This week’s band we love is a man full of stories and laughter – a 30 something-year-old, old-timey banjo picker from Iowa who also happens to have a full-sleeve of tattooes and tattooed knuckles. William Elliott Whitmore came out of the hard-core Iowa punk scene but sounds more like he should be sitting on a farm porch with boots, britches and wide suspenders.
A self-proclaimed hillbilly, Whitmore’s blend of traditional folk and blues arouse images of the vast and beautiful middle-American landscape and simple life in the country. But his roots in the hardcore punk community also come through in his rough music, which he states can be interchangeable as there is a folk element to punk. His songs convey the sincerity and poetry of a man who has seen and been through life’s rough patches and are influenced by a lifetime of living and working on a farm.
Whitmore’s reputation of being an absolutely stirring live performer has converted audiences of all kinds with just his banjo (or guitar) and voice. There is no denying that he is a talented storyteller but his voice is the deal breaker which has allowed the punk community to embrace William E. with open arms – making him an icon.
As the Seattle Times accurately stated, “You hear the diesel engine growl of his voice, the century of blues and folk tradition behind his banjo-driven stomps, the everyday relevance of his lyrics, and you succumb.”
Making music that evokes their love and the culture of California is the motto for this week’s band we love. Out of the hundreds of indie bands in California, Best Coast has thundered past the competition and intense level of scrutiny to become a phenomenal success. The duo prides themselves on straightforward love and relationship pop songs that tell simple stories, inspired by 60s and 70s California culture. And with influences such as Fleetwood Mac and the Beach Boys and the debut of their first album at No. 37 on the Billboard Hot 100 list, it’s no surprise that Best Coast’s sounds appeal to almost everyone.
As the release of their second album, The Only Place, fast approaches (you can get it on May 15th) Bethany Cosentino and Bobb Bruno are gearing up for their first North American tour. Best Coast will continue to gain new fans and wow audiences from every corner of the country with their balance of imperfect sounds and friendly hooks, as they begin their 28 show tour next week. As everyone can relate to “loving someone so much, they make you crazy” we can’t wait to see Best Coast kick everything off in the city going back to their California roots, Los Angeles.
There is only one-way to experience this week’s band we love – live and in-person. Brilliantly mixing psychedelic, indie and noise pop sounds, Crocodiles is a band that no other can be compared to. The San Diego natives are making a name for themselves outside their internet following. With their loud rhythms Crocodiles are spreading a wall of sound across North America through a string of spring tour dates surrounding their 3rd album. The band has come a long way since their inception four years ago, adding three new members to Brandon Welchez’s powerful vocals and the amazing technical skills of guitarist Charles Rowell. Crocodiles is not only a band we love, but also a band that we will be playing over-and-over this spring as we anticipate the coming summer.
There is only one day left of the countdown to the first weekend of Coachella Music Festival. As we mentioned before, we can’t wait to see Gotye perform. However, this week’s “Bands We Love,” is not Gotye again, but the girl in Gotye’s chart-topping hit, “Something That I Used to Know”, Kimbra. Although Kimbra won’t be performing at Coachella, we absolutely cannot wait for her debut album, “Vows”, to release this May. At only twenty-one years old, Kimbra both recorded and arranged the album at home as well as in various studios. This rising star is busy touring the nation with Gotye and working on a new single with another hit band, Foster the People. We’ll definitely be playing Kimbra’s song, “Settle Down”, on our car ride to Coachella!
What started as a friendly internet correspondence eventually turned into this American indietronica band called, The Limousines. One in England, one in California – the instrumentalist Giusti would send beats to songwriter and vocalists Vicotrino and Victorino would then send back lyrics, and so forth until they finally met in person in 2007. They just wrapped up their European tour with The Sounds at the beginning of the month. Until they play in LA, we’ll keep listening to our favorite two tracks – “Very Busy People” and “Internet Killed the Video Star”.
As many of you may know, Tuesday night kicked off South by Southwest (SXSW) festival and concert’s music events in Austin. Even though we were unable to attend this year, we still love hearing about all the exciting new artists that come out of the festival. Last night, the LA Times reported that heads turned at one of the SXSW concerts, and HABITUAL was so excited to hear that one of our favorite new bands that grabbed everyone’s attention. From Athens, Alabama, the band Alabama Shakes followed the talented Fiona Apple’s performance for an amazing performance that surely impressed a crowd of 2,000.
We love the blues-y, old, soulful feel in each song, and we especially love the band’s story. Before the band formed, the lead singer, Brittany Howard, used to deliver mail, while the drummer used to check for radiation leaks. We cannot wait for their album debut in April 10 – until then we will put our favorite songs, “Hold On” and “Boys and Girls,” on repeat in our offices.
Greek gods are not the only stories that come out of Athens. Spawned out of the riots that shook the center of Athens last spring, the band Mechanimal formed to create what they call a “drone ‘n’ roll” band. The brainchild of Giannis Papioannou, a pioneer in the Athenian electronic scene, Mechanimal is also made up of band members, Freddie F on vocals and TnG on the guitar. Look for vintage drum beats, monosynths and sub baselines, along with the theatrical voice of lead singer Freddie F. While we haven’t yet been able to hit a live show, we’re told the visuals created by Angeliki Vrettou are not to be missed. Have a listen on their SoundCloud page. We like what we have seen and heard so far!
It’s been a pretty big year for British music in America (that statement would be true even if we were only talking about Adele), and this week we’ve been jamming to Brit indie pop band Veronica Falls. The band formed in London just three short years ago, but already has a respectable and growing fan base in the US and across the pond. Their sound combines the best of 80’s British pop with a bit of a darker feel that is surprising but fun. Scout Magazine praised their mastery of “the perfect 2 minute morbid love song.” Our favorite from the album, Found Love in a Graveyard, is from their self-titled debut Veronica Falls. Trust us, this British foursome is here to stay.
The latest office music in rotation right now is the first effort from Manhattan-based The Cults. Their self-titled album is the only kind of music bandmates Brian Oblivion and Madeline Follin could agree on, and it’s a happy medium, mixing synth pop sounds and sweet, dreamy vocals from Follin. One of our favorite tracks is “Abducted”, a subtle love song that evokes your first heartbreak. Learn why the entire band has long hair in a charming interview on Vevo. The band is steadily gaining momentum since signing with Columbia, and played on Jimmy Fallon at the end of last week. You can pick up the full album on Amazon for only 5 bucks, or see them live at The Music Box in LA come March. Happy Friday, everyone!
We can’t wait to see the Australian singer Gotye live at Coachella Music Festival in April. Meanwhile, we’ll keep on listening to “Somebody That I Used to Know” on repeat at our offices, featuring Kiwi singer, Kimbra. The dark, sad lyrics mixed with a happy sound make “Somebody That I Used to Know” a fit for a lot of different situations. Read extensive bios on Gotye on his website or his Facebook. Another one of our faves on Gotye’s new Making Mirrors album is “Eyes Wide Open.” We hope you enjoy listening as much as we do!
