Chicks and riffs
Venus' guide to the women in some of this summer's hottest music festivals
By Venus Zine Staff
Published: July 6th, 2007 | 8:31pm
With bands like Pearl Jam, Daft Punk, and Interpol headlining Lollapalooza and Alkaline Trio, Bad Religion, and Pennywise on the Warped Tour, we have to wonder: Where are all the ladies?! So here's our guide to the gals performing at Pitchfork Music Festival, Siren Music Festival, Lollapalooza, and Vans Warped Tour. The fests are rated in what we like to call "grrl code" — the more r’s, the more female-friendly the fest:
grrl: Weak. Very weak. Where are the women?
grrrl: Lots of great women, but none of them are headlining!
grrrrl: Some female headliners, but still dominated by dudes.
grrrrrl: Hell yeah! Cheeky chicks galore, they’re spicin’ up the set!
The poster gals of Pitchfork Music Festival: July 13-15 in Chicago’s Union Park
by Katie Disabato
Pitchfork Music Festival has its roots in 2005’s Intonation Music Festival, which it curated. In 2006, Pitchfork broke from Intonation and made a festival of its own. Pitchfork Music Fest takes place in Chicago’s Union Park and recently expanded from a two-day weekend event to include a Friday night show. Pitchfork is like a hipster picnic, specializing in experimental and indie rock.
Rating: grrrrl
Friday, July 13
SONIC YOUTH
Lady: Kim Gordon, guitar and bass guitar and vocals
File under: Scratchy, gritty soundscapes of art rock, and sometimes their pop counterparts
Who they are: Kim Gordon was elbow-deep in acrylic paint when her boyfriend Thurston Moore asked if she wanted to learn the bass guitar for a little band he was starting. Three decades later, Sonic Youth is one of the most referenced and well-respected bands still performing. Without Sonic Youth punk might never have ended, alternative rock might never have happened, and indie wouldn’t be the same. Gordon was the original chick-on-bass-guitar, and her melodic/rhythmic backbone helps form one of the most interesting and lasting no-wave sounds to ever come out of anywhere.
Listen to: “’Cross the Breeze” from 2007’s re-release of Daydream Nation (Geffen) at myspace.com/sonicyouth
Playing at: 9 p.m., Connector stage
Saturday, July 14
BEACH HOUSE
Lady: Victoria Legrand, vocals and keyboards
File under: Expansive melodies with surprisingly deep and sultry vocals
Who they are: Though Beach House has all the elements of the kind of folk-inspired pop group that can be equated to an untethered hot air balloon, the band manages to stay on earth. Victoria Legrand (yes, that is her real name) has a deep and grounded vocal quality that you don’t often hear among the freak folk set. Her keyboard work isn’t too bad, either.
Listen to: “Tokyo Witch” from 2006’s self-titled release (Carpark) at myspace.com/beachhousemusic
Playing at: 3:10 p.m., Balance stage
YOKO ONO
Instruments: vocals
File under: timeless pop with an edge of celebrity
Who she is: If you’ve been living under a rock since the ’60s, you might not have heard of Yoko Ono. On the other hand, you might have been better off. After that whole debacle with John and the Beatles going through a rough time for a while there, Ono’s reputation was tarnished beyond belief. Despite her notoriety, Ono remains one of the most interesting but underappreciated pop acts ever to grace the stage at Union Park. The recent remix album, Yes, I’m A Witch demonstrates that even Ono’s decades-old hits are still relevant.
Listen to: “Kiss Kiss Kiss (remixed by Peaches)” from 2007’s Yoko Ono remix album, Yes, I’m A Witch (Astralwerks) at myspace.com/yokoono
Playing at: 9 p.m., Aluminum stage
Sunday, July 15
NOMO
Ladies: Ingrid Racine, trumpet; Jamie Register, bass and vocals
File under: A jazz quartet plugged into a couple of amps and a synthesizer
Who they are: Jazz isn’t a boys’ game anymore, especially if you ask Ingrid Racine and Jamie Register from Nomo. Besides having really awesome names, Racine and Register can play a mean tune. If Nomo’s 2006 effort, “New Tones,” proved anything, it’s that all of Nomo’s seven members can rival any orchestra in musical proficiency. Racine’s impulsive trumpet can rival any guitar melody, and Register’s bass provides the strong backbone iconic to every jazz quartet.
Listen to: “One to One” from 2006’s New Tones (Ubiquity) at myspace.com/nomomusic
Playing at: 3:10 p.m., Balance stage
OF MONTREAL
Lady: Dottie Alexander, keyboard and clarinet and flute
File under: Pitch-perfect pop with a flair for the romantic and overdramatic
Who they are: Of Montreal has now been around for 10 years, which makes them old hats in a scene where most artists are working on their second or third release, and their origins as an Elephant 6 band lend them a cred and notoriety that other indie acts can only dream about. In their decade of recording and performing, Of Montreal has touched upon and incorporated nearly every genre of pop music, and Dottie Alexander’s prolific instrumentation gives an interesting edge to everything from their more whimsical narratives on Cherry Peel, to their more rock-esque leanings on the new Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?
Listen to: “Suffer for Fashion” from 2007’s Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer? (Polyvinyl) at myspace.com/ofmontreal
Playing at: Of Montreal 7 p.m., Aluminum stage
THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS
Ladies: Kathryn Calder, vocals and piano
File under: Bouncy, well-formed pop melodies with hooky guitars with mixed male and female vocals
Who they are: The New Pornographers are another one of those groups that have been around for a while. They know what they’re doing and how to do it. Though Carl (also known as A.C.) Newman often takes point on vocals, Kathryn Calder — covering her own parts, along with Neko Case's during live performances — gives the New Pornographers’ vocal sound its breadth and depth. Calder’s amazing piano work gives flavor to the New Pornographers’ springy melodies.
Listen to: the unreleased live track “Sing Me Spanish Techno” from their show at The Blue Curtain in 2006 at myspace.com/thenewpornographers, and check out the video at thenewpornographers.com
Playing at: 8 p.m., Connector stage
The sirens of Siren Music Festival: July 21 at Coney Island, New York
by Katie Disabato
Siren was born the same year as Pitchfork, 2005, because New York wouldn’t let itself be outdone by Chicago. They one-upped the first Intonation Music Festival (curated by Pitchfork) by making the event completely free, but the fest only offers one day (a Saturday) of music. Siren takes place on Coney Island in Brooklyn, and the music caters to the experimental and indie rock crowd that populates that neighborhood. Siren calls itself the "premier outdoor indie rock festival," but it’s actually in competition with Pitchfork for that title.
Rating: grrrrl
BRIGHTBLACK MORNING LIGHT
Ladies: Rachael Hughes, vocals and keyboard; Ann McCrary, vocals; Gail West, vocals
File under: Long-form drone-pop
Who they are: Brightblack Morning Light is the new big thing in the crowd who used to be really into Tortoise, and for good reason. Brightblack Morning Light has a huge sound, part of which is due to a large vocal section. Along with singing lead, Rachael Hughes provides Brightblack’s distinctive keyboard melodies. Ann McCrary and Gail West contribute the harmonies that make Brighblack’s vocals so full and expansive.
Listen to: “Everybody Daylight” from their self-titled 2006 release (Matador) at myspace.com/brightblackmorninglight
LAVENDER DIAMOND
Lady: Rebecca Stark, vocals
File under: Mellow pop with folk-pop influences
Who they are: After Lavender Diamond’s 2007 release Imagine Our Love, Rebecca Stark was the new starry-eyed it-girl of the California scene. Her happiness at making music and vocal energy come through on even the mellower tracks on the album; she has the kind of voice you want echoing through your speakers at almost every occasion. Her sweet and expressive vocal quality makes even the most repetitive lyrics (as in “Like An Arrow,” which has as many different words as the song title has) sound fresh and new every time she belts them out.
Listen to: “Oh No” from 2007’s Imagine Our Love (Matador) at
(credit photographer for the blue dress one: Photographer: Autumn De Wilde)
MATT AND KIM
Lady: Kim Schifino, percussion
File under: A mixture of indie pop and ’70s punk
Who they are: The backbone of any good punk outfit isn’t the guitar, bass, or even the incomprehensible vocals, it is and always will be the drums. Kim’s simple but ferocious drumming might even put those late, great ’70s punks to shame, and her characteristic crashing cymbals would get even the most dissociated and despondent scene kid off their ass and into the mosh pit.
Listen to: “Yeah Yeah” from 2006’s self-titled release (Iheartcomix) at myspace.com/mattandkim
M.I.A.
Instruments: Beats and vocals
File under: Cross-cultural forward-thinking dance/hip-hop jams
Who she is: Since her 2005 debut release, Arular, M.I.A. (birth name: Maya Arulpragasam) has been treated like the second-coming of female-M.C.-driven hip-hop and the first coming of the burgeoning hip-hop scene in London (though she doesn’t do that distinctive London grime thing, where everybody is “gutter” instead of “ghetto”). M.I.A. deserves pretty much all the praise that the media slings at her; she’s one of the few ultra-talented M.C.s who can make clever rhymes out of simplest of subjects. She retains an element of subtlety and class even when covering topics like prostitution (in “10 Dollar”), and, on top of everything else, creates her own funky, ultra-danceable beats.
Listen to: “Boyz” and “Bird Flu” both from her forthcoming release Kala (XL/Interscope) at myspace.com/mia
NOISETTES
Lady: Shingai Shoniwa, vocals and bass
File under: Punk rock and rocknroll from a Brit-pop perspective
Who they are: Never since the ’60s have the floodgates been open to so much importation from the motherland, and it’s about time that a couple of ladies joined the ranks. Unfortunately for any women to follow her, Shingai Shoniwa is just about the coolest chick in the Brit-pop world right now. As the Noisettes front women, she fills the girl-on-bass trope flawlessly (see Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth) and harnesses her wild screech and shout on the vocals.
Listen to: “Sister Rosetta” from What’s The Time Mr. Wolf (Universal Motown) at myspace.com/noisettesuk
The ladies of Lollapalooza: August 3-5 in Chicago’s Grant Park
by Laura Leebove and Carlye Wisel
Originally formed 17 years ago as a farewell tour for his band Jane’s Addiction, Perry Farrell has since turned Lollapalooza into an extravagant three-day festival. Set in Chicago’s Grant Park until at least 2011, Lollapalooza features more than just music, with Kidzapalooza for the young ones, a Mindfield stage featuring comedians and contests, and a keen interest in extensive greening efforts. With diversity among acts ranging from the sweet pop of I'm From Barcelona to the dance-party-ready Daft Punk to legends like Patti Smith, there’s something for every type of music fan who wishes to kick back, listen to tunes and bake in the Midwestern August sun.
Rating: grrrl
Friday, August 3
VIVA VOCE
Lady: Anita Robinson, guitar
File under: Psychedelic guitar-led indie rock
Who they are: For some married couples, it’s exciting to go on trip to California or Florida. For Kevin and Anita Robinson, the husband-and-wife duo that comprise Viva Voce — Italian for “word of mouth” — it’s possible that they may need to kick their next vacation up a notch. After all, it’s going to take a lot to outdo a countrywide tour with the Shins and appearances at both Lollapalooza and Bumbershoot.
Listen to: “From the Devil Himself” from 2006’s Get Yr Blood Sucked Out (Barsuk/Full Time) at myspace.com/vivavoce
Playing: 2:15-3 p.m., Citi stage
POLYPHONIC SPREE
Ladies: Too many to list, doing everything from vocals, to flute, to guitar, to violin
File under: Happy, hopeful, and upbeat orchestrated pop
Who they are: Now nicknamed “The Fragile Army,” after the group’s new album of the same name, the Texas-based Polyphonic Spree is not your average army, decked out in black military uniforms, adorned with a red heart and a red first-aid cross. Led by Tim DeLaughter, the Spree combines the talents of more than 20 musicians to create an energetic and theatrical performance.
Listen to: “Running Away” from 2007’s The Fragile Army (TVT), at myspace.com/polyphonicspree
Playing: 2:30-3:30 p.m., Bud Light stage
M.I.A.
Instruments: Vocals, beats
File under: Cross-cultural forward-thinking dance/hip-hop jams
Who she is: M.I.A., born in Sri Lanka and raised in the U.K., has gotten some attention for her crazy MySpace blog entries and music videos, but most people know her for her unique style of dance music, creating jungle-like drumbeats infused with electronic effects. While she’s had to cancel a few shows this year because of visa problems, she’s currently still on for Lolla. P.S. Watch for this lovely lady on the cover of Venus Zine’s fall issue, out September 1!
Listen to: “Bird Flu” from her upcoming album, Kala, (Interscope/XL) at myspace.com/mia
Playing: 4:30-5:30 p.m., Bud Light stage
SILVERSUN PICKUPS
Lady: Nikki Monninger, bass and vocals
File under: Garbage meets the Smashing Pumpkins
Who they are: Named after a liquor store in Los Angeles, the foursome released its first LP, Carnavas (Dangerbird) in 2006 and just finished a tour with Snow Patrol and OK GO. While the band does have its own sound, it’s hard not to draw comparisons to the Smashing Pumpkins— but is that really a bad thing?
Listen to: “Lazy Eye,” from Carnavas (Dangerbird) at myspace.com/silversunpickups
Playing: 5-6 p.m., Citi stage
BLONDE REDHEAD
Lady: Kazu Makino, vocals
File under: A super-soprano Joanna Newsom meets Radiohead with a pinch of Regina Spektor’s vocals
Who they are: Though the band has been around almost long enough to throw itself a Sweet 16 party, Blonde Redhead’s April 2007 release 23 (4AD) proves that its sleepy melodies paired with Makino’s light, high-pitched vocals are here to stay.
Listen to: “23” from 23 (4AD) at myspace.com/blonderedhead
Playing: 5:30-6:30 p.m., MySpace stage
SATELLITE PARTY
Lady: Etty Lau Farrell, backing vocals
File under: Funky, distorted guitars; solid alternative rock
Who they are: Lollapalooza founder and former Jane’s Addiction front man Perry Farrell formed Satellite Party with four other core band members, including his wife, Etty Lau Farrell. The band— which has collaborated with members of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Black Eyed Peas, Thievery Corporation, and others— released its first album, Ultra Payloaded (Sony) in May 2007.
Listen to: “Hard Life Easy” from Ultra Payloaded at myspace.com/satelliteparty
Playing: 6:30-7:30 p.m., AT&T stage
LCD SOUNDSYSTEM
Lady: Nancy Whang, keyboards and synthesizers
File under: Sounds a bit like Cake, with a lot more electronica
Who they are: The project of James Murphy, LCD Soundsystem got its break with the insanely catchy “Daft Punk is Playing at My House” from 2005’s double-disc self-titled debut. The track was nominated in 2005 for a Grammy in the dance category, and the whole album was nominated in the electronica category. Coincidentally, the band is playing right before Daft Punk on Friday.
Listen to: “North American Scum” from this year’s Sound of Silver (Capitol) at myspace.com/lcdsoundsystem
Playing: 7:30-8:30 p.m., MySpace stage
Saturday, August 4
I’M FROM BARCELONA
Ladies: A whole lot!
File under: Cheery, smiley pop music with a slight “children’s television show theme song” feel
Who they are: Though their name claims Barcelona residency and they actually hail from Sweden, the hearts of all 29 band members might lie in America. The poppy clan has recently received Internet buzz from its song “Britney,” which describes an intense desire to look like the Hollywood tabloid darling.
Listen to: “Treehouse” from 2006’s Let Me Introduce My Friends (Dolores Recordings) at myspace.com/imfrombarcelona. We assume you’ll check out “Britney” all on your own.
Playing: 11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m., adidas stage
LADY GAGA
Instruments: Vocals, piano
File under: Gwen Stefani goes disco
Who she is: The often-half-naked 20-year-old is still pretty unknown, but in 2006, GaGa was signed to a production deal with Sony’s multi-platinum producer Rob Fusari (Destiny’s Child, Will Smith, Britney Spears), so who knows? She might be the next big thing.
Listen to: “Dirty Ice Cream” at myspace.com/ladygaga
Playing: 3-3:45 p.m., BMI stage
CSS
Ladies: Lovefoxxx, vocals; Luiza Sá, guitar and keyboards; Ana Rezende, guitar and keyboards; Iracema Trevisan, bass guitar; Carolina Parra, guitar, drums, and vocals
File under: Pop-rock tunes with strong vocals and danceable beats
Who they are: The band’s full name, Cansei de Ser Sexy—Portugese for “so tired of being sexy”— exhibits CSS’ cheeky sense of humor that is also prevalent on songs like “Music is My Hot Hot Sex” and “Meeting Paris Hilton” from 2006’s self-titled Cansei de Ser Sexy (Sub Pop/Warner). With collective backgrounds in fashion, film, art and graphic design, CSS is more than musicians. Odds are they won’t need to keep those day jobs, though— they’ll be opening for Gwen Stefani this fall.
Listen to: “Let’s Make Love and Listen to Death From Above” from Cansei de Ser Sexy (Sub Pop/Warner) at myspace.com/canseidesersexy
Playing: 5-6 p.m., Citi stage
REGINA SPEKTOR
Instruments: Vocals, piano, guitar
File under: Jazzy, quirky, and charming piano-driven pop
Who she is: The Russian-born songstress from New York writes sweet, saucy, and catchy songs that show off her seductive mezzo-soprano voice. The 27-year-old first got attention with 2004’s Soviet Kitsch (Sire), but successfully broke into the mainstream with 2006’s Begin to Hope (Sub Pop).
Listen to: “Us” from Soviet Kitsch at myspace.com/reginaspektor
Playing:5:30-6:30 p.m., adidas stage
YEAH YEAH YEAHS
Lady: Karen O., vocals
File under: Spastic and spacey alternative rock
Who they are: It seems that most people either love or hate Yeah Yeah Yeahs frontwoman Karen O., who is often identified by her bizarre clothing and short, dark hair. The New York trio made it big with “Maps,” from their 2003 album Fever to Tell (Interscope).
Listen to: "Honeybear" from 2006's Show Your Bones (Interscope) at www.myspace.com/yeahyeahyeahs
Playing: 6:30-7:30 p.m., AT&T stage
PATTI SMITH
Instruments: Vocals, guitar
File under: Rocknroll, plain and simple
Who she is: Though she first started making music in the 1970s, Patti Smith is still going strong — the influential singer, songwriter, guitarist, and poet just released her album, Twelve (Columbia), in April of 2007. The recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee (in March of this year) also played the last show at New York City’s infamous CBGB’s in 2006.
Listen to: “Gimme Shelter” from Twelve (Columbia) at myspace.com/pattismith
Playing: 7:30-8:30 p.m., adidas stage
Sunday, August 5
JULIETTE & THE LICKS
Lady: Juliette Lewis, vocals
File under: Rock. ‘Nuff said.
Who they are:Juliette Lewis, the Oscar-nominated actress-turned-rock-band-front woman, will release her second album with the Licks, Four On The Floor (The Militia Group) on July 24. Also coming up? Her answers to the questions Venus Zine readers submitted for our fall issue. (We’re dying to hear her responses, too!)
Listen to: “Purgatory Blues” off of Four On The Floor (The Militia Group) at myspace.com/julietteandthelicks
Playing: 11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m., adidas stage
THE 1900s
Lady: Jeanine O’Toole
File under: Ear-catching vocals with repetitive keyboard/drum melodies
Who they are: Though band information on the Internet is scarce, one thing isn’t — stellar reviews. Hailing from Chicago, the 1900s have a handful of phenomenal feedback from the local heavyweights, including Chicago Tribune music critics and Time Out Chicago. And, with a quick listen to the band’s poppy keyboards and sweet, dreamy vocals, it’s completely understandable.
Listen to: “Bring the Good Boys Home” from 2006’s Plume Delivery EP (Parasol) at myspace.com/1900s. (Heads up — myspace.com/the1900’s is a completely different band that shares the same name.)
Playing: 12-12:30 p.m., Citi stage
SMOOSH
Ladies: Asya, vocals and keyboards; Chloe, drums
File under: Hanson’s female counterparts
Who they are: The duo of sisters Asya and Chloe have been playing shows at 21-and-up venues, opening for the Pipettes, and they’re not even legal. But just because they’re young doesn’t mean they’re new to the game — Asya, 15, and Chloe, 13, have been making music together since 2002.
Listen to: “Find a Way” from 2006’s Free to Stay (Barsuk) at myspace.com/smooshtheband
Playing: 1:45-2:30 p.m., BMI stage
AMY WINEHOUSE
File under: A raspy, British-accented Etta James
Who she is:If you haven’t heard Winehouse crooning about her refusal of alcohol rehab yet, you’re totally out of the loop. Complete with a ratty beehive hairdo as big as her sassy personality, Winehouse has brought jazzy, soulful tunes and Cleopatra eyeliner back into the mainstream.
Listen to: “Back To Black” from 2007’s Back To Black (Island Records) at
myspace.com/amywinehouse
Playing: 2:15-3:15 p.m., Bud Light stage
THE BLACK ANGELS
Ladies: Jennifer Raines, drone machine and organ; Stephanie Bailey, drums and percussion
File under: A mix of the Velvet Underground, the Black Keys and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Who they are: Saying the Velvet Underground is a musical influence of The Black Angels is an understatement. Its name is taken from the Underground’s “The Black Angel’s Death Song,” and the group’s logo incorporates a picture of Nico, the model/musician who famously collaborated with the VU. With heavy drumbeats, reverberating guitars and husky vocals, The Black Angels prove deserving of their opening slot on Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s European tour.
Listen to: “Black Grease” from 2006’s Passover (Light in the Attic) at myspace.com/theblackangels
Playing: 2:15-3 p.m., adidas stage
ANNUALS
Lady:Anna Spence, keyboards/synthesizers
File under: an American version of Loney, Dear with less falsetto
Who they are: Hailing from Raleigh, North Carolina, the Annuals effectively mix electronica, pop and rock in an oddly equal balance. The band’s songs could fit well on the radio and in the background of a club before a Man Man show— a feat accomplished by few. Internet biographies brag about an intense live show complete with members switching instruments, so if you believe the bloggers, you may want to see them in person.
Listen to: “Carry Around” from 2007’s Big Zeus EP (AceFu) at myspace.com/annuals
Playing: 3:30-4:30 p.m., adidas stage
BOUND STEMS
Lady: Janie Porche, multi-instrumentalist
File under: Like the band’s MySpace says, “pretty/complex/music”
Who they are: Chicagoans Bound Stems create edgy-sounding songs with guitars and synthesizers, layered male-and-female vocals, and time-signature changes. The band released its first full-length, Appreciation Night (Flameshovel), in 2006.
Listen to: “Refuse the Refuse” from Appreciation Night (Flameshovel) at myspace.com/boundstems
Playing: 5:30-6:15 p.m., BMI stage
YO LA TENGO
Lady: Georgia Hubley, drums and vocals
File under: Rock music with subgenres ranging from classical or jazz to super-pop
Who they are: New Jersey’s Yo La Tengo received much praise for its silly-titled 2006 release, I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass (Matador). With 15 albums under its belt, the trio still has a deliciously inconsistent sound — check out both song suggestions below to experience it for yourself.
Listen to: “Pass The Hatchet, I Think I’m Goodkind” and “Mr. Tough” from I Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass (Matador) at myspace.com/yolatengo
Playing: 5:15-6:15 p.m., adidas stage
The vixens of Vans Warped Tour
Visit warpedtour.com for remaining tour dates and venues through August 25.
by Lori Finkel
Vans Warped Tour is an extreme sports and music festival that features ska, skate punk, pop punk, post-hardcore, and metalcore. Kevin Lyman got the idea after working for skate shows and founded the tour in 1993. Two years later, Vans began sponsoring, and the tour became known as the Vans Warped Tour. This year is Warped Tour’s "Lucky 13th."
Rating: grrl
THE FABULOUS RUDIES
Lady: Cassandra Anderson, lead vocals and guitar
File under: Ace of Base meets Fishbone at a punk show
Who they are: As the second band to be announced to play on the national Warped Tour, the California-based punk-ska-reggae-rock group will be this year’s BBQ band, which means they’ll barbeque all the food for the bands and setup crew in exchange for the opportunity to play. Creator of the Warped Tour Kevin Lyman dubbed them as “on the crest of the next wave in alternative music.” To give you a hint at Lyman’s prediction of the next wave of alternative music, none of their MySpace songs sounds similar, each dabbles in wildly varying genres.
Listen to: “Keep On Movin’” from Fab Rudies at myspace.com/fabrudies
MEG AND DIA
Ladies: Dia Frampton, vocals; Meg Frampton, guitar and vocals
File under: Girlie bubblegum pop stuck to the fret of an electric guitar
Who they are: Recently signed to Warner Bros., Meg and Dia is a band of two sisters and three other guys, some of whom were found on MySpace and YouTube. They’ll be your next guilty pleasure band, the nostalgic soundtrack to make you reminisce on all your earth-shattering high school breakups.
Listen to: “Roses” from 2006’s Something Real (Doghouse) at myspace.com/megdia
NEW YEAR’S DAY
Lady: Ash
File under: Heartbroken pop punk
Who they are: New Year’s Day formed from heartbreak two years ago. Instead of using copious amounts of drugs and sex to deal, this band chose pure rocknroll. Although they’ve collaborated with members Reel Big Fish and Motion City Soundtrack, according to their Web site, they want people to understand how “organic” the band is. They want it to be known that although they have a female lead singer and that while most girl-fronted bands were put together by some record company, this isn’t the case for New Year’s Day. They were friends first.
Listen to: “I Was Right” from 2007’s My Dear (TVT) at myspace.com/newyearsday
PARAMORE
Lady: Hayley Williams, vocals
File under: Kelly Clarkson’s lung capacity with Shirley Manson’s kickass fashion sense
Who they are: Four-piece girl-fronted, fun, pop punk band from Tennessee. The song “Misery Business” is guaranteed to get stuck in your head, we promise.
Listen to: “Misery Business” from 2007’s Riot! (Fueled By Ramen) at myspace.com/paramore
STRAYLIGHT RUN
Lady: Michelle DaRosa, guitar, piano, and vocals
File under: An early No Doubt dance party in front of a piano
Who they are: Fronted by siblings Michelle and John, Straylight Run contains former members of Taking Back Sunday. Unlike most Warped Tour bands, a lot of their schtick is flowery and rootsy, reminiscent of Fiona Apple, who Michelle says she’s been influenced by on the band’s Web site.
Listen to: “Miracle That Never” from 2007’s The Needles The Space (Republic) at myspace.com/straylightrun
THE VINCENT BLACK SHADOW (TVBS)
Lady: Cassandra Ford
File under: Mid ’90’s dancy-girl metal that would fit well on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer soundtrack
Who they are: Girl-fronted Vancouver-based band. The name Vincent Black Shadow comes from the motorcycle out of Hunter S. Thompson novels. TVBS has toured with Joan Jett, Bif Naked, and Snow Patrol. Most of the lyrical content tends toward the dark and morbid though some of their songs are dance-y like Broadway musical numbers.
Listen to: “Fears in the Water” from 2006’s Fears in the Water (BoDog Music) at myspace.com/tvbs
Issue #35
Comments
Please login to be able to comment on this article.
more