Our Top Tips for 2010

We thought we would give you our top tipped acts for 2010.  We’d like to stress that this list is in no particular order but simply includes those which have caught our eye and those we feel will make a impact on your world this year.

Delphic

We have already written about Delphic in the most favourable way possible so this one comes as no suprise to you we’re sure (and they feature in most people’s tip lists for 2010) so we could not do this list without mentioning them again.  Acolyte the album will be released next week so the music will get to people early in the year building up nicely for what I imagine will be some killer live shows over this summer’s festivals.

Everything Everything

Can’t really put these into any one category but one thing is for sure, they are definitely needed and are the best bet we can see for a band to bring the indie guitar scene out of the current rut in which it is stuck.   Never sounding predictable, and with influences from XTC, Of Montreal  to the more recent Field Music, this Manchester four piece are a breath of fresh air.

Ellie Goulding

Of all the new acts this year it looks like Ellie will be the most likely bet to cross over to the masses… and that is saying something in a market that is completely saturated with female singer songwriters!  Ellie’s work with Starsmith has a definitive fresh sound to it and with tracks like ‘Starry Eyed’ and ‘Under the Sheets’, Miss Goulding could well be the sound of the summer.

Chapel Club

Could be this years anthemic guitar band with hopefully a little more flare and charm than last year’s White Lies.  I have still not completely made up my mind on Chapel Cub but definitely see the potential in them so watch this space for future releases, reviews, etc…

Clock Opera

Guy Connelly has managed to seamlessly blend the electronica of Four Tet and with epic symphonic sounds of Elbow and with a voice that is not dissimilar to Mr Garvey himself , clock opera are a very exciting prospect for 2010.

Frankie and the Heartstrings

With a love of postcard records, all things eighties and Lo-Fi, Frankie and the Heartstrings could be the first of many bands in 2010 that draw inspiration from the legendary Scottish label.

Make sure you catch these in Jan as they are supporting the fantastic ‘Girls’.

Two Door Cinema Club

Their guitar led electro indie sounds like a ‘poppier’ Foals and I’m sure the Kitsune released debut will surprise a lot of people when released in March.  They come as a refreshing change in a time when a lot of guitar bands are taking themselves too seriously and believing their own hype.

TDCC have worked hard over the last couple of years and maybe 2010 is payback time.

Daisy Dares You

With Influences from Kurt Cobain to Karen O, Daisy’s Bubblegum Punk pop will be all over the airwaves next summer…Impressive stuff from an artist that got signed on the back of a demo she recorded when she was just 15.

A very sassy and talented young lady, you will be seeing more of her in 2010!

Marina and the Diamonds

In our minds, Marina is the closest rival to Ellie Goulding but we think there is definitely room for both of them in 2010.  With her flamboyant stage presence (which owes more than a nod to the legendary Kate Bush) and some great tracks including ‘Hollywood’  and ‘I am not a Robot’ 2010 could just be a year for Marina to be making waves.  (search out the gorgeous Clock Opera remix)

Sound of Guns

With anthemic guitar music being noticeably absent most of the radio stations last year, Sound of Guns could be the ones to change that throughout 2010 with their arsenal of epic indie anthems with  swagger and charisma to boot.   With Alcatraz coming out mid-Feb, an album to follow later in the year and a killer live show, Sound of Guns should be the ones to win over fans throughout the 2010 festival season.

Othello Woolf

A fantastic mix of old school soul and New York New Wave, Othello croons like David Byrne to a blue eyed soul soundtrack …also for lovers of Bowie , Reed and Roxy Music.Check out the fantastic ‘Stand’ to give you an idea.

Others to look out for from the UK include:  Lunar Youth, Kid Adrift, Luna Belle, Midnight Lion, Hurts, Monarchy, Devlin, Gold Panda, Sampha.

From the US we want to tell you about:

Beach House

Although Beach House are not a new band, the Baltimore Duo are already on their 3^rd album and like Animal Collective and Grizzly Bear before them it feels like with the release of ‘Teen Dream’ they are set to conquer the UK. Beach House tour in February so make sure that you catch them live before they are selling out much larger venues on their return to the UK later in the year…

Music Go Music

The Abba comparisons are undeniable but this is no bad thing as Music go Music show all the traits that made a nation fall in love with their Scandinavian mentors.  MGM started as a studio side project for Meredith and David Metcalf from Bodies of Water but soon blossomed into a full time band with live shows at last years CMJ.  ‘Light of Love’ is released early March and they have two London shows early Feb so again make sure you check these out.

The Drums

Everyone seems to be talking about this band and with such an eclectic sound we can see why.  They have so many influences in their music, it is rare to find a band that can effortlessly mix the sound of early Cure with lush Beach Boys harmonies.  Going by the amount that of exposure they have already had in the UK we see The Drums being the big USA breakthrough act of the year.

Rumspringa

So finally… How could we write our top tips and not include the band we have been championing for well over a year now.  Here’s a special mention for this lovely LA duo.  They deserve to be a big breakout act for 2010 and with an album being finished as we write, we are continually astounded how two people can make such beautiful music.  After two incredible UK tours in ‘09, this band have connected with UK audiences in a way that is totally unique simply because, they are one of the most unique bands we’ve had the fortune to see live numerous times.

Others to look out for include… Surfer Blood, Freelance Wales, Washed Out, Avett Brothers, Broken Bells, Zarrylade, Free Energy, Fun, Joshua James, Penguin Prison.