Hello there! I’ve been having a hard time putting a string of words together in a coherent manner so far this morning as my brain seems to be wanting to jump from thought to thought. Funnily enough, it’s making my first recommendation a perfect one (in my humble opinion) for someone joining me in a never-ending daydream. Welcome, have a flower.
We’ve got a couple of fun music-related things coming up this weekend that I wanted to make sure were on your radar. First, the cool kids over at MTV Hive have booked a special show with The Kills to celebrate the band’s 10th anniversary and we’ll be streaming it live on our site. Let’s be honest, everyone needs a little more Allison Mosshart in their lives. Secondly, I’ll be live-tweeting the Grammys for AfterEllen this Sunday. If you’re watching and want to play along with me, make sure you say “hey, girl, hey” to the @AfterEllen account.
File Under: Therapeutic electronic
From: London
For Fans of: Massive Attack, Boards of Canada, gastro-pubs, asymmetric haircuts, documentaries on the National Geographic network, Purity Ring, non-bourgeois martini bars.
Bonus: The duo’s EP, Apparitions, came out yesterday and has been getting some great remix love already. Watch this massively beautiful video for their song “Amber.” (NSFW)
File Under: Dance Pop
From: L.A.
For Fans of: Idle Warship with more R&B and less rap, Kylie Minogue, ATC’s “All Around The World”, video bars, Calvin Harris, dance clubs with table service, Black Eyed Peas, spin classes at the gym, bedazzling your fingernails, Making The Band-style show soundtracks.
Bonus: Thank you to my partner in musical crime, Adri, for another great suggestion. I was being a Judge Judy when I first saw Adri’s email and it said singer Kimberly Wyatt was a former Pussycat Doll. Thankfully I am an open-minded gal and gave the music a spin. You can grab a free download over at their Facebook page. Listen to “Glaciers” below and get ready to booty bounce in 5, 4, 3, 2…
File Under: Reggae-infused folk(ish) rock
From:Boston
For Fans of: Daphne Willis’s What to Say album, in some ways Kimya Dawson, Lynn Miles, using the word “wacky” in everyday conversation, used bookstores, open mic nights, chai tea, Toshi Reagon, wristbands.
Bonus:Kristen is a member of our lady-loving club and her songs don’t hide behind ambiguous pronouns, which I really appreciate.
File Under: Dramatic indie rock punctuated by some awesome violin
From: Carbondale, Illinois
For Fans of: The Shondes, Company of Thieves, art house films, big parties with cheap beer, sweaty people and the possibility of fire dancers, The Dresden Dolls, taquitos as its own food group, flannel, knowing that the night time is the right time, a darker Tilly & The Wall (Wild Like Children era).
Bonus: I found this band very randomly while scrolling through Reddit and I’m really impressed with their sound. I haven’t been able to find a whole lot about them but if they keep up their touring, I’d imagine they’ll have nice-sized following in no time.
File Under: Dark indie operatic rock
From:California
For Fans of: PJ Harvey, finding your way out of dangerous situations, Portishead, Ann Rice novels, Austra, scars, Laurel Halo, Antony & The Johnsons “Fistful of Love,” painful realism (i.e. pictures of physical trauma as art), goosebumps
Bonus: Chelsea recently did a stunning performance at the Room 205 studio which they accurately suggest watching after “…you get yourself into a gloomy Portishead-meets-Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein state of mind.”
That’s all for this week, but please join me on Twitter for the Grammys this Sunday. I’ll be tweeting from the AfterEllen account on that day but you can feel free to follow my @ChubbyJones on the regular, friend me on Facebook to suggest an artist for me to include in this column.
