nnual supplies of new music are nothing less then astonishing. Often it is difficult for the average person to sift through everything being released, so MP3.com’s editors do the heaving lifting for you. Up and Coming is a weekly feature that spotlights artists that have been bubbling beneath the surface who deserve to shine, and others that are fresh on the scene. Regardless of which category these artist falls into they are worth your attention.
Alice Smith
Alice Smith reflects the multicultural, multigenre influences available at every turn in the city she resides, New York City. Smith provides a smorgasbord of tasty sounds, spanning deep soul, Beatles-inspired psychedelic rock, blues, contemporary R&B, and yes, even hints of country. You might be thinking, "This sounds great on paper, but does she really deliver?" Well, slap on a pair of headphones and prepare for the unprecedented experience that is Smith's debut, For Lovers, Dreamers & Me.
1st
46%
(528 votes)
Test Icicles
Rather than following in the trendy, angular footsteps of Franz Ferdinand or any other pointy-shoed, postpunk revivalist, the Test Icicles constructed chaotic noise-rock that was derivative of metal and punk. Hidden among their free-for-all, smash-and-grab pop songs are experiments with avant noise, drum machines, and the sacred art of backmasking. Are you getting the picture here? This is not pop music that fits nicely into prefabricated genre holes; this is abrasive, energetic spasm-rock that would have owned 2006 had the group not disintegrated.
2nd
20%
(223 votes)
Strange Fruit Project
A three-man crew out of Waco, Texas, Strange Fruit Project is composed of S1, Myone, and Myth. This year SFP dropped The Healing, a 15-track audio journey that finds the trio doing what they do best: rhyming and singing about real-life issues set to thumping drums, deep bass knocks, and melodious loop action. Production help comes from 9th Wonder, Jake One, and Nicolay, while additional vocals are provided by Erykah Badu, Little Brother, and Darien Brockington. Take a listen and get an early taste of the Fruit for yourself.
3rd
14%
(156 votes)
Audrey Horne
Audrey Horne has birthed one of the most inspired throwback metal sounds to emerge in years. This is music for folks that could care less about nu-metal and rapcore--people who pine for the glory days of the early nineties, a time when Sunset Strip pop-metal was dragged outside and beaten senseless by groups with integrity. Audrey Horne has created something wholly original, a certain something that beams with melodic and cinematic hard rock, perfect for those who have been hiding in shelters waiting for frat-metal to die down. You can all come out, now--Audrey Horne is here.
4th
11%
(125 votes)
Archie Bronson Outfit
Upon first listen, we swallowed up the volatile nature of Archie Bronson Outfit--it's like listening to a blues-based aneurism but time stretched for maximum enjoyment. This London-based trio packs everything that is good and wholesome about subversive rock and roll into compact songs that hum like an improvised explosive device set to blow. Tightly wound bass lines travel narrow paths alongside desperate vocals that scratch with emotive claws and guitar lines that, if human, would require psychiatric treatment.
5th
9%
(104 votes)
