Marnie Stern is a New York City, USA musician, songwriter and guitarist. She has garnered much acclaim for her technical skill and finger-tapping style of guitar play. Her début album was "In Advance Of The Broken Arm" (Feb 2007, Kill Rock Stars) and the latest is "Demo" (Jan 2011, Dog Daze Tapes). The début was favourably received by critics, especially The New York Times: "The year's most exciting rock 'n' roll album.
Zach Hill is a musician residing in Sacramento, California. He performs/has performed in numerous Pacific Coast based groups, including Hella, Holy Smokes, Nervous Cop, and a diverse other range of groups including Team Sleep (featuring Chino Moreno of Deftones), Goon Moon, and The Ladies (a duo consisting of Zach on drums and Rob Crow of Pinback on guitar). Zach is completely self taught, having started drumming around 1995. Zach is an endorser of Tama drums, Paiste cymbals, and Pro-mark drum sticks.
Russian Circles is a three piece instrumental post-rock/post-metal band from Chicago. The band plays epic, sprawling music which runs the gamut of heavy discordant metal to soft delicate passages. They are also known for their energetic live shows, which include tours with Tool, Red Sparowes, Minus the Bear and Daughters, as well as appearances at the 2006, 2007 & 2008 SXSW festivals. Formed in late 2004 by guitarist Mike Sullivan and bassist Colin DeKuiper (both formerly of another instrumental band Dakota/Dakota), they quickly recruited Dave Turncrantz, formerly of St.
This Town Needs Guns, (sometimes shortened to "TTNG") are a math rock band originating from Oxford in the United Kingdom. They were formed in 2004, and are currently signed to Sargent House (USA) and Zankyo (JP). Their debut full length album, Animals, was released in UK via Big Scary Monsters Recording Company in October 2008 and shortly after in the US via Sargent House Records. The line-up changed in June 2011. Stu Smith left the band to become a father, and he was replaced by Henry Tremain (Pennines).
Three Trapped Tigers are an instrumental noisenik outfit from London who exhibit the precision of electronica, the raw intensity of rock music and the schizophrenic spontaneity of their electro-improv past. Not easily classifiable, but with influences ranging from Aphex Twin and Squarepusher to Lightning Bolt and Battles. The music veers wildly from noisy guitars to contemplative synths, frantic beats to ambient noise.
Fresh on the back of their 2010 JD Set win which included a gig with iconic Aussie rockers 'Wolfmother' and a behind-the-scenes reality show on Chanel V, Sydney's New Navy are certainly on the brink of something special. Described by triple J’s Dom Alessio as “having a ton of potential, combining really well the sounds of Britain and the sounds of the U.S”, the young quartet draw influence from such great pop and indie acts as The Cure and Talking heads, combined with contemporary artists such as Vhs or Beta, Klaxons and The Editors.
Hexadecimal is Nottingham-based breaks duo Scott Reeder and Ben Harvey. With numerous critically-acclaimed releases, a residency at the multi-award winning Nottingham breaks night "Spectrum" and a 2007 Breaks Poll gong under their belt, the breaks world now knows all about Hexadecimal. Hexadecimal have smashed their way through the Nottingham breaks scene and are causing similar sonic destruction as they take their sound out of town.
Battles is an American experimental rock band that formed in New York City in 2002. The group is composed of drummer John Stanier (formerly of Tomahawk and Helmet), guitarist/keyboardist Ian Williams (formerly of Don Caballero and Storm & Stress), guitarist Dave Konopka (formerly of Lynx), and, until August 2010, guitarist/keyboardist/vocalist Tyondai Braxton (son of Avantgarde Jazz musician Anthony Braxton).
Les Savy Fav is an indie rock band which formed in Providence, Rhode Island, United States in 1995, where the members were attending the Rhode Island School of Design. The band moved to Brooklyn, New York shortly after graduating. The band consists of Tim Harrington (vocals), Seth Jabour (guitar), Andrew Reuland (guitar), Syd Butler (bass) and Harrison Haynes (drums). Over the course of 5 albums (the last of which is called "Let's Stay Friends", and the one before that, Inches...
A great name, catchy songs and instant acclaim has established Dublin four-piece The Cast Of Cheers as a firm favorite with music critics and fans alike and a band you will be hearing much more. In 2010, the band quietly released their debut album Chariot. Not ones to rest on their laurels though, brothers and front men Conor and Neil Adams, bassist John Higgins and drummer Kevin Curran are already back in studio recording the follow up.The Cast Of Cheers look set to become the new favorite band of many more if they continue at such a blistering speed.