Fresh!
BY BURAK ŞAHİN (IR/IV)
burak_s@ug.bilkent.edu.tr
This is my first column of what will be the last semester of my Bilkent life (I hope). I just wanted to recommend some new bands, EPs and albums. The stage was already set for 2012 with glorious works from bands and artists including The Big Pink, Leonard Cohen, Lana Del Rey, The Maccabees and so on. However, I'd like to point out some new bands that can make an impact in 2012 or have already made it. Here are a few selections from these "fresh" works:
Howler
19-year-old guys in skinny jeans keep claiming more space among the indie rock bands. This band was formed in 2010, but their first EP, "This One's Different," was released in 2011. After many music magazines picked them out as one of the best new bands of the year, Howler finally presented their debut album, "America Give Up," on January 16. They've already toured with The Strokes and now continue to work with The Vaccines. The band's sound can be described as a mix of The Strokes, The Vaccines, The Drums and a little bit of The Cribs and Arctic Monkeys. I think they're not as different or unique as they claim, but without a doubt their music can appeal to indie rock listeners.
Tracks: "Told You Once," "Back of Your Neck"
CITIZENS!
This band, from London, is hard to find when you google it on the Internet. Don't mix them up with other bands with similar names. They're still working on their debut album, which will be released this year. Franz Ferdinand's Alex Kapranos is working with them as a producer and handling every detail of the album. The band members have said that they're a re-formed version of David Bowie in 2012, with an indie/electronic sound. They've toured with The Raptures, and it's possible this might affect their style on the album. To be honest, I'm more excited about Citizens! than about Howler, because the group has shown that they can come up with different things that can surprise us.
Tracks: "True Romance," "Girlfriend"
Zulu Winter
Zulu Winter is another band from London and was formed in 2011. Compared to Citizens!, their sound is more pop. Some magazines and websites have talked about them as a new version of Coldplay, but definitely they're less sparkling than Chris Martin and his friends. This band, carrying out the theme of their name, is a little bit on the darker side. The best way to describe them might be Wild Beasts in terms of rhythm, mixed with Foals and Friendly Fires. Zulu Winter has already released singles -- "Never Leave," "Let's Move Back To Front" and, lastly, "We Should Be Swimming" - and is continuing to work in the studio on a debut album, "Play It Again Sam."
Tracks: "Let's Move Back To Front," "We Should Be Swimming"
Tribes
If you want to go back to the 90s and listen to some grunge rock/noisy pop, Tribes might be your favorite new band of the year. Their debut album, "Baby," was released in January. Although they were formed in 2010, most of us noticed them last year. This London band played at a number of music festivals in 2011 and gained many fans during the summer. They're most like teenagers who just want to play their songs and live without life's usual problems, like Nirvana or the Pixies. This effect is clear when you listen to "We Were Children," which has a similar sound to the Pixies' legendary song, "Where Is My Mind?"
Tracks: "Sappho," "Whenever," "Alone or With Friends"