SXSW2024: Searows

 This artist is playing the Paste party but not sure what day. His online bio says:

Searows is the indie-folk project of Alec Duckart (he/him), a Kentucky-born, Oregon-raised singer-songwriter and guitarist.  His debut album, Guard Dog (released September 30, 2022), was written, recorded, and produced by Alec alone, on a glitchy old laptop, with GarageBand, between his 21st and 22nd birthdays.  

Paste says:

As Searows, Alec Duckart serves as a brilliant reminder that young people are looking for beautiful earnestness, for representations of emotions that both go beyond the surface and treat the surface with the care it needs. 

He has opened for Ethel Cain.

Dreamy folk. 

"House Song" has 22M streams on Spotify.

Definite Phoebe Bridgers vibes

SXSW2024: Forest Claudette

 One more playing SXSanJose. Signed to Warner Records.  This article says:

Before Melbourne-based R&B artist Kobe Hamilton-Reeves became Forest Claudette, they went through a number of different personas. The son of two classically trained, professional musicians, they grew up with music all around them and always knew it was their calling. But who they wanted to be in that space wasn’t as easy to identify.

The Claudette moniker's inspiration:

Claudette Colvin, a 15-year-old Black woman who, in racially segregated Alabama in 1955, refused to give up her seat on the bus to a white woman. Nine months before Rosa Parks, Colvin was convicted of resisting arrest, and put in jail as an adult for her actions.

"Creaming Soda"  was their first single. Smooth R&B sound.

"Violence" is worth a listen. 

This was probably my favorite.

SXSW2024: Cardinals

Another band playing SXSanJose.  They are also playing the Irish Breakfast Friday at 2:55 at Flamingo Cantina.

This NME article says

 Cardinals’ palette – halfway between the atmospheric bluster of Echo and the Bunnymen and the scratchy indie of Yo La Tengo.

"Roseland" is good. This article compares it to R.E.M. I hear some The Smiths in there as well. Or the Kinks. Definitely throwback rock.

"The Brow" has the Echo and the Bunnymen sound. I like it.

This is their new single. Indie rock. Catchy. 

SXSW2024: The South Hill Experiment

The Mohawk Friday show was just announced. It will be crazy (BLK ODYSSY and Shakey Graves).  This band is playing at 3pm (apparently indoors so also crazy) but they are also playing SXSanJose.  

According to this article, it is two brothers originally from Baltimore but now in L.A. The name comes from the street where they live in L.A. 

This article states:

The Acheson brothers, Baird and Goldwash (aka Gabe) having previously worked on solo projects as well as studio collaborations with the likes of Brockhampton, Danny Brown and Arlo Parks, eventually decided to channel their creativity together for their own releases. 

It's review says their new album "lives up to its name, radiating a cosmic energy that immerses the listener in a dreamlike sonic landscape. The use of unconventional time signatures and ambient sounds showcases the duo’s prowess in creating a surreal auditory experience."

They also compare them to early MGMT.

"Chamelions" is quite psychedelic.

"Gabo's Last Resort" is much more mellow. Chillwave. Very KCRW vibe.

This is off their new album. It has a Poolside feel.

SXSW2024: Billy Allen + The Pollies

Southern rock/soul from Florence, Alabama. They're playing SXSanJose and at CBoys Friday at 5:15pm (after Tender Things and before Theo Lawrence). They recorded their album at FAME studios in Muscle Shoals and were produced by Ben Tanner (Alabama Shakes).  This article states:

The Pollies’ previous credits include touring with Dylan LeBlanc and Nicole Atkins, records with guitarist Browan Lollar of St. Paul & the Broken Bones and the late Chris Porter, and backing gigs with John Paul White.

They heard Billy Allen performing in a bar and invited him to play. Soon they were recording and a new band was born.  

"I Thought You Wanted Him" has an Alabama Shakes sound.  Great song.

Expect big things.

This one starts rocking.

SXSW2024: Seafoam Walls

This band is playing SXSanJose but that's all I can find.  According to Pitchfork, they received a boost when Thurston Moore took an interest in them.  It says of the band:

 In a nod to bandleader Jayan Bertrand’s Haitian heritage, the Miami quartet self-classify their sound as “Caribbean jazzgaze,” a descriptor that might suggest something more visceral than what actually transpires on XVI. For the most part, Seafoam Walls’ songs present a serene swirl of enchantingly chill guitar lines, pitter-pattered drum programming, and Bertrand’s vaporous vocal melodies.

A mellow style that reminds me of Khruangbin. "Dependency" is nice.

"You Can't Have Your Cake and Ego Too (Happy Birthday)" is good, too.

This was their Tiny Desk Contest submission.  

SXSW2024: Sinkane

This is going to be one busy/tired man. He's playing everything: KUTX, Paste, SXSanJose, British Music Embassy and multiple showcases.

According to Wikipedia

Sinkane (born Ahmed Abdullahi Gallab c. 1983) is a Sudanese-American musician who blends krautrock, prog rock, electronica, free jazz and funk rock with Sudanese pop...Born to college professors in London, he lived in Sudan, then moved to the US when he was five, and lived for some time in Ohio. Prior to embarking on his solo career, he worked with Eleanor Friedberger, Caribou, of Montreal, Born Ruffians, and Yeasayer as a session musician.

This is the first I've heard of him but the song "How We Be" is 9 years old. It's good.

He did a Tiny Desk Concert six years ago. It says:

His band reflects his own love for music from around the world; you can hear a great New York jazz band in the rhythms of Sinkane, but you can also hear the influence of Bob Marley and the hypnotic repetition of Sudanese desert sounds.

He has a new EP with 3 songs out. This was the 1st single from it. Has a Marvin Gaye feel. It's really good.

 

SXSW2024: La Sécurité

Synth-pop out of Montreal. They're playing the KUTX morning show and a few showcases but no other days shows yet. This article says their sound:

takes obvious inspiration from new-wave and art-punk, dabbles with krautrock and post-punk, and occasionally flirts with egg-punk.

Catchy dance music. They sing in French and English. 

"Serpent" is in French.  I like the bass. It looks like the video was filmed at SXSW. You can see the Lone Star beer logos in the bar. I can't tell which bar, though.

"Hot Topic" is an interesting video and song. 

They remind me of Ladytron.

This was my favorite.

SXSW2024: Reyna Tropical

Playing the KUTX morning show Wednesday, KLRU Bloody Mary Morning on Thursday, and also SXSanJose.  It was originally two Mexico ex-pats now out of L.A. Do512's bio says:

"Reyna Tropical" is Fabi Reyna and Sumohair, they met for the first time in Nashville, Tennessee on behalf of Red Bull Music Academy's Bass Camp at Bonnaroo. They got into the studio the same day they met, recorded a track that would later inspire "Reyna Tropical". 

Now in L.A. but according to this Rolling Stone article:

Reyna is trusting herself and her own creative vision more than ever. In July of 2022, Sumo passed away suddenly at the age of 42. “The thing that helped me continue to move forward is to just continue to be me. People definitely lose themselves after something like this. And I feel like I did, too. Your whole system gets jumbled. You’re like, ‘What happened, where am I? Who am I?’ But grief isn’t just sad. It’s not just pain, it’s also creation. So I think grief is a powerful energy,” Reyna says. 

Of the music it says: " They have embodied the word tropical to its very core, with breezy beats, upbeat guitar riffs, and psychedelic  electro-cumbia sounds."

"Como Fuego" is fun. Good dance music. So is "Cartagena"

Here is one of the new ones. She wrote it after Sumo's death as a tribute to him.

SXSW 2024: SPRINTS

Hype alert. This band out of Dublin is getting all the big gigs and lots of buzz. They're doing the KUTX morning show and the Paste Party. They are also playing on Friday at 5:15pm at Flamingo Cantina for the Irish Breakfast party.

Post-punk. In this review of their album Stereogum mentions PJ Harvey, Pixies, Savages, and the Strokes. They say: 

the music breaks out into runaway-train mode: drums incessantly bashing, bass urgently rumbling, guitars ripping away at power chords so rapid-fire they seem like they might actually burst into flames. A lesser singer might sound like they’re barely hanging on when the songs rush forward so frantically, but Karla Chubb commandingly rides the wave, harnessing all that intensity in unrestrained howls and shout-along refrains.

Her voice reminds me of Courtney Barnett.

"Heavy" is face-melting. Mosh pit ready.

I like it but not your cup of tea. A band Rick McNulty would love.

SXSW 2024: Coach Party

Playing Friday at 5:20pm at the British Music Embassy as well as the Paste party (no day/time yet).  The Guardian says:

Poppy, witty and experimental, the Isle of Wight indie rock quartet are far more interesting than a cursory listen suggests.

They are signed to Chess Club Records (Wolf Alice, Jungle). 

"Be That Girl" is good. So is "FLAG (Feel Like A Girl)" Probably a little loud for you. Reminds me of Pixies.

This is their most streamed song. I like it, too. Catchy. I wouldn't mind catching their set.

SXSW 2024: Wishy

 This group out of Indiana is playing SXSanJose and the Paste party.  No days or times yet.  As Pitchfork says:

Singer-songwriters and guitarists Nina Pitchkites and Kevin Krauter went to the same Indiana high school but reconnected later, when Pitchkites moved back to Indianapolis, bonding over the Sundays and My Bloody Valentine...After releasing a self-titled EP as Mana earlier this year, the band—rounded out by drummer Connor Host, bassist Mitch Collins, and third guitarist and vocalist Dimitri Morris—changed its name to Wishy, signed to Winspear, and gained a sunkissed sheen thanks to L.A. producer Ben Lumsdaine.

Here's how the article describes their sound:

Paradise captures a uniquely Midwest approach to shoegaze, in which one’s vision is directed not down toward one’s shoes but up and out, at quiet skies and isolated fields surrounding small towns and cities where you might go hours without seeing someone outside their car.

"Donut" and "Too True" (Very good) are throwbacks for sure. Still good.

I liked this song. Right up my alley.

 

SXSW 2024: Divorce

The British Music Embassy came out with their schedule and this band is playing Wednesday at 5:20pm.  They're out of Nottingham.  As this article states:

The bandmates originally met at age 16 through the tight-knit Nottingham music scene.... The band’s vocals are steeped in nostalgic americana-folk, intertwined with unpredictable blues riffs and sarcastic British humour. Awash with satisfying harmonies (with whiffs of The Magic Numbers), their country-chamber-pop exudes familiarity and sophistication to soften that irreverent, punchy lyricism.

"Eat My Words" is good. Reminds me of Shakey Graves.  I listened to some of their other songs and they go all over the place. For example  "Sex & The Millennium Bridge" is more 80s rock ballad. Hence their outfits I guess. It's still good, though.

This is fun song about murder.

 

SXSW 2024: Jobi Riccio

 Third "Artist on the Rise" at Luck Reunion.  Signed to Yep Roc Records, here's their bio on her:

Born and raised in Morrison, Colorado—a tourist town in the foothills outside of Denver that’s home to Red Rocks Amphitheater—Riccio fell in love with country and roots music at an early age.

According to this article she attended Berklee College of Music, moved to Nashville, and won the Newport Folk Festival John Prine Fellowship which allowed her to make her first album. Not a bad start.

"For Me It's You" is a great unrequited love song.

"Sweet" is more uptempo. Good lyrics.

Here's the title song from her album as played on CBS Saturday Morning.  She's an artist on the rise for sure.  She's also playing SXSanJose but not sure what day.

SXSW 2024: Victoria Bigelow

Another Artist on the Rise at Luck Reunion.  According to this bio:

A singer-songwriter who crafts moody, alternative pop, Victoria started writing at the age of 12 in her native Marietta, Georgia after her mother bought her a cheap guitar. For years, she wrote and made the trek from Marietta to Nashville twice a month. It became clear it was time to make a permanent move and at the age of 15, Victoria and her family moved to Nashville. 

In the bio it states she had early success, then had to quit to enter a substance abuse program, then started her career again only to get pregnant and have a child.  Now she's maybe 29? and she's starting up again.

"Song for No One" is nice. So is "Oblivion".  She reminds me of a mix of Lana Del Rey and Mazzy Star. She did do a cover of "Fade into You". 

This was my favorite.

SXSW 2024: Lou Hazel

There are three musicians on the "Artists on the Rise" schedule at Luck Reunion.  Here's the first option. According to his record label's website:

Lou Hazel (Chris Frisina) was born in the rustic town of Olean, New York to a family of northeastern wiseacres and intelligent hillbillies who remain hell bent on living full, rich lives despite brutal winters in a persistent economic downturn. Runt of the litter, according to his only sister.  

"Claude the Armadillo" is good.

This is a nice song.

 

SXSW 2024: Tyler Halverson

 Last artist on the BMI showcase at Luck Reunion. According to this article he's originally from South Dakota but moved to Nashville and entered the songwriting program at Belmont University.  Since then he has signed with Atlantic Records. 

"Her" is pretty country but I like the mandolin and harmonica.  

"Tiffany Blue" is more mellow but it's good.

More harmonica on this song.

SXSW 2024: Harper O'Neill

 Another artist on the BMI showcase at Luck Reunion. According to her website:

O’Neill grew up in Dallas, TX, where her parents ran a household brimming with music. O’Neill’s mother shared her love of rock and pop acts like the Rolling Stones and James Taylor, while her father introduced her to a bevy of women songwriters, including Carole King, Susan Tedeschi and Bonnie Raitt. The pair’s tastes intersect when it comes to their mutual love for Texas country artists, like Hayes Carll, Robert Earl Keen and Lyle Lovett. Both of her parents play the guitar and her sister sings choral music, while O’Neill first came to music as part of her school’s marching band, for which she played French horn and was part of the drumline.

She's now in Nashville. According to this article, she moved to Nashville after graduating from UT Austin with a degree in Advertising. In 2022 she was named the 1st place winner of the American Songwriter Song Contest. She also completed a tour alongside Ashley McBryde and Morgan Wade. 

"Guilty" is good. Pretty straight-forward country. 

"Over Me" is nice. More bluesy.

Here's what won her 1st place in the song contest.

SXSW 2024: Kade Hoffman

BMI has song-writer showcase at Luck Reunion with 3 artists. I assume it's a song swap.  The bio for this artist says:

From the plains of Colorado, Kade Hoffman brings a new voice to the contemporary Western lifestyle. His songs are rich in both tradition and the youthful adventure that is growing up on the range.

He sounds so much like Colter Wall. 

"7 an Hour" is good.

This is his most viewed song.

SXSW 2024: Swamp Dogg

 Last one on the Oh Boy Records showcase at Luck Reunion.  Wikipedia says:

Jerry Williams Jr. (born July 12, 1942), generally credited under the pseudonym Swamp Dogg after 1970, is an American soul and R&B singer, musician, songwriter and record producer. Williams has been described as "one of the great cult figures of 20th century American music."...Williams was born in Portsmouth, Virginia. He made his first recording, "HTD Blues (Hardsick Troublesome Downout Blues)", for the Mechanic record label in 1954, when he was aged 12.

He was also a producer and songwriter:

 Later in 1968 Williams began working as a producer at Atlantic Records with Jerry Wexler and Phil Walden, on artists including Patti LaBelle & the Blue Belles.

He says:

 I became Swamp Dogg in 1970 in order to have an alter-ego and someone to occupy the body while the search party was out looking for Jerry Williams, who was mentally missing in action due to certain pressures, mal-treatments and failure to get paid royalties on over fifty single records

In 2020, he released the album Sorry You Couldn't Make It, a country-styled record recorded in Nashville with producer Ryan Olson and musicians including Justin Vernon, John Prine, and Jenny Lewis.

"Lonely" has a nice beat. Justin Vernon was involved in production.

"Good, Better Best" is a toe-tapper.

Here's the one with Justin Vernon and Jenny Lewis.

SXSW 2024: Mick Flannery

More from Oh Boy Records at Luck Reunion. I guess I should know him. He's big in Ireland, his home country.  According to NPR:

Mick Flannery is one of Ireland’s most acclaimed songwriters and singers. The award-winning, double-platinum selling artist has released six studio albums, three of which reaching No. 1 status. His last offering in 2019 received high praise as his finest to date: ‘Mick Flannery has a voice for the ages, a complete Master of his craft’ cited Clash Magazine, whilst The Sunday Times said he “conjures up exquisite story-telling’. 

 According to this article he is the first international artist signed to Oh Boy.  

"The Fact" features Valerie June.

"I'll Be Out Here" is his most played song on Spotify.

This is off his latest album.

SXSW 2024: Emily Scott Robinson

More from the Oh Boy Records showcase at Luck Reunion.  She's from Colorado and signed with Oh Boy and released her first album in 2021.

"Let 'em Burn" was a song of the year nominee for Saving Country Music. Such great lyrics:

If you don’t recognise me when I come back around

It’s 'cause all the things I thought I’d be

Yes all the things I swore I'd be

I let 'em all burn to the ground

This is more uptempo.

 

SXSW 2024: Arlo McKinley

Part of the Oh Boy showcase at Luck Reunion. I've been wanting to see this musician for years. I hope he plays a whole set. He was the last signing by John Prine. His debut album (at 40 years-old) was voted best album of 2020 by Saving Country Music.  According to Wikipedia: "McKinley has shared stages opening for Tyler Childers, Jason Isbell, Justin Townes Earle, John Moreland, Jamey Johnson and more."

"This Damn Town" has a Jason Isbell feel.

Here's the title song from Die Midwestern. Will Sexton played on it.

SXSW 2024: Tré Burt

Oh Boy Records is bringing a group of their artists to Luck Reunion as part of a showcase. They are also touring the country before heading here. I'm not sure if they'll each get their own set or do a song swap on the same stage.  We'll see.

I'll do quick previews for each of them. Tré Burt was on the online Luck Reunion stream during COVID. He's originally from California. 

"Under the Devil's Knee" features Leyla McCalla, Allison Russell and Sunny War. Cool.

This song was on KUTX rotation.

SXSW 2024: Ogi

More from Luck Reunion.  According to Wikipedia:

Ogi Ifediora, better known by her stage name Ogi, is an American musician of Nigerian descent. rhythm and blues singer. She was born in 1997 just outside of Chicago and raised in Madison, Wisconsin.

According to this Billboard article she was a student at Northwestern and posted a cover of "Alright" which went viral. That led to her signing with Atlantic Records and now she's here. 

"Bitter" is good. So is "Envy".

Here's her first single.  Nice.

 

SXSW 2024: Nick Shoulders

 More from Luck Reunion.  Wikipedia says:

Nicklaus Robert Shoulders is an American country singer-songwriter from Fayetteville, Arkansas. After achieving local success with his punk rock band Thunderlizards in the early 2010s and playing harmonica and banjo with Shawn James and the Shapeshifters, in 2017 Shoulders began releasing country music as a solo artist.

Saving Country Music says:  "Nick Shoulders is the singing, yodeling, whistling, mulleted and mustachioed country music weirdo freak of our time."

"Rather Low" is one of his viral hits.  "Too Old to Dream" was his Tiny Desk contest submission.  Love his yodel. Same on "Snakes and Waterfalls". He's compared to Colter Wall.

This is a newer one. He could be fun live. I'd like to hear him yodel.

SXSW 2024: Rainbow Girls

 More from Luck Reunion.  According to Wikipedia:

Rainbow Girls are a three-piece singing group made up of Erin Chapin, Caitlin Gowdey, and Vanessa Wilbourn from the North Bay area of California. In the fall of 2018, one of their Facebook cover videos meant to promote a local show garnered nearly 7 million views. They immediately went into the studio to record a cover album, Give the People What They Want, which was released on February 22, 2019. Their viral video for the song “Down Home Girl” (originally performed by Alvin Robinson; other notable versions by The Rolling Stones, The Coasters, and Old Crow Medicine Show) also led them to be discovered by Madison House booking agency, as well as by manager Hannah Spero.

Here is "Down Home Girl". They are described as eclectic folk.

This song is more rocking. Funny lyrics.

SXSW 2024: Madi Diaz

Luck Reunion.  She played ACL in 2012 (my preview here) and was part of Riothorse Royal (SXSW 2016) who we saw open for Other Lives.  We've never seen her solo, though.  Since then she released a breakout album that saw her open for Waxahatchie, Angel Olsen, and Harry Styles. Damn.

She has a new album out and is getting the "Tonight Show" slots now. Here is "Everything Almost".

Here she is with Kacey Musgraves on "Don't Do Me Good".

This is from her previous album History of a Feeling. 

SXSW 2024: Evan Honer

 Luck Reunion. According to his website:

Evan Honer is a songwriter originally from Surprise, Arizona. Influenced by esteemed artists like Jason Isbell, Tyler Childers, and Colter Wall, Evan has masterfully crafted a captivating blend of modern outlaw country, indie folk, and pop sensibilities. Despite only being 22 years old, Evan has garnered an impressive 50 million+ streams across platforms and currently is in the midst of recording of a highly anticipated new album and will be extensively touring as a 100% independent artist.

Here he is playing Tyler Childers' "Jersey Giant". Nice. 

"Mr. Myers" is a tear-jerker. Get out the tissues. The others songs I heard are equally as depressing. ("All I Ask" and "Brother") Here is one exception.

SXSW 2024: Rett Madison

Luck Reunion.  She's originally from West Virginia but is now in L.A. She's signed to Warner Records.  This article says:

Singer-songwriter. Multi-instrumentalist. Americana/Country, pop, indie rock. Sing about grief and queerness. Backup vocals for Lorde and Kate Nash. Opened for Melissa Etheridge, Sheryl Crow, and Elle King.

 "Pin-Up Daddy" features Katie Pruitt. Most of what I heard was pretty mellow.  Nice voice.

This picks up a bit.

SXSW 2024: Evangeline

Playing Luck Reunion. It was tough finding information on this artist as there was a country band also called Evangeline that no longer performs that comes up in most searches.  Eventually I found two articles on her.  This one says she has collaborated with Buck Meek.  This one calls her music indie pop.  

From what I can glean from the articles she is originally from Topanga Canyon north of Malibu in the Santa Monica Mountains but is now in L.A. proper.  After further digging I found her name is Evangeline Barrosse and her parents are Paul Barosse and Victoria Zielinski who are comics, writers, actors and producers as this article states.

"I Would Now" is dreamy California pop. I like it. "Mystic" is good, too. As you say right up my alley.

This was her first single.

SXSW 2024: Próxima Parada

Playing Luck Reunion. I can't find much on them other than they formed in college in San Luis Obispo. According to their touring bio:

Próxima Parada means ‘next stop’ in Spanish and Portuguese. As college students in San Luis Obispo, California taking the bus to school, at every stop, there’d be a recording that said, “Now approaching, próxima parada…” then the street name. They’d hear that 100 times a day. For them, the name is an invitation to the present moment, a reminder to not be too focused on the destination and to appreciate every stop along the way.

"It Don't Feel the Same" is a nice piano tune. 

Here they are live.  Fun afternoon festival music.

SXSW 2024: Zella Day and Chaparelle

Another Luck Reunion band.  It's a collaboration between Zella Day out of Phoenix and Jesse Woods of Austin.  She has mainly been indie pop ("Hypnotic") and has performed with Lana Del Rey.  He was mainly folk.  

According to this article her ex-boyfriend recommended she listen to Jesse Woods and she reached out to collaborate.  Soon they were an item and now live in Austin.  The article says:

Well-known for their contributions in the genres of folk and alternative pop, Day and Woods concoct a sound and style reminiscent of country music’s golden age.

When forming the concept of Chaparelle, Day and Woods studied legendary singers and marveled at the power of their harmonizing voices.

Channeling inspiration from classic duets like George Jones and Tammy Wynette or Gram Parsons and Emmylou Harris, Day and Woods perform endearing songs of love consumed with the spirit of Texas. 

"Your Bleeding Heart" is straight up Parsons/Harris.

This has a Jones/Wynette sound. Also reminds me of Shovels and Rope.

 

SXSW 2024: Red Clay Strays

I'll cover all the bands from Luck Reunion to start off this year.  This band is out of Mobile, Alabama and plays soulful southern rock but they play other styles, too.  According to this article at savingcountrymusic:

For five years The Red Clay Strays were said to have been working with a record label on a debut album, in and out of various studios, wrangling with separate producers who tried to take their raw and infectious live sound winning them so much praise, and capture it for the recorded medium. But it never was quite right. They couldn’t follow orders, or be fit in a box. Even as word of their enrapturing shows began to spread well beyond Alabama, you still had to take the word of those who’d witnessed it first hand because only a couple of singles lingered out there for discovery.

Fed up with the process, The Red Clay Stray walked away from the label, solicited their rabid fans for assistance, and off of a $40,000 goal, raised $56,000+, and set out to record an album themselves, in a private room, with all analog equipment capturing live takes. They ended up doing 12 songs in 8 days, playing day and night, sleeping on the floor of the studio.

"Wondering Why" is good. 

Here is a live song.  Definitely have to check them out.  They're also playing the Rolling Stone Future of Music showcase.  

SXSW 2024: Friko

First post for 2024.  I'll start with what could be the most hyped band this year.  It's a duo out of Chicago.  So far they are playing Luck Reunion, SXSanJose, and the Paste party.  That's three big day parties.

Throwback guitar rock of the 2000s.  Pitchfork compares them to the Walkmen and Japandroids.

"Crashing Through" starts off rocking but gets more melodic.  Their vocal melodies remind me of Arcade Fire.  

This was my favorite.  It was also a Top Pick of KCRW.  It could be an Arcade Fire song.