Three bands have potential for greatness in upcoming year
Indie groups hope to make it big in the music industry in 2008
Posted on January 10, 2008
In turbulent times such as these, what does it take for an up-and-coming band to catch the attention of a distracted public? With so many different means to obtain music and a plethora of options to choose from, how can a hopeful artist or band make a lasting impression on a musically-moody public? Three artists have proven themselves capable and music-lovers should keep an eye on them this year.
The Cool Kids
Favorite lyric: “I’m just a teenager with a little bit of gold and a pager.”
These two Chicago natives have an irresistibility even Rolling Stone magazine can’t ignore. For many listeners, rap music can become monotonous and lyrics can be predictable and tiresome. However, The Cool Kids bring a retro feeling back to the art form with a heavy bass and a slow lyrical flow, distinguishing themselves with more than just its sound. One look at this duo’s unique style and it’s easy to see why they are impossible to confuse with the multitude of other rap artists flooding the genre. Flat-brimmed hats, BMX bikes and tight-fitting jeans on a rap artist have never looked cooler.
These “kids” began their beats in true 21st Century fashion by meeting on MySpace where 23-year-old producer Chuck Inglish found 19-year-old Mikey Rocks two years ago. Since then, the duo has toured with M.I.A. and released a video for “Black Mags” that made BMX bikes the coolest thing since Lupe Fiasco’s skateboard anthem “Kick Push.”
New Young Pony Club
Favorite lyric: “I can make you ice cream/We could be a sweet team.”
New Young Pony Club, a five-piece, London-based group, is a breath of fresh air in a stuffy room. With new-wave electronics, a powerful stage presence by lead singer Tahita Bulmer and innocent, yet provocative lyrics like those of its most successful single “Ice Cream,” the group delivers unbridled energy to audiences.
NYPC formed in 2005 and released two singles with the indie label Tirk Recordings before joining the Australian label Modular Recordings, which has also signed major indie bands such as Wolfmother. NYPC sold out their first headlining tour, which promoted their debut album Fantastic Playroom released in July 2007.
Though it has enjoyed limited success abroad as compared to their label’s base country, their potential is clear. NYPC’s live performances make them worthy, thanks to Bulmer’s wild aerobic performance. She has a haircut that looks like a truth-or-dare game gone wrong and an incredibly flashy ’80s style that takes audiences right back to the days of Madonna and Olivia Newton John.
M.I.A.
Favorite lyric: “All I wanna do is (bang, bang, bang, bang)/And (kkkkaaa ching!)/And take your money.”
M.I.A., or Mathangi “Maya” Arulpragasam, is a rare breed of musician.
Born in Hounslow, London to a Tamil activist, Arulpragasam moved to her native country of Sri Lanka and later spent time between India, Sri Lanka and London as civil war broke out. After surviving war and various relocations, she began art school and became a successful visual artist long before considering a musical career, as it was her least-confident artistic area.
However, with the success of “Galang” and “Lady-killer” thanks to file-sharing capabilities and word-of-mouth, M.I.A. became a record label buzzword by 2004 when she was signed to XL Recordings. As if her resume were not impressive enough, M.I.A. maintains her creative edge by refusing to bargain with any label which threatened her creative control and promptly told XL, “Trust me, you have been looking for me,” upon signing with them.
In addition to being justifiably arrogant, M.I.A. is also extremely active with global outreach programs, especially those concerned with relationships between first and third world countries. M.I.A., unlike many celebrity donors, brings first-hand knowledge of war-torn countries. She has lived through the tumult of civil war within her own country and continues to play a hands-on role in aiding struggling countries such as Liberia which she visited in December 2006.
