[Music] 30 Bands That Should Be in the Mainstream (But Aren't)

I know what you're thinking. "Nolan," you say in desperation, "I'm so sick of all this top forty business I'm hearing on the radio, but I'm also really tired of listening to the same twelve Mumford & Sons songs over and over again. I need some new, great music to listen to!"

Well, I totally understand, wearied music listener. That's why Forte, Luca and myself are bringing you thirty of our favourite bands that we think should get some more mainstream attention, but for whatever reasons haven't.

In other words, welcome to the newest Big List thread in Entertainment. Maybe you'll find something you like here, maybe you'll just have something else to read while you procrastinate from whatever it is you should actually be doing. In any case, we hope you'll have as much fun reading as we have putting this together.

It'll work fairly simply. Each day one of the three of us will post the next entry in the list. The order here doesn't really reflect anything, the number one band deserves to get attention just as much as the number thirty band. Numbering things is just fun. Of course with anything there's a chance things will fall behind, but bear with us and we'll get to the end if all goes well.

I'll be kicking things off with our first band. As always, feel free to chime in with thoughts, comments, or your own favourite bands that you think should be getting more mainstream attention.

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Hollerado

Welcome to Hollerado Land. For some, it will be a familiar world. With an upbeat power-pop, alternatively rocking sound, Hollerado does give off some familiar vibes, especially for those of us who remember the haydays of Third Eye Blind and Barenaked Ladies in the 90s.

It's uncomplicated, it's no great revelation. You won't find any groundbreaking lyricism, but you will find yourself singing along to gems like "Do you, do you do? Do you do, do the doot do doo doo?" in the chorus of the very appropriately titled "Do the Doot Da Doot Do." You won't find masterful instrumentation, but you'll air guitar along with the ever-infectious "Juliette" without even realizing it. It's not fancy, but that doesn't mean it isn't good.

More than anything, though, Hollerado's debut (and so far sole) full-length, Record in a Bag, feels like not only a labour of love from a band that sounds like they recorded most of the record in a basement, but a labour of fun. There's a light-heartedness even in the more somber songs on the album, from "On My Own" to "Got to Lose." There's a level of tongue-in-cheek present at least once in basically every song. This is band that promotes random outbursts of joy and colour, a band who places emphasis on getting hands clapping, bodies moving, and heads banging. They don't outrageously vie for the listener's attention, but they are more than likely to get it anyway.

Simple, straightforward fun. That is what you have to look forward to when you pay a visit to Hollerado Land. I'm sure you'll enjoy your stay.

Oh. Good. I was expecting all thirty bands at once and I thought my Sunday was going to be gone.

This is going to be an "A+ would read again" there for sure. Looking forward to it.

I remember receiving a Hollerado song on my mixtape. "Juliette", I believe. Incredible song. Just so....moveable.

We Are The Ocean


They're a truly amazing band. I saw them live at a music festival and totally didn't expect such greatness. They were so nice too


I'll post more bands when I think of more

PORCUPINE TREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Here we go with the second entry:

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Das Racist

In a world where alternative hip-hop like Odd Future is praised, Das Racist reigns. Not-too-long ago, bloggers and music magazines found themselves all over Odd Future. The group of L.A.-based teenagers were the new hit of hip-hop and unsurprisingly so with their eclectic and diverse collection of vulgar skater rappers, singers, and producers. They were young, impressive, and something new to the world of hip hop.

Well here I sit, daring to make a bold claim to those who know anything about the hip-hop world:

Despite the difference in popularity, Das Racist is better, and significantly so, than Odd Future. Odd Future is younger, and that helps with their impressiveness. Left Brain is a damn impressive producer, Tyler and Hodgy and, ♥♥♥♥ it, Earl can rock a mic like a pro. These kids are ambitious and damn impressive but Das Racist simply makes better music. Their style varies, and I mean really varies. Odd Future varies because there's like 15,000 members. Das Racist is genuinely varying. If you look at the song "Fake Patois" you'll notice it's an excellent beat laced with auto-tune, with relatively little rapping. Then look at a song like "White Man Get Paid OFFA ALLADAT" (a kanye reference), which is a song with a consistent sample of an indian man singing in what might be Urdu, or Punjabi, or Hindi. Or if you want to actually experience their skill at rapping, you could look at "Luv it Mayne" or "Amazing" (the former of which featuring an inspirational beat with a contrasting sample which is almost brash but very catchy and the latter featuring a white rapper named Lakutis who is incredibly clever and a surprisingly good rapper).

Aside from varying they also boast more consistently impressive beats (some of the most infectious beats i've heard that aren't Yeezy-made) which are made by shocking artists. Vampire Weekend and Yeasayer produce tracks on their album, for example. Not only that, but as a whole they are better rappers with more to say and they have their own scene, like Odd Future, with better features.

But I don't wanna start another east vs. west, Tupac vs. Notorious situation (Das Racist is from Brooklyn), because ultimately the point of that huge comparison to Odd Future wasn't really to say "they have better beats than Odd Future" or "they rap better than Odd Future", it was more or less to say "their beats are incredible" and "they are great new rappers" and they deserve the attention over Odd Future. But I like Odd Future, and I don't want to be negative:

they both deserve the attention and fame.

So do yourself a favor if you love hip-hop and do yourself the favor if you're biased against hip hop and give this brown-guy-rap-group a chance and listen to them. You won't regret it. Their 2 mixtapes are free, you have no excuse not to.


(yes, the fact that they're brown guy rappers helped me be interested in them. it's cool knowing excellent brown people from liberal arts colleges are making some of the best hip hop i've heard in a while. makes me feel proud to not be white)

Must listen to:
Luv it Mayne
Rapping 2 U
You Oughta Know
Fake Patois (ignore the video aha)

but if they were mainstream how would they be cool

Going to keep an eye on this; see what I can get into. ;] Likin' that Das Racist, Forte. Going to listen to the first group right after I'm done reading through.

Great ideas, guys. Lookin' forward to hearing what Luca's got to say tomorrow.

Originally Posted by Forte

Das Racist

The OFWGKTA comparison was an interesting vehicle for the review, if only to show how different hip-hop can be even within the same genre. Based on what you'd written I was expecting more of the minimalist production stylings that a lot of the Odd Future guys favour, but their production does seem a little more middle of the road.

Pretty good; and it's always good to have hip-hop being represented of course.

Originally Posted by Holden

Going to keep an eye on this; see what I can get into. ;] Likin' that Das Racist, Forte. Going to listen to the first group right after I'm done reading through.

Great ideas, guys. Lookin' forward to hearing what Luca's got to say tomorrow.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by nolan

The OFWGKTA comparison was an interesting vehicle for the review, if only to show how different hip-hop can be even within the same genre. Based on what you'd written I was expecting more of the minimalist production stylings that a lot of the Odd Future guys favour, but their production does seem a little more middle of the road.

Pretty good; and it's always good to have hip-hop being represented of course.

Yeah, I suppose with my comparison to OF i might have unintentionally made people believe their music is very similar and it isn't quite that similar to Odd Future.

Wild Sweet Orange

Wild Sweet Orange are an indie rock band that totes deserve mainstream success.

Why?

Here we have a quintet of musicians who grew up in Alabama. They grew up mostly listening to punk and indie but it's also plain to see that country also has in a way inspired this great band.

What's amazing about this band is the fact that it's practically impossible to dislike it. It's amazing to see that everybody I showed this band to got hooked immediately. Something awesome about this, is that you get hooked for all the right reasons. Their relaxed, haunting vocals, their raw guitar and lyrics, they all fit in so perfectly in a way that doesn't get boring and repetitive. These guys are so likeable without even trying.

We Have Cause To Be Uneasy is there only full length album and in it we get to see everything I've described. We get to see the great musicianship of each band mate, we get to see the dark, yet inviting allure of the ghostly vocals and music. From the beginning of the album, we get hit hard with the song Ten Dead Dogs. From here, we see the stem of their country and indie influences. It's plain to see that they're not kidding. In other songs their punk influences also shine. They mix these in a way that's not too rough, or too soft. It cuts right down the line and it cuts perfectly.

The first time you listen to them, you'll feel right at home. You'll feel a sense of security, a type of depressing security you can only get from beautiful music such as this. You'll start to get addicted, and you'll start to find comfort here you won't get anywhere else.


Ten Dead Dogs

Sour Milk

An Atlas To Follow

Wild Sweet Orange kind of reminds me of Okkervil River but without Will Sheff's vocals.

An Atlas to Follow was my favourite.

The Strokes should be more popular...
And Star♥♥♥♥er too.

oh my luca. what a great entry. wonderful sound these guys have.

Originally Posted by Squishy Moon

The Strokes should be more popular...
And Star♥♥♥♥er too.

the strokes have over 2 million listeners on last.fm....

They do? I did not know this.

Originally Posted by Squishy Moon

They do? I did not know this.

one wurd: reptilia

IF that's the only song people know...that's sad.

The Horrible Crowes

This probably isn't the first time you've seen me write about this band, and you can bet it won't be the last.

While Brian Fallon may be recognizable from his other band, The Gaslight Anthem, the Crowes are a different beast all together. Where Gaslight brings a modern rock and roll Americana feel that channels everyone from Bruce Springsteen to Tom Petty, and features ear-candy riffs and Fallon's signature gruff vocals, The Horrible Crowes bring a darker and more moody atmosphere to their sound.

From the top of their debut album, Elsie, the listener has to learn quickly that there's a lot of nuance in the music, and the time between the notes is just important as the ringing tones themselves. Every reverb effect laid on a guitar, every sustained chord on the organ, and every decibel of Fallon's vocals add something here, and culminates in a widely varied yet overall intimate album listening experience. Songs like openers "Last Rites" and "Sugar" as well as later tracks like "I Witnessed a Crime" and "Cherry Blossoms" hold all the darkness of a winter night, as the lyrics tease the listener with lines like "And in this dream I had my screams were baby's breath," and "I heard you like it to shiver, it's like right up your spine."

But there's always the other side of the coin. While tracks like those above cause the listener to lean in to catch every note and every word, there's also plenty of examples where the duo gets to really cut loose. It's here where Fallon is able to set aside his Petty and Springsteen comparisons and try Tom Waits on for size, his growly and gutteral vocals belting out like a wounded hound dog on tracks like "Mary Ann," "Blood Loss" and "Go Tell Everybody." The latter, in particular, is a masterpiece of what this band is able to accomplish, as the song starts out powerfully with Fallon declaring, "I've been known to wear a fine black suit, and a murder of a tie," but then manages to build to a crescendo of horns, strings, keys and all matter of other instrumentation as Fallon repeats the refrain "I was a man of great sympathy when I loved you, baby. But tonight, all my sympathy is gone." Even on the more middle-ground songs, the more straight-forward ones, there's instances of brilliance. Lead single "Behold the Hurricane" boasts one of the saddest (and one of my most favourite) lines of the past year in the chorus, as Fallon croons out "Be still my heart, I age by years at the mention of your name."

Brian Fallon and Ian Perkins have done something wonderful with this project, something that could appeal to Gaslight fans, but reach an even more varied audience of listeners. I've spoken with several people who aren't fans of The Gaslight Anthem who could not stop listening to this album. It is a bird of a different feather altogether, with its own songs to sing and stories to tell that are well worth hearing.

Go Tell Everybody
Behold the Hurricane
I Witnessed a Crime

Love The Gaslight Anthem. Been meaning to check these guys out.

Okay, I've gotten around to the first couple posts.

Hollerado is ♥♥♥♥in' rad. I'm digging the upbeat feel of the music. Juliette had be tapping my foot the entire time. It has a very 90's pop rock feel to it. Good stuff.

Das Racist is incredible. Thanks Forte. Goddamn. <3

I'll get to the other two currently posted shortly oh god so much new music.