Here at Flavorpill, we’re always looking for awesome music, and this season is turning out to be a pretty spectacular one for new bands. We haven’t been this excited about a crop of newcomers since Passion Pit arrived with all their internet compatriots in tow, so, to share the wealth, here’s our list of five great new (or semi-new) musical acts we’re loving. We’ve tried to include a little of everything — or as much of a little of everything as you can include in a list of five musical acts — so whether you’re into coffeehouse jams, fuzzy girl punk, anthemic indie rock, or feel-good hip hop, you’ll find something to like among these young musicians. Let us know what you think in the comments!
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Sisters Hannah and Colette Thurlow started making music in their bedroom and never stopped. Their sound is a crazy blend of shoegaze and punk, a little Mazzy Star, a little the xx, a little Queens of the Stone Age, so it’s fair to say they’ve had some pretty good influences. The girls named their band after the best moment in their favorite Melvins song, after all.
Click here to listen.
ARMS
Anthemic indie rockers ARMS seem perpetually on the verge of making it big. Once the more or less solo project of Todd Goldstein, previously of Harlem Shakes, the band has now achieved satisfying depth as a foursome, crafting juicy rock songs alongside gorgeous, atmospheric pop soundscapes that devolve into giddy, half-bluegrass get downs. Yes, all of that in just one band. Keep an eye out for their new album, due to drop this spring.
Click here to listen.
Marissa Bregman
Formerly known as the daughter of Scarface producer Martin Bregman and a New York City society girl, Marissa Bregman is striking out on her own, following a passion for music that started the first time she saw The Little Mermaid. Her songs are sweet, subtly complex concoctions with a coffeehouse vibe, all tethered to earth with lyrics about love, loss and a nagging nostalgia for a life never lived. “We played around a lot on this record,” Bregman says, “even trying to use something like corn chips, potato bags as percussion. I think they were corn chips. I tried to just make a new sound out of any new instrument I could get my hands on.” Maybe because of this DIY philosophy, Bregman’s music has a homespun quality without being lo-fi, a refreshing warmth that comes from within.
Click here to listen.
Tayyib Ali
This may be old news to some of you, but it’s new to us, and this kid is totally blowing up right now. The 18 year old Philly native’s sophomore mixtape, “Keystone State of Mind,” is a infectious, smooth-voiced hit, and last year’s standout track “Kid Again” is a clean, feel-good anthem that’s due to be stuck in your head for days.
Click here to listen.
Givers
This Lafayette, Louisiana fivesome sounds like a southern Vampire Weekend – only with a sexy lady vocalist and even more joy shining out of every one of their faces. It’s one thing to see a band live and know that they love their jobs, but you can feel the infectious energy in every bar of Givers’ recorded tracks, which is no mean feat.
Click here to listen.