Top Ten Indie Bands

Turn off your radio for a minute and if you do watch American Idol burn your Television!! If you are one of the many people out there who believe that there is nothing new going on in music then please feel free to check out this list of ten indie bands who play shows, put out independent cds and who are all trying to do something new in the realm of popular music. If you have heard of these artists, good for you! Hopefully you have been supporting them. If you have not heard of these artists, get of your butt grab their music and start checking these bands out.

10.) Dengue Fever - Who knew there was a market for 60's styled Cambodian pop? Well maybe the jury is still out on that but Dengue Fever prove that at the very least their love of 60's styled psychedelic rock and Cambodian pop can find an audience. The Silver Lake band has showcased their unique sound at the Bumbershoot Festival in Seattle and they have been in heavy rotation on indie station KCRW. With Cambodian pop singer Chhom Nimol leading the group, it's safe to say that in '07 more music listeners may feel the heat of Dengue Fever.
www.denguefevermusic.com

9.) Rayzing Sons - Yes true believers just when you thought the rap/rock genre was history (insert snide comment about Fred Durst here) Rayzing Sons reminds us about the exciting and bold virtues of what can happen when these two styles meet! Rayzing Sons combine the fury of hard rock with a pure hip hop sensibility. Their 6 song EP "Deal Wit It" is a masterful combination of heavy rock riffs, serious vocals and an excitement that is infectious.
www.rayzingsons.com

8.) Silversun Pickups - With an 80's fuzzed out sound and ethereal lyrics, The Silversun Pickups are a tremendous addition to the indie rock scene. The Pickups thrive on a wall of sound approach to their songs but never misses the chance to surround their heavy sound with haunting melodies.
www.silversunpickups.com

7.) Atmosphere - Atmosphere is the tag team brain child of mc Slug and his dj/producer Ant. Together they not only form one of the most introspective and forward thinking rap groups but they also put together one of the best hip hop discs of last year, "You Can't Imagine How Much Fun We Are Having". With little to no radio airplay, Atmosphere have been able to sell out mid-size theatres across the country and garner a prime spot in this past years Coachella Arts and Music Festival. Hip Hop needs this group to be heard and you need to hear this group!
www.rhymesayers.com

6.) Sabrosa Purr - Mood music is one way to describe the music done by the band Sabrosa Purr. They have a sound reminiscent of early Jane's Addiction but make no mistake this band has its own unique style and sound. The music on their disc "Music From the Violent Room" is haunting, moving and at times even orchestral. Whatever mood you find yourself in, Sabrosa Purr will find itself in your mind, slash and burn your thoughts and feed your soul.
www.myspace.com/sabrosapurr

5.) The Brooklee Catastrophe - If you need a true indie rock "headphone" record then get a hold of the Brooklee Catastrophe disc, "Mistakes Pt. 1". The Catastrophe combine indie rock sensibilities with a folk rock style of storytelling. The result is a mature body of work done by a young collective of serious musicians. The Brooklee Catastrophe is indeed a very fine mess, not to be missed!
www.brookleemusic.com

4.) Controller, Controller - If Gang of Four are the godfathers of so called "dance punk" then Controller, Controller are the young offspring of the aforementioned group. Coming straight out of Canada and led by the seductive vocals of Nirmala Basnayake, Controller, Controller pick up the baton masterfully by combining angular rhythms, a punk rock attitude, smart lyrics and a serious backbeat. "You should swallow every word that I say" snarls Nirmala "so you can spit them out when you cry..." Now that's confidence.
www.controllercontroller.com

3.) Go Betty Go - Take four proud Latinas and mix them with loud and fast guitars and a catchy knack for songwriting and you have the band Go Betty Go. The Betty's come to the table as strong women proud of their heritage and proud of their love of heavy, progressive rock music. Although these ladies of the Silverlake area have gone through a major lineup change, the hope is Go Betty Go won't be gone for long!
www.gobettygo.com

2.) Waxxapples - The husband and wife team of Brian Coakley and Jamie Sims Coakley are the nucleus of the high energy rock band Waxxapples. The "apples" combine a punk rock attitude with a dirty rock sound thanks in no small part to saxophonist Matt Kalin (insert joke about "dirty sax" here). While Waxxapples have two independent discs under their belts it is their live shows that have garnered them a sizable audience. They have gotten to not only share the stage with bands such as Social Distortion and the Violent Femmes but they have also been able to hold their own with the aforementioned groups.
www.waxapples.com

1.) The 88 - Last year The 88 were being touted as the next big thing to come out of the LA music scene. Why this band is not on a major label says more about the industry than about this five man ensemble. The group's last disc "Over and Over" is a tremendous dose of pop rock in the classic sense. Songs such as "Hide Another Mistake" and "Everybody Loves Me But Me" stand head and shoulders above many indie and signed bands! With the soaring vocals of Keith Slettedahl and top notch musicianship, hopefully The 88 will get the recognition their artful brand of pop truly deserves.
www.the88.net