The shins!

The Shins is a great indie band, with really simple sound. Nothing too complex, a good beat, some nice guitar and this guys got a great voice. Again, a unique voice is great asset to a band, and although The Shins are pretty unique, they remind me the slightest bit of The Smiths. Yes, the names are similar, so I think it's no coincidence, The Shins are no secret admirers. They've got great abstract lyrics that might seem random, but at the same time they allow you to put a spin on their story! They've got a happy-go-lucky feel that sort of makes ya wanna get up and dance :).

The Shins aren't extremely popular and you won't be seeing them on MTV's top ten anytime soon, but they are featured in a number of soundtracks. Some of these include: Garden State, Gilmour Girls, Scrubs and Wicker Park.

They reason I've chosen to share the link "australia" with you, I must admit, is strictly because of the video. It's hilarious, and the only way I can think to describe the song is it just really makes me smile. Enjoy, and once again, keep checking back for music that doesn't strangle your radio :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHTSxw6zN1E

Kate Nash

Okay okay, so maybe she's not completely "indie" anymore as she's made a big splash in the UK, and is slowly making her way to being an international artist, but there's still time to include her in the "music that won't suffocate your radio." Kate Nash is one of my all time favorite artists, she is anything but your sophisticated musician, she doesn't try to sound experienced in her songs, and instead she's all about real life experiences. She doesn't try to take a normal situation and make it sound poetic and beautiful; she uses the awkwardness of everyday experiences as a basis for her own voice. She is from the UK, so her accent also adds personality to her songs. A lot of her songs are funny, but not in a Weird Al way, Nash is very subtle about her humor and often reminds me of the story line in a romantic comedy. She creates characters in her lyrics that people can often relate to, as she uses their flaws more often than not to describe them in a humorous way.

Here's a link to her first music video, Foundations: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhC4E055OsY&feature=channel.

Nizlopi

I can’t really think of a better word to describe the band Nizlopi than simply, classy. Their sound is mature and well-rounded, it would fit in with the stereotypical persona of a professional sound, but have still maintained their own and unique voice, which is impressive to say the least. The band consists of two friends, Luke Concannon and John Parker from Leamington Spa. Luke is a singer/songwriter and guitarist, while John has mastered the double bass and plays a little guitar as well. For more information on their bio, you can go here: http://www.nizlopi.com/nizlopi/index.html. Their sound, as my own interpretation, is a folkie interpretation of modern jazz, and Luke Concannon’s unique vocals and his accent coming through in his singing gives them a distinct sound. They have two albums, the first being Half These Songs Are About You and the second being Make It Happen.

My particular interest in Nizlopi sparked because of their moving lyrics, which are only further complicated by their soft sound. In my favorite song by them, Wash Away, from their CD Half These Songs Are About You, the lyrics are specifically moving. Here’s the first verse:

“And so your love sits down next to you
And her body is cold, and her lips are blue
And Its a sad feeling, cos’ she was always warm to you
She the one you’re always singing to”

The verse is a really beautiful way of describing someone’s love for another dying, which is something that happens often, and isn’t exactly glamorous. It’s a song’s intention to take something everyone can relate to and make it sound beautiful in doing so, and appealing to the listener.

Here's a link to the song Girls, also from Half These Songs Are About You.

She & Him!

The first band I'm going to mention is She & Him, and they've got a great retro feel and there lyrics are simple but to the point. The duo is an American indie/folk band that appears to be experiencing a creativity overload. They chose the name in hopes to have a neutral title, so people think "hm I wonder what kind of music that would be." Everything about them, right down to their clothing, is unique and inspired by their music. Zooey Deschannel is the lead singer; you might recognize her from movies like Elf, The Happening, and 500 Days Of Summer. Her voice is slightly raspy, and without a doubt unique, and accompanied by her adorable style, she's a great attribute old school style of the songs. On an interview with Jimmy Kimmel, Deschannel describes her music as "sunshine pop" which is definitely an accurate description, although the "sunshine" also includes some sorrow, at the same time. The other half of the band is M. Ward whom accompanies her in writing and performing these songs, as he is also an accomplished singer/songwriter and guitarist. Some of my favorite songs are You Really Got a Hold On Me, the band's bluesy cover of the Beatles song and Sweet Darling, which has a 50's, The Crystals, type feel to it. The band's really something different for today's music scene, and gaining publicity more and more, especially with Zooey's acting career thriving lately. Here's a link to the adorable video for Why Do You Let Me Stay Here, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtlO0RXktlo&feature=related. Even the video's got a retro feel, with 2D animations and an overall corny concept! Enjoy!