I'd like to meet:
Your guide to the City Weekly Music Awards Top 30—artists selected by a committee of people who are deeply involved in the local music community. Visit CityWeekly.net for complete details on upcoming showcases, voting, and the Feb. 12 CWMA issue.
Andale!
These elusive firecrackers have absolutely earned the two exclamation marks bookending their commanding name, with one sweet-and-sour LP sure to weed out all the cowardly men in your life. Sass, crackle, pop! (JG)
Afro Omega
2008 opened a new chapter for Utah's "sexy reggae" artists with Elisa James and Bronte James welcoming into the world a new daughter and a new album proving to naysayers that art and family are not mutually exclusive. Love Emergency re-establishes the band as big talent that's got nowhere to go but up. (JG)
Aye Aye
Aye Aye performs a unique hybrid of blues and straight-up space rock that varies with each live show—the audience never attains the same experience twice. Originally from Davis County, primary songwriter/visionary Andrew Alba credits the isolation of his hometown as his main reason for playing music. Alba's haunting riffs and vocals reflect this—and are matched by other greats in the genre such as Entrance, Dylan and early Lou Reed. (Angela H. Brown, SLUG)
Band of Annuals
2008 was a big year for BOA: Daniel Johnston, six months on tour, chronic van troubles and the No Depression launch party with Minus 5. With an Americana sound that appeals to moms, snow/skate bros, hippies, hipsters, college kids, execs, and even the most elite music snobs—trust me, I know plenty—they break through barriers I never thought possible. Who knows what 2009 holds for this promising band? (Anna Brozek)
Blackhole
With a dark and dangerous (and yet sexy) rock rumble thrust forth by dueling bassists, Blackhole merge art and chaos like a runaway cement truck plowing though a gallery stroll. If the Jesus Lizard were fronted by the Lizard King, you'd have Blackhole (Bill Frost)
Cave of Roses
Cave of Roses involved locking victims in a dark cave filled with venomous creatures. With no way to escape and no way to see in the surrounding darkness, the victim was condemned to die a painful death. This torture device was abolished in 1772, but Cave of Roses reclaimed the name—and terrifying vibe—in 2001. The band has a rabid following, particularly among members of the Utah Women's Prison population. (John Forgach)
Cavedoll
The latest project by talented musician/engineer/perfectionist Camden Chamberlain often features video projections at their live shows. But even without stunning visuals, the electronic glam-pop rockers are out of sight, not to mention prolific as hell. One of their many releases, No Vertigo, landed in my top five albums of 2008. (Portia Early)
David Williams
Whether he's writing with Black Hens, Black Wagon, or on his own, David Williams is easily the most overlooked songwriters in Utah. His songs are catchy, creative, and lyrically brilliant—he even occasionally writes new material in one sitting without any instruments! I've acquired more recordings from him than I have of any other artist I've ever obsessed over. (Chris Brozek)
The Devil Whale
It's a whale of a tale—the story of the Devil Whale. After a nasty vocal polyp and a risky surgery for the lead vocalist and plenty of time apart from one another, the band formerly known as Palomino released a record full of sweet, jangly anthems. Like Paraders—an album completed long ago, but not put out until April 2008—is of the same caliber as nearly anything released nationally this year. Locally, the Band of Annuals may have owned 2007, but these past 12 months went to the Devil Whale. (David Morrissey, KRCL)
Furs
The Furs have been around in some form for years but truly rose to prominence in 2008. Maybe it was that infamous show with The Black Angels, or the release of its first LP that makes the band feel like relative newbies. Led by their core, founding member Bryan Holbrook, they're now dutifully doing their part to fill the dearth of psychedelic rock in SLC with tambourines, distorted guitar and droning bass that together create one wonderful, metallic mess. (DM)
The Future Of The Ghost
Listening to FOTG’s Freak Out, I get a rush of energy and a smile on my face. I wear comfortable shoes for their live shows because I will inevitably dance my ass off—and I don't just do that all the time. The indie-rockers are full of life and passion, two key ingredients for cooking up a successful local act. If I had to pick a "band to watch" in SLC, FOTG would fit the bill. (Anna Brozek, Slowtrain)
Form Of Rocket
Winter 2001: I went to Kilby Court to see a touring band. I can't remember who they were, but the local opener blew my mind and I fell in love with Form of Rocket. What's not to like about two guys flying around stage yelling in your face, playing mathy guitar riffs matched by a rhythm section delivering the most solid, dense, heart-stopping bass lines and drum beats I've ever heard? I've seen FOR play close to 30 awe-inspiring times. They are the most important band from Utah in the last 7-8 years. (Tyler "Lucky" Lusk, Sound VS Silence)
God's Revolver
Is it hardcore? Punk? Metal? Blues? God's Revolver throw it all into their reckless and energizing sound. Listen long enough and you'll see. It's borderline genius in my book. Loud, dirty, and occasionally, offensively genius. It’ll make your hair stand up; your stomach drop. (AB)
The High Beams
The High Beams approach alt-country the way it used to before the indie-proliferation of acoustic guitars: Amps cranked, flannel flying and Chuck Taylors soaked with PBR. Like classic Whiskeytown, they also have the melodies to match the volume. (BF)
I Am The Ocean
With track titles like "Chasing Bears and Reading Scriptures," I Am the Ocean are almost as funny as they are heavy—almost. The band tempers brutal, scalding metal with prog-y atmospherics through epic song structures that exhaust and exhilarate.(BF)
Joshua James
In the last 12 months, Joshua James played shows at Sundance and SXSW. He headlined a 10-week tour, and opened shows nationally for the likes of Swell Season. He appeared in Paste magazine and on NPR's "Song of the Day." James also produced and released RuRu's debut record, Elizabeth, which broke into the iTunes Indie top 10. All while keeping his own 2007 release in the iTunes Folk top 100. In one year. Seriously? Joshua, you're making the rest of us look lazy. (DM)
Kid Theodore
Talent plus relentless self-promotion have landed several awards and gigs including a spot at CMJ sponsored by Zig Zag (ironically, no one in the band drinks or smokes). Their 2006 release Hello Rainey demonstrates their multi-instrumental skills matched with admirable professionalism. (Portia Early, X96)
Laserfang
Built from the ashes of local post-punkers I Am Electric, in 2006 founding members Shane Asbridge and Mike Torretta formed Laserfang with Stephen Chai and Weston Wulle—diversifying the group's rockin' sound with electronic/sax-fueled soul and psych. They gigged with newfound momentum and recorded a demo before side projects and a temporary out-of-state move from Wulle put Laserfang on hiatus. 2008 marked their active return. Let's hope 2009 sends the boys back into the studio to finish those demos so I can get my grubby hands on them. (A. Brown)
Loom
Prog-punks Loom pack more unclassifiable drama into a song than a P.T. Anderson flick, complex guitars and violins swirling around throaty screams for a ride that's wildly reckless and coolly controlled all at once. This fission defies definition. (BF)
Michael Gross & The Statuettes
Widely recognized for his role in Let's Become Actors, Michael Gross picks up where the group left off with pristine pop-rock that sticks in your head long after the last clever line drops. Armed with his statuettes, he's fast making a name for himself as one of SLC's best songsmiths. (JG)
Mindstate
Mindstate’s Call the Cops is hip-hop with cross-over appeal—smoking soul and R&B with rapid-fire rhymes when emcee Dusk One performs turn his head red as a radish. He’s a real livewire, giving his all while Honna deftly controls samples including Ogden-based Linus’ genius hooks on “Easy Now.†Steady, steady is the flow…
Neon Trees
After a brief stint in Los Angeles, Utah's indie-pop rockers Neon Trees recently inked a deal with Island/Mercury Records and returned home to make it official. The quartet, long-recognized around these parts for their dynamic live shows and tasty synth-driven hooks, inked the deal at Squatter's, laying the foundation for continued success in their own backyard. Expect new material in 2009. (JG)
Paul Jacobsen
A copywriter by trade, Paul Jacobsen transforms onstage into an artist worthy of jamming with Steve Earle who Jacobsen admits traveled a slightly rockier road than his own. "My life is pretty good. I'm not going to sell the sad-sack story. I have a wife I love, a great kid." All the more reason to celebrate his eponymous LP with the Madison Arm which sells not one but several sad-sack stories just fine. (JG)
Purr Bats
Offering a wonderfully bizarre breath of fresh air since the late 90s, downtown rock veterans Purr Bats produce body-movin’ hits with largely indecipherable lyrics drawing on leader Kyrbir’s penchant for obscure British comics and sitting room dramas. Daring and fun, their pop-gone-sour pushes the envelope with each album. Expect the unexpected in 2009. (JG)
Red Bennies
Veteran Salt Lake City band Red Bennies have evolved from noisy, ramshackle garage bashers into a tight rock & roll outfit with credible R&B leanings, tasteful guitar heroics and sweet tunes that stick to the ear like bubblegum in your girlfriend's bob. (BF)
Rotten Musicians
It's tricky to create serious music with a sense of humor, but this hip-hop-loving crew has no problem with it. Mixing funky beats, clever wordplay and sly samples on their new album, Say You Love Her, Rotten Musicians will cause flashbacks for any fans of The Muppets or Bill Cosby. It's a highly musical dance party; I haven't been able to stop playing "Rotten High School Football Rules!," thanks to its cheerleader chants and lines like "You're done like mom's famous Sunday roast." (Dan Nailen)
RuRu
I've watched Isaac Russell (aka RuRu) grow from a 4-foot nothing 12 year-old playing blues licks to a towering 16 year-old writing incredibly heartfelt material. Rocked by a heavy dose of reality—the tragic death of his mother to cancer—he penned the melancholy album Elizabeth, charting high on iTunes and attracting courters from both indie and major labels. He has the music, voice and growing fan base to make him Utah's next success story! (Corey Fox, owner of Velour)
Subrosa
Like The Melvins wrestling Rasputina in the La Brea Tar Pits, Subrosa's distortion-saturated doom metal is laced with soaring violins and come-hither (to hell) vocals that make the downward spiral tragically enticing and blacker than scorched leather. (BF)
Tolchock Trio
Oh man, if you haven't heard Tolchock Trio's most recent release Abalone Skeletone you are missing out! Sell your Walkmen records and forget about whatever indie-rock album you were going to buy—it's all just "average" compared to Abalone. Go to their shows, buy their albums, and plan on bragging to your friends that you knew them back when they were a "local" band. (CB)
Vile Blue Shades
I've seen a lot of over-the-top, visually enthralling rock shows through the years, but the energy onstage the first time I checked out Vile Blue Shades was truly awesome. The combination of musicians created breakneck grooves that seemed to stumble out of the gate when the songs started, and the disjointed endings were no more graceful. But in between—ahhhh, bliss. Art-rock you can dance to, with a shadow-boxing frontman and hype-gal/go-go dancer to boot? Sign me up. (DN)
