The 1975 - Facedown EP, Sex EP, and Music for Cars EP
Currently there exists within rock music a tremendous lack of ambition. This lack of ambition is not of an artistic nature - as should be glaringly obvious from this blog, plenty of good bands are doing plenty of good work under the auspices of rock music - but rather of a commercial one. It has been widely reported that each year rock music moves further away from the zeitgeist with diminished album sales and popularity, and though there are a myriad of reasons for rock's decline, one reason that probably isn't brought up enough is this lack of commercial ambition by today's rock bands.
Simply put, very very few rock bands openly pine to be the most biggest band in the world anymore. Contrast this with hip hop, which is seemingly driven solely by want: the want of material possessions, the want of a multitude of sexual partners, the want of alpha dog credibility and status. And though there have been other points in rock's history where movements have sprung up that were not interested in mainstream popularity (punk being the easiest and most obvious example), today's current indie/rock environment is unique in that its "big" bands are totally and completely divorced from the mainstream, neither striving for nor reacting against it (as punk and its brethren did). Rock and the mainstream are not even operating in the same universe.
This current vacuum is what makes Manchester band The 1975 so tantalizing. Though no formal album has yet been released, the band has already released three EPs worth of material in a little under a year, and those releases show a supremely confident band with an arena-ready sound. The best way I could describe the band's sound is like a British version of latter-day Kings of Leon (which may mean Kings of Leon mixed with the Kooks): they're not afraid to write sprawling to-the-rafters type anthems that feel modern yet obviously indebted to U2, and on the song "Chocolate" they even show a bouncy catchy upbeat side. It feels too early to guarantee success for this band, but the work they've done thus far is very very strong, their full-length debut will be essential listening whenever it's released, and it doesn't take much imagination to see this band as an incredibly successful rock band, whatever that may mean in 2013. And hey, if they want to reintroduce rock music to the mainstream (which is a preposterous expectation for a band that hasn't yet released an LP), that'd be cool too.
Selections
Sex
Langhorne Slim and the Law - The Way We Move
This is a very fascinating release, a rambling, shambling rootsy synthesis of folk, blues, and rock, all delivered by a lead singer that either sounds like a more agitated Cat Stevens or a raspier John Popper. This album has been out for over half a year now, but I only encountered it this past week, and it was too good not to share. Old-school Americana in all the best ways.
Selections
Bad Luck
On the Attack
Villagers - (Awayland)
At the risk of oversimplifying, I'm going to describe this indie album as an attempt to remake Paul Simon's Graceland with a more apocalyptic atmosphere. It's certainly interesting. Other than Paul Simon, whose influence is quite pervasive, the other touchstone is probably Okkervil River, with memorable melodies backed by just left-of-center instrumentation.
Selections
Earthly Pleasure
The Waves
Nothing Arrived
Kurt Vile - Wakin on a Pretty Daze
This a collection of strong mid-tempo alternative rock-ish songs from the lead singer of The War on Drugs. The vibe can be Neil Young-ian at times, although it most reminds me of Dinosaur Jr. after Lou Barlow left the band, and it was quite clear that J Mascis didn't particularly give a fuck. With all the songs being midtempo and easygoing, they do have a tendency to bleed together, but fans of mellow guitar-based rock should give it a listen.
Selections
Never Run Away
Wakin on a Pretty Day
Girl Called Alex
Singles Section
A Good Fight - "Rips Like a Motor"
For some reason this song isn't on Spotify, despite being several years old. A Good Fight is a band from Arkansas that reminds me at least a little bit of The Gaslight Anthem (at least based on this one song). They're apparently in the studio recording a new album; I'll be excited to hear it.
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