Holy crap, it's beyond cold outside! Well it's winter in New England and I guess I can't be surprised that it's below zero up here. Plus we're supposed to get over a foot of snow where I live. It's kind of exciting actually; in fact it always is. The first snow fall has always been something I've looked forward to. After all it is December; you know what that means...Best of the Year Top 10 Lists! Oh yeah and the holidays. Don't worry; there are no top 10 lists or holiday songs today. I'm saving those for the next couple posts. This is a tribute to the bands that haven’t quite made it outside, say…their hometown. Actually, scratch that. Most of these bands have made an appearance on some great tours and are on their way to getting the recognition they so rightfully deserve.
Get Back Loretta
Get Back Loretta is from San Diego. That’s really that needs to be said about this band. Most great bands these days are coming from that area so it is no surprise that the indie soul-rock band is doing just fine opening for bands like Brand New and Weatherbox. Imagine a young Ben Folds with less theatrics and goofiness. Quite enjoyable to say the least.
http://www.getbackloretta.com/
Download: Get Back Loretta – Ketamine from the album, Over the Wall
Seeded Skies
When I was out in Northern California for four months, I came across a CD that was titled “Clockwise” from a band called Seeded Skies. I faintly remember hearing about a local Santa Rosa instrumental band touring with the likes of dredg and The Velvet Teen, so I decided to cough up the $10 and have myself a listen. I was not disappointed. It almost sounds like a mix between instrumental Primus and your favorite movie soundtrack. Put simply, you won’t be disappointed.
http://www.seededskies.com/
Download: Seeded Skies – Dub Mona from the album, Clockwise
The Drift
Another instrumental band from Northern California? Yup, but this time it’s a little more jazz influenced. If you’ve ever heard of Do Make Say Think, you’ll find The Drift very friendly to your ears. Even artists like Four Tet and Sybarite have taken interest to the point where they even made a few remixes. The mighty Explosions in the Sky have also taken these guys out on tour. If you’re interested, check out their site and listen to a few tracks. This kind of band should not be ignored.
http://www.thedriftmusic.com/
Download: The Drift – Invisible Cities from the album, Noumena
Big Digits
Its party time bitches! Big Digits are two guys that resemble Tenacious D as a techno-core band. As funny and bizarre as that sounds, it’s actually quite fun. I first encountered Big Digits at the recent M.I.A. show where they hyped up the crowd for a good 45 minutes. At first I was dissatisfied by the fact that Cool Kids did not show up, after about 15 minutes into the set, I found myself bobbing my head and raising my hand with the rest of the crowd. The Cambridge, MA group has been rocking house parties since 2003 and isn’t showing signs of letting up. Warning to listeners though; this isn’t for everyone…it’s bizarre.
http://bigdigits.com/
Download: Big Digits – Why Did You Reject My Steve Perry Fan Fiction? from the album, Smoke Machines in Lazer Vision
