Alt-J
Indie rock from England. The lead singer is a bit mumbly. The instrumentation is lovely.
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October 25
Diablo Swing Orchestra
Eclectic would be an understatement. It's described in PopMatters thusly: "Their sound can only be likened to a rainbow-colored pony that happily trots towards the horizon in a sweltering desert, leaving behind a glittering trail of microscopic razorblades that will rip up the interior of your lungs when inhaled."
I'm digging it 100%.
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October 26
Yello
I thought I hadn't heard this Swiss electronic group before but it turns out they did the iconic "Oh Yeah" song from Ferris Bueller's Day Off. File that one away for trivia night.
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October 27
Blood Red Shoes
Reminds me a bit of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs or a more rocked out Garbage, depending on the track.
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October 28
Bela Bartok
Hungarian composer and specialist in musical folklore who was influenced by Liszt and Debussy.
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October 29
Aslan
Irish rock band that's had a multi-decade career. Someone on the internet said they don't get anywhere near the credit they deserve.
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October 30
Ruth Welcome
I have been on the hunt for zither artists since seeing a screening of The Third Man while traveling through Vienna, but they are surprisingly hard to find. Ruth was one of the most popular in the 1950s (18 albums!), but her legacy seems mostly lost to the ages. The sound of the zither is nostalgia in jar.
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October 31
The Fratellis
Picked up this band from an old college mate who sends out playlists periodically. I also didn't think I knew the Fratellis until I re-listened to 2006's "Chelsea Dagger", which happens to be the Chicago Blackhawks' goal song. Seemed appropriate to listen to a song called "Halloween Blues" today.
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November 1
Vermillion Lies
Two sisters who performed "dark cabaret" with folk and circus music influences a couple of years back.
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November 2
Timbalada
Samba-reggae with a big sound. I guess you have to have a big sound if you're playing at the Bahia Carnival in Brazil.
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November 3
Mew
Proggy alternative pop rock from Denmark.
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November 4
Janet Klein and her Parlor Boys
Get transported to another era. LA-based Janet Klein and her Parlor Boys perform songs from the 19010s, 1920s, and 1930s. Could be a bit gimmicky if they weren't so talented.
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November 5
Balkan Beat Box
American-Israeli group that blends electro, gypsy punk, hip hop, Middle Eastern folk and probably a whole bunch of other genres for a cultural cocktail of sonic enjoyment. A friend who shares my love of Gogol Bordello provided the recommendation.
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November 6
The Everybodyfields
Hauntingly lovely music with folk and bluegrass roots.
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November 7
Lefty Dizz
Talented Chicago bluesman who played his guitar upside down.
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