What a quality first month it’s been in the music industry for new talent! Jamie Woon, James Blake, Jessie J and Fenech Soler are just a few new artists I have been captivated by over the festive and New Year period - despite this being a rather intoxicated season! Since then the hype has been frantically building with what seemed like endless social media plugging and hard sell towards being voted MTVs Brand New for 2011 and the BBCs Sound of 2011, until it reached its climax last week...2 artists have stood out to me from a million miles away and I am so glad the public have acknowledged their work. Long may it last!
If there was a 'VOTE' button on my laptop, it would have long faded by now...but thankfully it paid off for US 'redneck' band MONA who came out top of MTVs Brand New for 2011! Made up of front man Nick Brown, Vince Gard on drums, Zach Lindsey on bass and Jordan Young on guitar, their efforts to gain votes from their online audience certainly paid off -spending weeks at the top of my news feed! These 50's throwbacks are little rock and roll gems and are certainly following suit to their hometown Nashville neighbours, Kings of Leon. Comprising of ringing guitars, primeval drumming, a melodic base and an explosive chorus makes this "romantic rock 'n' roll for city folk" band a must see in 2011. With their unique sound, raw talent and dare i say it, slightly more charisma and stage presence than their predecessors’, these boys have injected a new lease of life back into a fading genre.
There is no doubt I will also be listening out for the latest releases from the southern talent and Sound of 2011 runner up, James Blake - a young electro musician fusing dubstep with commercial pop influences. His voice sends goosebumbs up my arms and the melody sounds like airborne shots of adrenalin nervously building towards a chilling finish. His awesome track 'limit to your love' sounds like a real bedroom production rather than a generic studio record which makes a refreshing change.
I can't wait to see what else these guys have got in store..
