Another year, view another SXSW that I will not be attending, look but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some gnarly bands poised to break out this year. Let’s get real, it’s pretty impossible to preview this festival because you could stumble into any old watering hole and chances are there will be a band playing that’s worth seeing, but here are a few selections in case you’re having some trouble making up your mind. Oh, and there aren’t any Boston Bands on this list, I know I know, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t gonna be any there. Keep your eyes out and support your locals while they’re down South.
CHVRCHES
Scottish electro-pop trio CHVRCHES spent 2012 on the road supporting Passion Pit and becoming SoundCloud sensations. Now, in their first trip to SXSW, they are one of the most buzzed about names to appear at the festival. The limited work that the band has released mixes elements of synth pop, post-punk, and everything in between, for a sound that gives hints of The Knife in the best way possible.
PAWS
Another band from Glasgow, PAWS are amidst their first US tour behind last fall’s Cokefloat! The trio’s 90’s lo-fi garage sound is in the same vain as Scottish mates Squarehead, but is less poppy/surfy and more Gen X skate punk.
Parquet Courts
Brooklyn quartet Parquet Courts have gained considerable buzz since the release of last summer’s Light Up Gold despite a very limited Internet presence. Post-punky and incredibly catchy, their album is perhaps my favorite release of 2012 that I completely missed in 2012. SXSW could be the perfect opportunity for these guys to rise as a household name and start touring on a grander scale.
Empress Of
Empress Of is the haze-pop project of Brooklyn’s Lorely Rodriguez. Soulful and glitchy, Empress Of fits in somewhere between St. Vincent and Beach House, and if her live performance can give a good translation of her Soundcloud recordings, she could have a very successful week.
Haerts
Electro-pop quintet with roots in England, Germany, and New York will make an appearance in Austin this week as they await the release of their debut album later this year. To me, they are quite reminiscent of Twin Shadow’s first album, but get a much different angle with the haunting lead vocals of lead lady Nini Fabi.
Chelsea Light Moving
Thurston Moore’s first collaborative project since Sonic Youth’s hiatus is one of the most anticipated acts at this year’s festival. The only thing to really get a gauge on this show is the band’s debut album, which dropped last week. From the sounds of it though, there’s should be a lot more noise involved than most of Moore’s recent solo work.
Vancouver trio Nu Sensae have built up a grand following this past year, much of it originating around the release of August’s Sundowing, which received very positive reviews. The Canadian grunge punkers have been kicking since 2008, but they’ll be playing their asses off in Austin this week and expect them to jump out.
Ratking
The Eclectic XL Recordings has made some awesome signings lately. Thom Yorke’s Atoms For Peace, the powerful Willis Earl Beal, and now Brooklyn’s ‘post hip hop’ trio Ratking. The group mixes dreamy, glitch beats with attack-style lyricism that has gotten them nods from various Wu Tang artists. Hip hop will be represented in a big way at this year’s festival, but look at Ratking to have a successful outing.
Yung Life
Nashville new wavers Yung Life are kind of like a black sheep in their southern rock-dominated music scene, but they can do throwback synthy music without any of the bullshit. The modern take of electro-pop can be underwhelming in the live setting, but Yung Life brings really big energy to the stage while staying true to their brand of keyboard driven jams.