Bands To Keep An Eye On

Band: The Neighbourhood

Nickname: The NBHD

Label: Columbia Records, The Revolve Group

Genre: Alternative, Indie, Hip Hop, R&B

Sounds like: A moody and tattooed boy band from the wrong side of the tracks

They hail from: Newbury Park, California

What to expect: Atmospheric and angsty rock with Hip Hop and R&B influences. These songs have the sun drenched quality that comes with living in suburbia amongst palm trees and eternal sunshine, but with enough attitude to turn it all on its head.

Fun Fact: The band describes their genre as “black and white”. Their demo was initially written with rap verses, but the lead singer, Jesse Rutherford, decided he’d rather sing and they were removed.

Standout Tracks: Sweater Weather, Female Robbery

Lyrics ”The goosebumps start to raise/ The minute that my left hand meets your waist/ And then I watch your face/ Put my finger on your tongue/ ‘Cause you love the taste.”

Bands To Keep An Eye On

Band: The Head And The Heart

Label: Sub Pop

Genre: Indie-Folk

Sounds like: Ryan Adams, Fanfarlo, Mumford & Sons

They hail from: Seattle, Washington

What to expect: Strong vocal harmonies with Americana roots, perfect percussion with strains of violin and surprise girlie vocals

Fun Fact: They sold out of self-burned CDs in stitched denim sleeves that they brought to concerts and local record stores, earning them the title of Seattle’s Best New Band by City Arts Magazine.

Standout Tracks: Rivers and Roads, Cats and Dogs

Lyrics: “Down in the valley with whiskey rivers, These are the places you’ll find me hidin’”

Bands To Keep An Eye On

Band: Walk the Moon
Label: RCA Records
Genre: Indie Rock
Sounds like: The Talking Heads, The Killers, and Ra Ra Riot, with a hint of Vampire Weekend and Dirty Projectors
They hail from: Cincinnati, Ohio
What to expect: You will be kept on your toes as the sound shifts from synth rock to catchy pop. The hormonally charged lyrics send you straight back to those lusty days of high school crushes, as do the occasional yelps of falsetto. It’s fresh, it’s youthful, and it’s fun. 
Fun Fact: “Anna Sun”, Esquire’s 2011 song of the summer was named after lead singer, Petricca’s professor, Anna Xiao Dong Sun.
Standout Tracks: Anna Sun, Quesadilla, I Want! I Want! and William Blake, the sped up chipmunk version of I Want!, I Want!. Some things just sound better chipmunked.
 ”My eyes are on the road/ But my mind is on your body.”