20 Artists You Need To Know: Summer Festival Edition
Header by Bryan Allen Lamb.
With spring getting into full swing, summer seems within reach already. For music junkies, spring just means a couple more months until festival season. Whether you're planning on hitting all, one or none of the festivals listed in this week's playlist, all of the artists are definitely ones you should know.
Bonnaroo - Check out Run The Jewels
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A hip-hop duo from New York with just two albums under their belt, but mucho street cred amongst hipster rap enthusiasts and the hip-hop community. A definite must-see.
Brownout Presents Brown Sabbath
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I’ve seen Black Sabbath live, and believe me, it’s sad. Just a bunch of pissed off seniors narrowly escaping the bus ride back to Shady Pines. Do yourself a favor and check out the funky bunch known as Brownout who add groovy bass lines that even Ozzy approves of.
Warped Tour - Check out Riff Raff
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If you don’t know who Riff Raff is by now, then listen up: the walking, talking, real-life version of the “alleged” inspiration for James Franco’s Spring Breakers character is playing all Warped Tour dates. The nonsense rapper of neon-flavored Bart Simpson shaped Cheetos is just a skip-and-a-hop away from your hometown. His bogus rhymes are catchy, fun and worth the money to see up close. Also, his merch table is probably going to be full of light-up do-rags or rhinestone encrusted McDonald’s toys from the 90’s.
Candy Hearts
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If you’re already at Warped Tour, then you’re probably going to be at the Candy Hearts show, but the general public might not have the pop-punk upper hand that you do. For those that don’t know, Candy Hearts are a cutesy pop-punk trio from New York who could be described as: Paramore + Bubbalicious Cotton Candy gum + a wink + a diary. If you’re a fan of New Found Glory, State Champs, or Set It Off, then Candy Hearts are a must-have in your library.
Bunbury - Check out The Front Bottoms
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The acoustic pop-punk band have been a Warped Tour hit for some time, but they're moving up the ladder of notoriety ever since their 2013 release of Talon Of The Hawk.
Lindsey Stirling
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Don't even act like you know someone who plays the violin flawlessly, let alone be able to entertain millions in the age of technology doing so. Plus, she often themes her songs to a certain era or place, so her outfits and performance are sure to be entertaining.
Coachella - Check out FKA Twigs
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Amongst all of the gigantic, jaw-dropping artists featured at Coachella this year, one who has been kept more on the hush is FKA Twigs. FKA (Formerly Known As) Twigs started out in 2013 as a YouTube sensation and then POOF! Her sultry demeanor and daze-y hip-hop style are what make her so intriguing. Not to mention her image/feminine mystique is the IRL version of Tumblr, which is probably what Coachella is looking for.
Marina & The Diamonds
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I. Love. Marina. And. The. Diamonds. And you should too. She’s an indie-pop artist who has more soul and flavor than most of her sugary sweet counterparts. Her deep, Welsh accent pulls through the electro-Madonna-esque beat of her songs. Also, her outfits are described as “retro cartoon-ish,” so expect an exciting visual; I’d describe her sound as that too. She may be popular among the invested music critics and indie-pop enthusiasts of the scene, but she deserves to be more than just an honorable mention.
South By Southwest (SXSW) - Check out All Them Witches
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The Nashville natives of All Them Witches have the classic-rock, heavy riff act down to a T. What sets them apart from that blase "hip radio rock friendly" sound is that they have a groovier, sludge inspired Queens Of The Stone Age tang to them.
B.I.C. (Bitches Is Crazy)
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The Bronx hip-hop/rap group known as B.I.C. produce raw, Latin-influenced rhymes similar to their modern counterparts (IE: A$AP Rocky, Schoolboy Q, etc).
Bridjet's Top 10 Albums of 2014
As 2014 comes to a close, I reminisce on all of the albums I've had the pleasure of almost blowing my speakers out to. These are my absolute favorite records of the year and a little memo of why they rule so god damn hard. Like a little league coach to his players, I wish they could all be #1.
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10. Grey Gordon - Forget I Brought It Up
I’ve had the extreme pleasure of seeing Grey perform in my friend’s living room multiple times and I’m glad I heard him when I did. Fusing together the deep rawness of his lyrics with the upbeat, yet soulful guitar, this record is nothing short of amazing.
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9. Mastodon - Once More ‘Round The Sun
Mastodon killed it when I saw them perform Once More ‘Round The Sun at Bonnaroo this year. I honestly felt my face being melted off by the world’s tastiest riffs. When I got home, I was so excited to get the album. I’ve been listening to it ever since.
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8. Against Me! - Gender Dysphoria Blues
When lead singer Tom became Laura Jane Grace in 2012, the scene exploded with praise and understanding, which was amazing to see. What’s even more amazing is this album packed full of heartfelt lyrics and that beautiful folk-punk guitar you can’t help but turn up to.
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7. Interpol - El Pintor
I’ve been an Interpol fan for years, but they haven’t had anything that has caught my attention in a while. When I saw them play El Pintor at Lollapalooza this summer, I felt like I shot myself in the foot for not giving the upcoming album a notion earlier. It’s crisp, clean and nostalgic of Antics.
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6. New Found Glory - Resurrection
Back with a vengeance, NFG released a banger this year after their bassist “left” the band in 2013. Energetic as well as revengeful at times, this album shows that the kings of pop-punk are more than ready to be back on top.
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5. Modern Baseball - You’re Gonna Miss It All
Holy cow, this album is the ultimate pop-punk fairytale of how every 20-something feels 99% of the time, but doesn’t want anyone to know unless they’re on Tumblr. Loaded with goofy and cheesy lyrics, YGMIA is something I’ve played at least once a day since its release.
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4. Angel Du$t - A.D.
Angel Du$t’s first album is 15 minutes of pure, thrashy punk rock at it’s finest. A definite scene favorite, A.D. doesn’t disappoint with this record.
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3. Candy Hearts - All The Ways You Let Me Down
I’m a sucker for cutesy, pop-punk; especially if there’s a female vocalist. Girl power.
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2. Katy Perry - Prism
If you know me at all, you know I’m a huge Katy Perry nerd. I was front row for her show on my birthday and it was the best day of my life. This album has a very 80’s pop feel to it as well as some uplifting tunes. In short, this album makes me feel like I’m Katy; fabulous and sassy.
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1. Every Time I Die - From Parts Unknown
The party kings of southern metal have graced the world with flawlessness that even Beyonce is jealous of. That, my friends, is the perfection From Parts Unknown holds. If you want to gain the wisdom of 100 wizards, go listen to this album.