Get to know First Avenue's Best New Bands Of 2010
Erik Hess
The Goondas
The musicians playing First Avenue’s Best New Bands Of 2010 showcase on Wednesday have clearly been around long enough to make an impact on somebody, but there’s no shame in still being unfamiliar. (You’ve probably been spending your time learning about more important things, like math.) Allow The A.V. Club to give you a quick introduction.
BadNraD
Who he is: The quick answer is Jake Sullivan, whose main interests are keytars and “shredding.” But there’s also a background story involving an alien home planet, the distant future, and the villainous Boss Of Bass.
What he sounds like: BadNraD combines synthy electronica, thumping club beats, and rapid-fire guitar solos for a sound that sets dance floors ablaze. Think Ratatat, if those guys were more interested in vocoders and sex.
Recommended if you like: Ratatat, Chromeo, Daft Punk, wearing neon, attracting hotties who wear neon
BNLX
Who they are: The husband-wife duo of Ed and Ashley Ackerson kept their newest project cryptic in its early days, using cheeky corporate-speak like “BNLX has been meeting and/or exceeding expectations whilst providing mission critical noise solutions to the entertainment sector since Q1 | 2010.” Less than a year old, BNLX has already released four EPs.
What they sounds like: BNLX’s driving guitars and colorful light shows make its live act feel big enough to fill stadiums. Ed Ackerson’s mournful growl channels the gothic rock of the ’80s.
Recommended if you like: The Cure, Interpol, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World
Grant Cutler & The Gorgeous Lords
Who they are: After Lookbook disbanded last year, Grant Cutler turned his full attention to his dark side project, where he’s backed by members of The Plastic Constellations and Askeleton.
What they sound like: Don’t hold your breath for ’80s-inspired Lookbook-style dance beats: The group’s self-titled debut EP brings a more somber sound to the table, laying Cutler’s deep croak over washes of droning guitar. It’s a record for people who are too busy brooding to dance.
Recommended if you like: Leonard Cohen, Low, sitting alone in the dark
The Goondas
Who they are: The four members of The Goondas grew up together in Chanhassen, Minnesota and started as a cover band that played Zeppelin and Sabbath. But as any musicians worth their salt will tell you, making it in the big city means playing originals. So they switched.
What they sound like: The group specializes in crash-and-burn blues rock that sometimes ends with frontman Brenden Green wrapping a mic cord around his neck and rolling around on the floor.
Recommended if you like: The Black Keys, The Stooges, rockers with little sense of self-preservation
Hastings 3000
Who he is: The gas-masked vision of rebel rock otherwise known as Joe Hastings is a one-man band, playing 47 instruments on his album, A New Monster, 10 of which he brings onstage during the live show. (Incidentally, he’s playing Wednesday’s show via Skype from Hawaii, which is probably a First Avenue first.)
What he sounds like: Hastings has played alongside artists as disparate as R.L. Burnside, DJ Shadow, and Chris Spedding, and it shows: His new album is a masterful blend of punk, blues, surf, hardcore, and rockabilly, all driven by a heavy beat and illuminated by layers of complex instrumentation.
Recommended if you like: The Detroit Cobras, Sex Pistols, Velvet Underground, Lightning Bolt, kicking ass and taking names
Phantom Tails
Who they are: Former members of Plastic Chord: frontman/guitarist Orion Treon (whose name makes him an instant rock star); beatmaster/jack-of-all-trades Logan Kerkhof; not-unlike-Dr. John keyboardist Sergio Hernandez; and bassist Dave Dorman, who looks like he’s into underground comic books but plays like he’s into underground hardcore.
What they sound like: Phantom Tails plays a hard-rocking mashup of the juiciest music the world has to offer: sassy classic punk, ’80s-style electronica, metal, garage, glam rock, psychedelia, Sumatran folk (apparently), and, yes, even humpback whale songs.
Recommended if you like: Roxy Music, Black Lips, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, a good French inhale
Pink Mink
Who they are: This foursome of local music vets, fronted by Christy Hunt (The Von Bondies, Ouija Radio) and Arzu Gokcen (Selby Tigers, So Fox), pays tribute to the Twin Cities with songs like “Seekin’ Scott Seekins” and “Hidden Beach.” A full-length debut is scheduled for early this year.
What they sound like: Punky guitar riffs and Riot Grrl vocals make for a head-banging good time, and the band’s energetic jamming adds to the simple fun of its live shows.
Recommended if you like: The Runaways, The Hives, rhinestone-studded electric guitars
