East Hundred – Passenger

March 3rd, 2010  |  by Jess Alatorre  |  published in female vocalists, shoegaze  |  2 comments

Today’s indie rock scene doesn’t always have enough female fronted bands that get me addicted. But, with bands like Land of Talk, Rainer Maria and now East Hundred, I say “Hand those chicks a mic, and let their vocals spill out emotion!” East Hundred’s story isn’t all that unpredictable: boys grow up together, boys make music, one asks girlfriend to add vocal track, girl and boy break-up, band survives and grows from it musically (The break-up lyrics really shine through on “Pony”).

Clara Moto – Polyamour

March 2nd, 2010  |  by jason grishkoff  |  published in electronica, female vocalists, progressive house, techno  |  2 comments

Rephlektor Inkorporated just sent me an album that would typically never make it on my playlist: the vocals, provided by Mimu, aren’t as strong as one would expect with such a minimal techno/house background. They also aren’t as cute as I was hoping. None of that matters, though, because the bass kills. Produced by Austrian electronic artist Clara Moto (whose background, surprisingly, is in jazz and classical-piano) Polyamour provides a clean electronic listening experience with excellent production and breadth. Not only will this make my playlist, it’s making it on the site.

April Smith and The Great Picture Show – Songs for a Sinking Ship

February 27th, 2010  |  by b aiken  |  published in female vocalists, indie pop, rock  |  2 comments

“Wow”. That’s all I could say after taking a listen to this album, “Songs for a Sinking Ship”. It is a downright enjoyable music experience that uses the time-tested formula of great vocals, catchy hooks, and well orchestrated instrumentals to give the listener a true gem of an album.

Rosie and Me – Bird and Whale

February 15th, 2010  |  by jason grishkoff  |  published in acoustic, female vocalists, folk  |  4 comments

I will declare it right now: the best folk band to have contacted me these past 2 months is without a doubt, Rosie and Me. Singer, Rosanne Machado, accurately describes the group as “unpretentious and simple”. Both ‘Come Back’ and ‘Bonfires’ are acoustic wonders that sound and feel as natural as the change of the seasons and as spontaneous as Snooki from the Jersey Shore. These positive, warm melodies are almost enough to fight the cold winter this year and keep you refreshed during the summer.

Husky Rescue – Ship of Light

February 13th, 2010  |  by jason grishkoff  |  published in alternative, female vocalists, folktronica, trip hop  |  1 comment

ased out of Helsinki, Finland, the five-piece group fuses alternative with trip hop, ultimately producing a pop sound reminiscent of Emiliana Torrini or a down-tempo Metric. The result is perfectly fitting for the terribly gloomy, winter weather that has gripped Washington, D.C. for the last few weeks. Ship of Light is their third release, following a reasonable amount of success with their sophomore release on Catskill, Ghost is Not Real.

La Roux – La Roux

February 5th, 2010  |  by hannahsimon  |  published in electro pop, female vocalists  |  5 comments

Listing musicians like Madonna and Prince as her influences, La Roux (meaning “red-haired”) has been criticized for being too polished, but if you tend to like clean electro beats, La Roux’s delivery satisfies. The androgynous lead singer Eleanor “Elly” Jackson serves up ’80s synth-pop that is catchy, but not very inventive. My first impression? Sing-along ’80s dance hits.

Laura Veirs – July Flame

January 30th, 2010  |  by jason grishkoff  |  published in female vocalists, folk, folk-rock

The title track “July Flame” is one of those immediately hypnotic tracks that is a bit unsettling, with haunting lyrics like, “ashes of a secret heart falling in my lemonade”, one can’t help but become addicted. While immediately drawn to certain songs, upon repeated listens, each track manages to worm its way into your head and heart. This is the first truly flawless album I have come across in 2010, and I couldn’t think of a more perfect way to inaugurate what is sure to be a great year of new music.

The Black Belles – What Can I Do?

January 29th, 2010  |  by b aiken  |  published in blues, female vocalists, garage  |  2 comments

This might sound a little too much like the Stripes for some, but I for one can’t get enough of the simple kick drum smashing backed by some textured electro-organ, crunchy guitar, and female vocals. I can’t say too much more regarding this sound or album, because a) its just a two-track single, and b) this damn band is an enigma.