Yay we’ve made it to another Wednesday! Unfortunately, I woke up this morning with a strange allergic reaction to something and my face looks like someone took a red marker and doodled on it. Wow, that sounds a lot worse than it should have. In any case, here are ten more incredible artists you should check out if you already haven’t. File Under: ’80s pop rock legends whose music holds up as well today as it did back then. From: California For Fans Of: Bananarama, Debbie Gibson, Tiffany, Debbie Gibson vs. Tiffany, tambourine, VH1: Behind the Music, The Go-Gos, leg warmers. Bonus: Lead singer Susanna Hoffs is still one of the best-looking front-women to have ever been in front of the mic. File Under: Alt pop seduction From: Mexico For Fans Of: A Fine Frenzy, Julieta Venegas, Sarah McLachlan’s Fumbling Towards Ecstacy, satin sheets, tapenade, sexting. Bonus: Her song “Lado Este” has always hit me right where it counted — so naturally it has been on many a mix tape that I’ve made. Share it with someone you love. File Under: Indie electro-disco that gets the kids to their feet From: Echo Park, California For Fans Of: Ladytron, The Concretes, Crystal Castles, M.I.A., Dance Dance Party Party, Dance Yourself To Death’s cover of “Metal,” My Gold Mask, large sunglasses, red lipstick, torn pantyhose under coochie cutters. Bonus: Check out their bizarre/fantastic music video for “Omar K, which reminds me of what I’d like to do every time I go to Whole Foods. File Under: Hip-Hop, soul, R&B, poet, a little cray but her talent is unquestionable From: New Jersey For Fans Of: Queen Latifah, Erykah Badu, Rihanna, Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, Amy Winehouse (I hated writing that but it’s true), lollipops, big hoops, sitting on the stoop of your building. Bonus: While she hasn’t put out a new album since her MTV Unplugged No. 2.0 came out in 2002, her debut solo album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is still one of my favorites (and I also celebrate Sister Act 2 by singing “Oh Happy Day” on a regular basis). File Under: Experimental electronic art house From: UK For Fans Of: The Raincoats, Chicks on Speed, Nico, Darren Aronofsky movies (besides Black Swan), dimly lit coffee houses, open mic nights, Coco Rosie (a little bit of a stretch), Anne Clark Bonus: Da Silva was one of the founding members of The Raincoats, which was one of the most influential all-female post-punk bands to form in the late ’70s. File Under: Former Floetry member getting her solo R&B soul on From: Liverpool For Fans Of: Beyonce, Alicia Keys, Jazmine Sullivan, Musiq Soulchild, Jill Scott, love scenes in Tyler Perry movies. Bonus: Thanks to AE reader K-Fo for the suggestion. Also make sure you check out her video for “Far Away,” which features a gay couple and addresses homophobia and violence. Warning: make sure you have some Kleenex nearby. File Under: Death Metal, grip it and rip it! From: San Fran For Fans Of: electric guitar, screaming, The Agonist, Deadlock, elbowing people out of your way, cutting people off in traffic, flipping the bird. Bonus: While the band may have broken up, you can still hear singer Laura Nichol and drummer Ben Murray in their new(ish) band, Heartsounds, which is more pop punk than their previous band. File Under: Two girls, a lot of four-letter words and a whole lotta laughs From: L.A. For Fans Of: Funny or Die, Saturday Night Live, Second City, Adam Sandler, Jimmy Fallon. Bonus: These ladies aren’t just funny singers — they also act! Oh and you may recognize Riki Lindhome (Garfunkel) from the “Nuthin’ But A Glee Thang” video. File Under: Showtunes, jazz hands From: New York For Fans Of: Broadway, Chicago, Cabare, Gypsy, Noises Off, gay men. Bonus: Ms. Lupone starred as the mother in one of my favorite television series growing up, Life Goes On. Bring back Corky! File Under: Infectious dance poptronica, New Wave From: Mexico For Fans Of: Donna Summer remixes, Pet Shop Boys, a much happier Ladytron, Bonjay, flavored chapstick, Cut Copy, high fives, four square (the game not the application). Bonus: Download their jam, “Las Propiedades del Cobre” and get ready to dance in your chair.
That’s all for this week — I hope you found some tunes that will make your ears a kinder, happier place. As always, feel free to drop me a note to let me know of any other artists I should check out!
