Mar14th

They Will Rock You, Vol. 2: 25 New Artists for 2008

Posted at 11:25 pm By: jamie | Filed Under Upcoming Gigs

It’s South by Southwest festival once again! SXSW, simply put, is the annual music fiesta held at Austin, Texas where popular artists of today, fresh new artists and stars-to-be come together and have rockin’ fun.

Spinner.com selected twenty-five new artists, a number already known and others music fans should be familiar with. And here’s the deal—they have free mp3s!

Artist No. 1: Sia

The Deal: Although her hit ‘Breathe Me’ garnered the attention of television audiences and Starbucks coffee drinkers everywhere, the Australian singer’s passionate and peppery vocal style is ultimately what kept people wanting more. A romantic at heart, this blue-eyed blond surely knows how to tug (or tear) those heartstrings.
Sounds Like: Beth Orton, Aimee Mann

Artist No. 2: Eli “Paperboy” Reed

The Deal: Not yet 25, this unproper Bostonian is a soul shouter of the very old school, evidently receiving his R&B Ph.D. at the University of Stax. Backed by his hot-pants-tight combo the True Loves, and sometimes accompanying himself on guitar, Reed is much more than just the male Amy Winehouse.

Artist No. 3: Tiny Masters of Today

The Deal: Despite being the youngest band to ever play SXSW (ages 12 and 14), the Brooklyn siblings’ genuine punk-rock sound should keep them from being pushed around. That is, unless, they’re not the ones starting the mosh pits themselves.
Sounds Like: The Kills, Sonic Youth

Artist No. 4: Cassettes Won’t Listen

The Deal: Brooklyn’s one-man-band Cassettes Won’t Listen — aka Jay Drake — has been making waves by delicately threading together ambient, electro, trip-hop and indie sounds. He is largely known for his remixes of artists including Midlake and EL-P and is also notable for his ’90s indie covers of Liz Phair and Sebadoh songs.
Sounds Like: The Flaming Lips, Jamie Lidell

Artist No. 5: Pete Rock

The Deal: Pete Rock needs no introduction, but for all those who came into existence after the ’80s, the hip-hop producer has been rocking strong since the days of his vaunted duo Pete Rock and CL Smooth. Considered one of the greatest hip-hop producers of all time, Rock is commonly associated with meshing elements of jazz into hip-hop and creating a template for artists such as A Tribe Called Quest and the Roots.
Sounds Like: A Tribe Called Quest, Gang Starr

Artist No. 6: Brett Dennen

The Deal: The soulful rasp that coats this California songwriter’s voice is as distinct as his fiery red hair. Dennen’s folk-pop tunes showcase a gentle, easy groove that’s sure to get stuck in your head for days. Listen with caution.
Sounds Like: Josh Rouse, Jack Johnson

Artist No. 7: The Big Sleep

The Deal: Some songs from this Brooklyn psych-rock trio pack a Sabbath-sized snarl worthy of play in any ’70s airbrushed van. Others, with their uniquely shoegazy melodies, are best experienced in headphones and left to sort of … tingle and fizz.
Sounds Like: Mogwai, Sonic Youth

Artist No. 8: British Sea Power

The Deal: In addition to tree-climbing and bird watching, this David Bowie-approved British quartet simply loves creating accessible, epic tunes — rendering it extremely difficult not to at least really like their neatly crafted songs.
Sounds Like: Franz Ferdinand, Pulp

Artist No. 9: Dizzee Rascal

The Deal: The London-bred Mercury Prize-winning rapper is known for meshing his self-produced basement beats with funky eclectic samples to create the rugged ‘Dirtee Stank’ brand of U.K. hip-hop.
Sounds Like: Spank Rock, The Streets

Artist No. 10: Holy F—

The Deal: When your band is called Holy F—, you don’t really need vocals. You can also get away with using non-instruments such as a 35 mm film sequencer or toy phaser guns. This Toronto quintet will melt your mind with their off-the-wall electronic-laced rock mayhem
Sounds Like: Gary Numan, !!!

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They Will Rock You, Vol. 2: 25 New Artists for 2008

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