5 Under Appreciated Artists
In honor of the new SouthBuzz segment ‘The EPs’ here is some artists who are extremely talented but don’t receive enough love.
1 If you want to feel grungy a good artist is…
Jake Bugg
With a guitar that resonates like Bob Dylan and The Beatles, Englishman Jake Bugg has hit No 1 on the UK Album Chart with his self-titled debut album. His single “Two Fingers” has become a hit near home on the local alternative station 9.65 The Buzz and plays at least once a day. Listening to his music brings me to a cold winter night in England by a pond. I’ve been trying to put to words how nostalgic the words and music make me feel and that’s the best I can do. I say you should give Jake Bugg a chance, British artists seem to be doing well lately.
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2 If you’re a fan of Fun., The Mowgli’s, or Alt-J your next choice should be…
American Authors
Based in Brooklyn, New York this alternative (almost pop rock) band leaves me feeling enthused and unstoppable. With motivating lyrics well represented in their top 2 songs (according to Spotify) “Best Day of My Life” and “Believer” it’s hard to believe this band is only a year young. The band of four guys combines the unique sound of banjo, guitar and strong beats to leave you with one of their songs stuck in your head all day. Currently American Authors has only released their self-titled EP but I know I am looking forward to hearing more from them.
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3 If you enjoy Demi Lovato, Emily Osment, One Direction, or Ariana Grande you should listen to…
Bridgit Mendler
I know what you might be thinking, she’s a Disney kid and obviously she can’t be any good. Even though she might be associated with Disney she has been singing forever, before she ever started her Disney career. Her voice is strong, unique and creative. She writes her own lyrics with a group and was vigorously involved in the making of her debut album Hello My Name Is… If you watch her videos on YouTube she talks about each of her songs and it’s amazing how she creates such elaborate stories for each of her songs. A lot of her songs empower women and focus on the fact that you shouldn’t rely on money and being blonde does not mean you’re dumb. Her most popular song “Ready or Not” which played on the radio for quite a while is hilarious and it’s nice to know she doesn’t take herself too seriously. Girls can actually connect to her lyrics which is really important and something you don’t see too often. You go girl! Mendler is currently working on her next album which she hopes to release this winter.
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4 If you listen to Christina Perri, Karmin, or Skylar Grey try…
Brandon & Leah
High school sweethearts Brandon Jenner (yes, the son of Bruce Jenner) and Leah Felder (yes, the daughter of former Eagles guitarist Don Felder) have been around the spotlight most of their lives. In high school they wrote songs in multiple bands but eventually went on their own and married in 2012. Their debut EP Cronies is what I like to call ‘reggae pop’ and was released in 2013. It holds the use of a ukulele, maracas, and the smooth voice of Leah but balances out with light pop beats. It almosts makes you feel as if everything is going slower as you listen and makes you want to soak in the sun. There has been no talk of when or if they will be releasing more music but Cronies is something I suggest you give a shot.
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5 If you’re looking for a mystical and magical feeling then listen to…
Bon Iver
Passionate soul searcher Justin Vernon won ‘Best new artist’ at the 2012 Grammy Awards in a category including The Band Perry, Nicki Minaj, J. Cole, and Skrillex. People were shocked by the winning of the unknown singer songwriter. He went solo from his band DeYarmond Edison in 2007 and dived into a project he titled ‘Bon Iver’ as a purposefully misspelled use of the French for ‘good winter’ (bon hiver) which turned into his first album For Emma, Forever Ago. Interesting enough to write For Emma, Forever Ago Justin took himself out to the middle of a forest and stayed in a cabin until he wrote and recorded all 9 songs over a three month period. He vigorously wrote and sang for most of the days. Bon Iver mixes earthy tones, simple chords, and lots of harmonizing to leave you feeling like a fairy in the middle of a forest. Or is that just me?
Currently he has put out 3 albums For Emma, Forever Ago from 2008 Bon Iver in 2011 and Bon Iver, Bon Iver: Stems Project in 2012.
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