latest EPs House Of Dreams and Safe In Sound capture the furious energy of their live shows and push the boundaries of East Coast folk while lighting a path for a new generation of music lovers.
Their debut album Secret Victory won the 2017 JUNO Award for ‘Traditional Album of the Year’, their 2017 album What We Leave Behind and their 2022 EP House Of Dreams were nominated for JUNO Awards, and they have developed loyal fanbases in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, the UK, Europe, Mexico, the USA, and Canada.
I've been wanting to share about these guys for a hot second, y'all! It's going to be hard to pick just one song of theirs to share as my "favorite" for this list. Their stories compel universal sympathies of grief, weariness, love, and hope, all told through a banjo and beat drop. As for their plethora of beautiful instrumental pieces, they alternate between fast-paced bluegrass and uniquely swanky techno. One moment, you're running though wide, grassy fields. The next, you're spinning through a world of neon. My sister and her new husband even chose the song "You Were the Best Surprise" for their first dance at their wedding! I'd be lying if I said that I haven't considered their music a perfect fit for my upcoming "Bravesoul" novel project! But I should stop the gushing here.
My Favorite: "Goolaholla"
That's all for now! I hope y'all fall in love with some of these bands, just as I have! If there are others that you wish more people knew of, say it down below!
Add comment
Comments