Now, if you've been rocking your "Twee as Fuck" shirt since the 90's, you already know who I'm talking about. For everyone else, if you want an indie-pop cult classic, you want Rocketship. Emerging in the early 90s, Rocketship became one of the brightest bands of the indie pop scene. A little bit shoegazer rock and a little bit bedroom pop, Rocketship is your one-way ticket into the International Pop Underground.
Unfortunately, Dustin Reske eventually took on Rocketship as a solo project and now releases music in the ambient direction.
Telekinesis is a Seattle-based one-man band with Michael Benjamin Lerner (pictured above with his touring band) on drums, guitar, and vocals. His debut album on Merge Records, Telekinesis! is a solid album with high points at "Coast of Carolina" and "Tokyo."
Lerner and his band are currently doing several shows on the west coast. I'm hoping to get over to The Troubadour on May 25th to see them.
"Calgary musician Jordan Klassen's marriage of delicate acoustic guitar, melodic whistling, rhythmic toy drums, soulful fiddle and singing wine glasses have been creating a buzz in the independent music scene since his debut solo album was released in May of 2009.
Always a perfectionist, Jordan spent four years working and re-working the songs on his album, before deeming them worthy for others to hear. What resulted was a quietly intricate collection of tracks that are brimming with musical experimentation. His lyrics, both poetic and whimsical, add a charmingly quirky aspect to his multi-faceted melodies. Titled Tempest and Winter for its exploration of life's storms and the soul's winter, the finished album is a journey through periods of doubt and depression, waiting and self-discovery.
Originally hailing from Abbotsford, B.C., he got his start playing in the Indie-rock three-piece Sub Rosa before embarking on a solo career. The musician now calls Calgary, Alta. his home, and there has developed a loyal fan following as well as significant play time on the Canadian college radio circuit and podcasts.
While his music has been said to resemble the likes of Sufjan Stevens, Andrew Bird and Simon & Garfunkel, Jordan continues to present a unique sound that escapes comparison." (Kerianne Sproule).
"Remember the time you drove all night Just to meet me in the morning And I thought it was strange you said everything changed You felt as if you'd just woke up And you said 'This is the first day of my life I’m glad I didn’t die before I met you But now I don’t care I could go anywhere with you And I’d probably be happy.'"
1. "The Garden That You Planted" - Sea Wolf 2. "Heart Skipped a Beat" - The XX 3. "Believe in Love" - The Wooden Birds 4. "Written in Heart Signs, Faintly" - Throw Me the Statue 5. "First Day of My Life" - Bright Eyes 6. "As Tall As Cliffs" - Margot & the Nuclear So and So's 7. "Talking Backwards" - Fanfarlo 8. "Don't Stop (Loving Me Now)" - Floating Action
Hands down, my pick for most anticipated album of 2010 is Say It by Born Ruffians. There's no set release date yet, but if their last album Red, Yellow, & Blue is any indication at all, then it will be worth the wait.
Born Ruffians is definitely the Little Indie Band that Could. They formed in a small Canadian town in the early 2000s and began to gain popularity locally and on the internet. Since moving to Toronto in 2004 they have released an EP and a full-length album, and toured with the likes of Franz Ferdinand, Tokyo Police Club, and Hot Chip.
Some may find their sound annoying, but once you get past the sharp vocals there are catchy basslines, shout-along lyrics, and upbeat, addicting guitar riffs to be discovered. I can vouch for the replayability of this band. I've been listening to their tracks on a semi-regular basis for the past two years. Just wait until Say It comes out...
Now, if you've been rocking your "Twee as Fuck" shirt since the 90's, you already know who I'm talking about. For everyone else, if you want an indie-pop cult classic, you want Rocketship. Emerging in the early 90s, Rocketship became one of the brightest bands of the indie pop scene. A little bit shoegazer rock and a little bit bedroom pop, Rocketship is your one-way ticket into the International Pop Underground.
