The Best New Discoveries of 2007

Now that the new year is upon us, I'm going to spend the week looking back on what I liked from 2007. First up, the best new artists that I came across.

Last year was particularly rich in music for me over the entire year, but even more since I've started this site. I've come across a number of really good artists. Many thanks to everyone who's gone out and shared a little of what they've liked with everyone. I've gone out and purchased more music than I ever have before, through iTunes and hard copy and even vinyl. Here's some of my favorite new discoveries this year:

Adam Ezra Group
These guys I just discovered a couple of weeks ago, and are a smaller indie band out of Connecticut who've just started out and are playing smaller gigs around New England. If you like Dispatch or Blues Traveler, you'll likely like these guys. They've got a ton of songs up for grabs on their website, and they've got a pretty energetic live show.

Small Town City - Adam Ezra Group

The Alternate Routes
The Alternate Routes really released their first CD back in 2005, but they re-released Good and Reckless and True to fairly good radio coverage - You've probably heard Time Is A Runaway on the radio. I got to see them twice this summer, and their first album is a fantastic first effort on their part, there's a bunch of really good sounds. A good one for any Ryan Adams fans out there.

Time Is A Runaway - The Alternate Routes

Blitzen Trapper

These guys were highlighted on NPR, which led me to check them out. They've got a bunch of really good songs and a new album out this year that I really enjoyed, especially Sci-Fi Kid and Wild Mountain Nation.

Sci-Fi Kid - Blitzen Trapper

Ferraby Lionheart

I loved this guy - Ferraby Lionheart's got a wonderful sound along the lines of Rufus Wainwright. He's been busy this year, with his first album, called Catch the Brass Ring and a self-titled EP. Catch the Brass Ring was in my time five albums of the year, and comes highly recommended from me.

Vermont Avenue - Ferraby Lionheart

Glen Hansard and Marketa Irgova
These two guys starred in the movie Once, which I've heard a lot about. Neither are actors, but singers, and covered a Dylan song for the soundtrack I'm Not There, which I also want to see (I think I have to wait until DVD). They also contributed to Once's Sountrack.

You Ain't Goin' Nowhere - Glen Hansard and Marketa Irgova

Gregory Douglass

Douglass was recommended to me earlier this summer. He's another Vermont musician, and has been doing gigs in the area. Hopefully I'll be catching him next February when he comes to the Higher Ground. He's got a really easy sound, somewhere along Rock and Soul. He just released his latest album Up & Away, which is quite good.

Hang Around - Gregory Douglass

Jesca Hoop

I think Jesca Hoop is one of my favorite new artists of the year. A breakout hit from Myspace and KCRW in California, she's really gotten big in the blog world with her really unique sound and songwriting. Kismet is her debut album this year.

Money - Jesca Hoop

Jess Clemons & The Cooperative

Jess Clemons is another musician who I'd gone to high school with (the other being Grace Potter from the Nocturnals). She's about to release a self titled album that sounds really good, and is someone to check out if you like Grace Potter.

Make-Out Song - Jess Clemons & The Coopertive

Kate Nash

Kate Nash, out of England, has her first album, Made of Bricks, coming out soon. She's got a really cool sound. She's got spunk and energy, and her entire first album is a fun one to listen to.

Foundations - Kate Nash

Priscilla Ahn

I saw Ahn open for Cary Brothers earlier this year, and she did fantastically on her own. She's done a bit of work with other artists before, with Cary Brothers and Amos Lee, providing backup vocals, and now She's released her first self-titled EP earlier this year and should have her first album out shortly, which I'm looking forwards to.

Lullaby - Priscilla Ahn

Sara Bareilles

Bareilles became a big internet hit with myspace and iTunes earlier this summer with her song Love Song. She has an incredibly strong voice and is probably one of the best female singers to come out this year. Love Song's getting a lot of radio play, but there are a bunch of good songs on her album.

Love Song - Sara Bareilles

Skye

Skye came to my attention with a fantastic cover of Gorillaz's song Feel Good Inc. She was a singer with another band, but is now solo, having released her first album Mind How You Go recently. She's got a soft, easy sound that's good for chilling out.

What's Wrong With Me? - Skye

The Softlightes

I found these guys with their video for their first single, Heart Made of Sound, which is probably one of my favorite songs of the year, and probably one of the best videos that I've seen. Very creative. These guys have a wonderful sound with their first album, which came out earlier this spring, Say No To Being Cool, Yes to Being Happy. If you like Death Cab for Cutie, these guys sound similar, and very upbeat.

Heart Made of Sound - The Softlightes

Vampire Weekend

I suspect that these guys will make their big splash next year when their first album is released. They've already been huge this year on the internet, and it's easy to see why - these guys are fun and interesting and really out there. They've got a weird afro-indie sound that's pretty cool. I suspect that they'll be one of the bigger indie bands to come out this/next year.

Oxford Comma - Vampire Weekend

Some other groups that've been around for a long time that I just came across:

Josh Ritter
Corb Lund and the Hurtin' Albanians
Brandi Carlile
British Sea Power
Cary Brothers
Arcade Fire

Coming Up, the best Albums and Songs of the year.

Hype - Buy

The Best of November

This was a nice change from last month, with very few good songs. There was a lot of good music coming out this month, stuff that I was coming across recently.

(Reposted because SaveFile is now back online & this can get listed with Hype again...)


Best Days - Matt White

This is a pretty cool song, fairly mainstream sounding, but it's got a very good, laid back feel to it, reminding me quite a bit of John Mayer and Matchbox Twenty. The lyrics are simple, but the vocals and guitarwork isn't bad. This guy's a newcomer, and I haven't been able to find out a whole lot about him, but I'll be keeping an eye out for him.

Dylan, Bob Dylan

I'm not going to highlight any particular song here - just this one album, with 51 songs on it over three disks (I got the deluxe version) spans Bob Dylan's entire history in music, which is incredible in and of itself. This album covers an entire era in rock music. An essential.


I Want To Be In the Cavalry - Corb Lund
Horse Soldier, Horse Soldier - Corb Lund
Student Visas - Corb Lund

These three songs from Corb Lund and the Hurtin' Albanians are really interesting to me - mainly for their focus of history, and all are from the fantastic album Horse Soldier! Horse Soldier! Cavalry is a fun song with a fantastic military-like beat, while the title track is a really cool look at horses in warfare over the course of history. Student Visas is a somber and very dark song about black ops during what sounds like Columbian operations. Each is fantastically written and have a good sound.

You Ain't Goin' Nowhere (Bob Dylan) - Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova

This song has really been getting my head into the clouds every time I hear it - it's a fantastic rendition of the original Bob Dylan version. Glen Hansard does a good job imitating the lead vocals and Marketa Irglova does a fantastic job backing him up. One of the best out of that album, I'm Not There.

Knockin' On Heaven's Door (Bob Dylan) - Antony & The Johnsons

Another fantastic Bob Dylan cover, one that really don't follow any of the other covers that I've heard - it's slower, deliberate and somber, but quiet and thoughtful. It's possibly the best cover of the song since Jimi Hendrix's version.

Skin and Bones - Jess Clemons and the Cooperative
Well The Tide - Jess Clemons and the Cooperative

Jess Clemons is another musician that I went to high school with, and I was really thrilled to see that she's just released her first album, Jess Clemons & The Cooperative. Both songs have some really good writing backing it up, brought to life with some fantastic vocals. She goes the folksy-blues route with her music, and it really works for both songs, which are easily the best off of her first album.

Seed of Wonder - Jesca Hoop
Love and Love Again - Jesca Hoop

Jesca Hoop is one of the best musicians of the year that's come to my ears. She's got an incredible, unique sound that is very catchy, especially in the case of Seed of Wonder. There's some good guitar work behind it. The entire album sounds cool, and there's a huge variance in the sound between each album. Seed of Wonder and Love and Love Again don't really follow the same formula, which is really neat.

Run (Snow Patrol) - Leona Lewis

Just a bit of a disclaimer - I'm not a huge fan of the original verion of this, the Snow Patrol song Run. It's a fine song, but it's hardly one of my favorites. However, Leona Lewis has done a masterful job with the song and made it one of the few cases where the cover surpasses the original by a bit. Vocally, she does a very good job with the lyrics and turning this to a quiet, thoughtful song.

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - Brandi Carlile & A Fine Frenzy

I saw this song live, when the two came to Vermont. What a fantastic concert, and this song was a fun one to see on stage. The two singers are good together, although I think Brandi Carlile is the stronger of the two singers. This version is a fun duet.

Mouthwash - Kate Nash

Kate Nash is another one of the very good singers that's come out of the woodwork this summer. She sounds very similar to Regina Spektor, with some great vocals. This song has a good beat and sound, and is a fun one to listen to - her voice is just fantastic. A must for any dentist!

Black Mirror - Arcade Fire
No Cars Go - Arcade Fire

Arcade Fire is a band that's been around for a while, but I was just turned to them. Black Mirror and No Cars Go are two of my favorites from their fantastic album Neon Bible. I'm a fan.

A Man of a Million Faces - Stephin Merritt

This song was the result of NPR's song in 48 hours feature. It's catchy and has some really interesting lyrics. Merritt's voice really fits well with this (and I believe that he played all the parts for this) and the entire song really fits together well with a moody feel to it.

Say - John Mayer

John Mayer's back with a single, and despite his shortcomings, I think this song really shows some talent. It's got some good guitar-work and good lyrics.

How Long, Eilen Jewell

KCRW picked up with this song, and it's got a very laid-back feel to it with a unique sound and some good lyrics and a good sound to it.

Please Read The Letter - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss

This is another fantastic duet that I came across, and one that's rather unexpected. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss sound fantastic together. This song has particular meaning right now, and I'm probably going to get the rest of this album, because it's just got an amazing sound all around.

That's all for this month - I can't wait to see what December brings.

Hype - Buy

Some New Artists

Over the past couple of weeks and months, I've come across a couple of new groups that've really grabbed my attention. We've got indie, folk, alternative and country all represented here.

Vampire Weekend

I've seen these guys rumbling around in the blogosphere for a little while now, and I suspect that we're going to hear a lot more from them in the very near future, as they will be releasing their first, self-titled album January 29th of 2008. They've already released an EP on iTunes, called Mansard Roof, which is quite good. These guys have a very fun, distinctive sound - sounds very caribbean to me for some reason, which is funny because of their name. They've got a bit of a European tour going on now, and will be coming back to the US shortly.

Ladies of Cambridge - Vampire Weekend

Visit their webpage: http://www.vampireweekend.com/

Jess Clemons and the Coopertive

Grace Potter was one student who came out of my high school with a very bright future in music - Jess Clemons seems to be following the same track. This is the second recent singer that I've come across that I know personally. While I'm sure that she's going to be compared a bit to Grace Potter, and while there are similarities, I think that her sound is much closer towards the folk range, towards Alison Krauss or Nancy Griffith. She's got a really good voice here, and I think she's got a lot of potential. She's just released her first independant album.

Well The Tide - Jess Clemons and the Coopertive

Check her out here: www.jessclemons.com

Kate Nash

Kate Nash has a very similar sound to Regina Spektor, and with a distinctive London flavor to her sound. She's got a lot of spunk and energy with her music and a wicked independant streak with her lyrics. Very catchy, great voice, etc. I'm a fan. She's just released her first album, Made of Bricks, back in August.

Mouthwash - Kate Nash

She doesnt' seem to have a webpage yet, but here's her myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/katenashmusic

Corb Lund and the Hurtin' Albertans

I came across this guy through Mainstream Isn't So Bad the other day, and this song just sucked me in. These guys are out of Alberta, and are on album number 5. This song's on their upcoming Horse Soldier! Horse Soldier! album, due out in November. Don't be detered by these guy's label as country, this song is fantastic with it's lyrics, rivaling that of the Decemberists. I love this song because it's really based in history, which is really cool to listen to. I can't wait to hear more.

Horse Soldier, Horse Soldier - Corb Lund and the Hurtin' Albertans

Webpage: www.corblund.com

Hype - Buy