I know I'm a bit late with this, but if you actually read this blog you've put up with far worse.
1. Wavves
I know I should've already loved the music of Nathan Williams based on The Fader's recommendation, but it was a bit too experimental for me until he hooked up with members of Jay Reatard's band (may Jay rest in peace) and dropped King of the Beach, which I put on the playlist at WVMM and rocked regularly on The Fox and the Hound Show. Psychedelic surf punk never sounded so good.
2. Chiddy Bang
Another artist I probably should have been up on, considering their origins in Philly's college party scene and flair for indie-dance samples, Chiddy came into my life when I helped some friends push for his inclusion in this year's SAB concert schedule. Since then, I've seen him put on a great live show [review here], spun the crap out of The Preview EP on The Fox and the Hound, and been mildly obsessed with the way Air Swell helps recontextualize music I loved in England for American hip-hop heads.
3. Nicki Minaj
I am a converted hater. I used to think Nicki was just playing Kim to Wayne's Biggie, ghostwriting and all, and then I heard "Monster". One of two songs that redeemed the over-appreciated My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, it did so almost solely on the wings of a verse twice the length and twice the quality of any guest verse done all year. Fortunately, this conversion experience opened me up to exploring the depth of Nicki's schizophrenic output, a journey I have enjoyed immensely. Download Kingdom's "Nicki-centric" edit here.
4. The Dirty Heads
One of the first artists Jared introduced me to when we kicked off The Fox and the Hound Show this fall, The Dirty Heads became one of the most frequently played, both on the show and in our apartment. This is the sound of Sublime for a new generation, stamped with approval by an opening slot on the Sublime with Rome tour.
5. Paper Route
I've been hearing good things about Paper Route for a while, and finally caught them live at Purple Door, where they got the folk crowd at the Gallery Stage dancing to a compelling concoction of propulsive electronic beats, organic instrumentation, and dueling vocals. Hopefully the unfortunate departure of founding member Andy Smith will not hinder their Universal Motown follow-up too much.
6. The Wiyos
When I pulled the Wiyos' Broken Land Bell off the shelf in the studio at the V, Jared had no idea one of he and his dad's favorite bands was playing B-sides the next day. His enthusiasm was infectious, and for once a live act not only lived up to, but exceeded the hype. Their vaudevillian antics had me convinced I was hearing the best bits of my grandparents' record collection performed live [show review here].
7. Aaron Lee Martin
The soulful folk this singer-songwriter plays proved both a complement and a contrast to the mournful message that brought him to Messiah-mountaintop removal coal mining awareness. He was our first live performance on The Fox and the Hound [review here], and has been performing on record ever since.
8. Jamie Kent & the Options
A cheery blend of blues and pop that overcame circumstances and drew a decent crowd on a Tuesday night at Messiah [review here], Jamie Kent & the Options bring infectious hooks that match their infectious good humor. I'm trying to talk B-sides into bringing them back for a more official show next semester.
9. The New Division
Wearing their influences proudly on their sleeves, The New Division's nostalgic electronica has even been recognized by the snobs at Pitchfork. I will be seeing them live for the first time in the near future, and I'm pretty psyched about it. Look forward to the release of their EP The Rookie on the 11th. [edit: went to the release show, review here]
10. The Drastics
There is nothing like reggae to blast away the cold of winter with recorded summer warmth, and The Drastics play every variety of reggae very, very well. Since their phenomenal show at Messiah [review here], their endless free mixtapes and the inclusion of "Good Time Tonight" in DJ sets both on-air and at parties with The Fox and the Hound has not failed to warm my heart and loosen my limbs.
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