Amy Winehouse

I was going to skip past Amy, but I shall go with my gut and stick her on here. Another victim of their own success, Amy had a modestly successful first album, Frank, which sold her to me. Back To Black is what made her the supermegadooperherostar she is today, and I hope it won’t kill her honest and, quite appropriately, frank lyricism. It was her subtle observations and approach to modern love that made Frank so refreshingly contemporary. She tries, with a soothing tone of innocence, to explain a moment of infidelity as if it were her lover’s fault, a style echoed in Back To Black but not in as sleek a way. Just give her a chance. She is so much more than Valerie and Rehab.

 

Check out:

I Heard Love Is Blind, You Sent Me Flying, Just Friends.

 

If you like:

Cat Power, Telepopmusik, Sia.

Art Brut

This English 5 piece are hard to really explain. They have probably the most literal band title if the name was supposed to represent the craft. But yet they’re strangely charming. ‘Eddie Argos’, the lead singer has a brilliant stage presence which really helps, and their lyrics are fairly simple and frank, which are awkwardly spoken over the music by Argos. I’m probably not selling them very well, but they’re alright.

 

Check out:

Emily Kane, Fight, Direct Hit.

 

If you like:

We Are Scientists, Madness, Bloc Party.

Arctic Monkeys

Ah, now, a band who sadly were undone by their popularity. A great big stain of a personality flaw in indie snobs. Arctic Monkeys are a fantastic little band that without whom we would probably only just heard of myspace, and then facebook in like another 2 years. They made myspace what it was, and then probably destroyed it to as EVERYONE else tried to follow in their act. Which is a shame. But yes, a brilliant band with 2 great albums and a naff EP. The second is my favourite, the drumming is sublime and forceful, and the lyrics are often sharp and inspired, usually in fact. I, off the top of my head, can not recall another song in which a Mecca dobber is name dropped.

 

Check out:

Fluorescent Adolescent, Certain Romance, Old Yellow Bricks.

 

If you like:

The Cribs, The Futureheads, We Are Scientists.

The Arcade Fire

The Arcade Fire are a band who are Canadian, and ALSO they are a husband-wife band. Isn’t that queer? Edwin Butler and Régine Chassagne resurrected a band formed in 1995 which Edwin was in college, the sole remaining other member being a chap named William Butler. Their lyrics are strong and emotional and their live shows, of which I have unfortunately as yet notattended, are apparently quite an experience. They are maybe somewhat forcibly dramatic, but charming nonetheless.

 

Check out:

Neighborhood #3 (Power Out), Keep The Car Running, Intervention.

 

If you like:

The Last Of The Shadow Puppets,

Aqualung

Aqualung have or, Matt Hales has, been quite a beneficiary of various commercial affiliations. Strange and Beautiful, his best known song in the UK was made famous through a 206 advert and he blew up in America on the back of the album Still Life, mostly with the featuring of Brighter Than Sunshine in OSTs and a couple of other tracks off the album, but it was all nicely timed with the OC boom, a wave that really rekindled the interests of them youths in good music. He also managed to get onto Scrubs too, which was nice. This might sound like I don’t really rate Aqualung but I really do, Matt is a very nice and funny chap and his music is brilliant pop and very easy to listen to. Get involved.

 

Check out:

Strange And Beautiful, Easier To Lie, Brighter Than Sunshine.

 

If you like:

Athlete, Lifehouse, The Fray.

Andy McKee

Andy McKee is an unbelievable guitarist, and if you haven’t seen his version of Drifting on YouTube already then you probably are on this indiepedia for scene rather than musical excellence based reasons. His style of playing is eggcellent and a style rarely rarely ever seen, sans the late Jeff Healey, in recent history. His music is simply him playing his guitar, probably incorrect use of the word simply there, but it is such a layered sound, which is quite hard to believe it’s coming from one man and his guitar. No brash political statements or offensive lyrics, just a beautifully played guitar. He also cites Imogen Heap as an influence, which must be quite an honour.

 

Check out:

Drifting, When She Cries, Africa.

 

If you like:

Jeff Healey, Santana, Toto.

Amiina

Amiina are a band who I first discovered when they supported Sígur Ros at the Manchester Apollo in 2006 and they, in my opinion, outperformed a soulless Sígur Ros showing. The show comprised of a stage full of unexpected instruments which provided subtle and gentle brilliance. Their first full length, Kurr, featured the legendary Lee Hazlewood’s last recording, a track entitled Hilli, which was a reworked version of an original Amiina song but with Hazlewood telling a tale in his classy and gritty way. Recommended.

 

Check out:

Hilli, Hemipode, Litli Blár.

 

If you like:

Sígur Ros, Múm, Mogwai.

Air

Air are a 2 piece French band, whose name stands for Love, Imagination, Dream, only in French. They found their most fame really with the album Moon Safari, which I lent to someone once and have never had back irritatingly, but are now up to their seventh album [including scores] with Pocket Symphony, which features Jarvis Cocker as a guest on one of the tracks. It’s still a good album though, although perhaps not as edgy as their older works.

 

Check out:

Sexy Boy, Once Upon A Time, Cherry Blossom Girl.

 

If you like:

Boards of Canada, Royksopp, Telepopmusik.

Aim

Aim is the name Barrow-in-Furness born trip-hop producer Andrew Turner goes by. He is most famed for his collaboratory work with various artists of various genres, mostly downtempo ambient pop but also some good UK hip hop production. Aim produces the kind of music you’re most likely to hear in a trendy coffee shop or bar, I think I heard them on in a deli once too.

 

Check out: 

Sail, Fall Break, Good Disease.

 

If you like: 

Kid Loco, RJD2, Zero 7.