2007 introduced us to three acts - Kate Nash, Dragonette and The Twang. They're new, fresh and deserve to be huge. Here's what you should know.
Lily Who?: Kate Nash
19 year old Londoner Kate Nash has been burdened/blessed with a comparison to bratty pop artist Lily Allen. Both write songs in a storytelling style, perform with a speaking style of singing, sing with distinctive accents and have a dry, self-deprecating sense of humour but their musical styles could not be less similar.
Blend with that a generous splash of Regina Spektor and you get Kate Nash whose garage-y hooks, sparse rhythms and glistening lo-fi soundscapes hint at a potential beyond what we’ve seen so far.
Nash’s debut album Made of Bricks was released in August 2007 and while somewhat unfocused and rushed-sounding, contains a number of plucky, eccentric gems based around piano, acoustic guitar, scratchy beats, clever turns-of-phrase and Nash’s sweet voice.
Highlights include the whip-smart, engaging Foundations about a crumbling relationship and the lovely Birds, a bang-on narrative about the inarticulacy of young love.
Baggy Brits: The Twang
Birmingham’s The Twang are being touted as one of 2007’s best new artists by the UK’s music press, and deservedly so. Largely overlooked musically since their formation in 2004, the five-piece used to be known more for the violent altercations at their live shows than for their nouveau rave-influenced rock.
Now a rapidly accelerating fanbase and critical buzz is propelling The Twang to the forefront of the music industry in the UK.
A combination of U2’s Joshua Tree-style big guitars and a shoegazing/rave danceability a la the late 1980’s Madchester scene, create The Twang’s multi-dimensional sound and translates into an electrifying live show. Their irresistible sound is enhanced by straightforward lyrics and an underlying sense of joy and playfulness that recalls the BritPop sound of the mid-1990s.
Their exhilarating debut album Love It When It Feels Like This was released in the UK on June 4, 2007 and features the swirling Either Way (also look for The Streets remixed version) and the swaggering Loosely Dancing.
Pop Music For Adults: Dragonette
When jazz-folky singer/songwriter Martina Sorbara met Dan Kurtz, the bass player for Toronto-based electronic act The New Deal, sparks flew and a romantic and musical partnership was formed. Shedding her folky girl persona, Sorbara stepped into slinky 80s-inspired get-ups and neon-bright stilettos and with her husband on bass, Will Stapleton on guitar and Joel Stouffer on drums, new wave pop act Dragonette was born.
Bred in Canada but currently based out of London, England, Dragonette has been generating buzz through steady touring (including an opening slot on Duran Duran's US tour) and the midas touch of gossip blogger Perez Hilton.
Their very-now sound is a bold, sultry new wave concoction that while hardly unique, is presented with a shrewdness, musicality and slickness that suggests that nothing about this band is accidental. Earning her It Girl status with ease, Sorbara performs their unexpectedly poignant and tough songs about sex, lust and love with irresistible charisma. Adorning her vocals are glistening synths and some of the sexiest hooks you’ve ever heard.
Released on September 25, 2007, Dragonette’s long-awaited album, Galore is easily a contender for one of the best pop albums of the year. It’s a glorious album with a potential single in every track. Standouts include the body-shuddering synth groan of I Get Around, and the sweetly cruel and seductive Take It Like A Man
