Hotlist 2009
It's only three weeks into the New Year, ( it feels far longer) so to take the edge of those January blues here's yet another list of what 's hot for 2009.
Florence & The Machine
The Florence is Florence Welch and The Machine is her backing band made up of various accomplished musicians. Describing her songs Welch says they are “stories with consequences and weird morality issues,” . As well as being included in just about every hot list for 2009, Florence and the machine also won this years Brits Critics Choice Award. The 2008 winner of this award was Adele, who, as we all know went onto to great things, including selling over a million copies of her debut album. Florence and the machine looks set to be following in those illustrious footsteps.
This Is Radio Freedom
London based five piece This Is Radio Freedom mix together punk, electro, disco, rock n roll and hey lets throw in a bit of psychobilly for good measure. This may seem like an eclectic mix but it certainly works. They have supported Alabama 3 on tour and earlier this year were asked to headline the NxNE closing party
This reference hasn't been directly mentioned on the band's networking sites, however the fact they are called This Is Radio Freedom and have song titles including ' This Is Radio Freedom' and 'Bombthreat', suggests a link and that this may be a more socially/politically conscious band than some of their candy coated contemporaries.
Little Boots
Formerly a member of Dead Disco, Little boots went solo and acquired the nickname ‘Little Boots’. The name was given to her by a friend after seeing the film ‘Caligula’, which translates as Little Boots. A my space fan left a message saying ‘You sound like a shinier, happier St Etienne’, it’s not a bad comparison. It’s also a nice compliment Little Boots’ voice is every bit as sweet as Sarah Cracknell’s. Hailing from Blackpool, Little boots aka Victoria Hesketh came top of the BBC’s sound of 2009 poll, as well as coming second to Florence and the machine in the Brits Critics Choice Award. Not bad, eh! Also, a little bit of trivia for you, she auditioned for Pop Idol when she was sixteen, she didn’t get through. Although, I’m guessing she’s not too worried about that now.
Titus Andronicus
Titus Andronicus are a rock and roll band from Glen Rock taking their name from a minor Shakespearean tragedy, Titus Andronicus formed in the spring of 2005. Their debut long player, “The Airing of Grievances” was released in April of 2008. In the past they have shared stages with the likes of Holy Fuck, Foals and Los Campesinos.
The King Blues
Summed up perfectly on their website The King Blues are
‘Unafraid to mix up dub bass lines, doo-wop a cappella songs, ska rhythms, Lonnie Donegan-styled skiffle, British folk and gritty poetry, theirs is a stripped-down, hot-wired one where ukuleles, acoustic guitars and melodicas feature heavily. It is punk music as it was intended – engaging, forward-thinking, all-encompassing.’
Here are some more equally as exciting and promising new acts to watch out for…White Lies, Red Light Company, Esser, The Chapman Family, The Virgins and Delphic.
This week on the website, we have loads of news, reviews and features. Also, if you have the January blues and are in need of a quick pick me up – check out the following gigs…Paper Heroes, The Glitterati, The Ghost Frequency, Like A Thief and Arlo Guthrie.