Where do the bright new things go from here?
Jim Carroll
Back in early 2009, I started a new weekly column for The Ticket called New Music. The plan was that New Music would profile five new or new-ish acts from Ireland or elsewhere every week. When the column started, I was a little concerned that I’d quickly run out of acts. I’ve always kept a close eye out for new acts (I’m of the school that believes music writers should be as diligent about new talent as they are about ancient rock dinosaurs like U2) and the radio show means rounding up new acts every week. But I hadn’t really looked at the new act landscape in any sort of forensic detail since I was in A&R and that was, well, that was another time entirely.
I shouldn’t have worried. Within a month, I was swamped. Where the hell were all these new acts coming from? And, moreover, where were they going?
These days, the New Music picks are part of the weekly OTR column in the weekly print column. When I sit down to select the acts to be profiled, there’s usually a list of between 20 and 40 acts every single week to be considered. I use the excellent Breaking Tunes site for new Irish acts and, most times when I have a look at that site, there’s usually up to 10 new acts who weren’t profiled the last time I looked. The quality all round is decent (though there’s admitedly some awful shite in the mix too), but the quantity is off the scale. It is just impossible to get to or thought all these new acts. You rely on filters and tips or, every now and then, you just plunge in (that’s how I usually work with Breaking Tunes, hence why new Irish acts often get profiled here who don’t have a clue how I stumbled upon them).
But if new acts have it tough getting attention and traction, that’s nothing compared to the problems faced by a band who’ve completed the new act waltz and who’re coming back with a second or third album. When you’re brand new, everyone wants to talk about you and write about you and your music. You’re flavour of the month, the next big thing, the brighest new boys or girls (or three boys and one girl) in town. If you’re good enough, you get all the love and devotion going round and can launch your debut album with a bit of noise behind you to carry you through a few tours and festivals.
Fastforward to your next album, though, and it’s a different story. You may have some wind in your sails, but the initial impetus which launched you isn’t there. Sure, you may have an audience who’ll acquire your album (“acquire” rather than buy these days), go along to the gig and may even say ‘I think this is better than their debut’. But many others won’t even give you the time of day. They’ve moved on. There are new boys and girls (and three boys and one girl) in town to meet and greet. And what’s that, you think the media who were raving about your debut album should also be wild about your second album? Chuckle. Who said that, pal? If it’s not good enough, don’t expect any of the fourth estate to return your calls or start cheering from the sidelines.
Welcome to the newest game of the musical chairs – the churnover. Indeed, the next batch of acts who’ll be thrown your way are already waiting sidestage for the lights to go down. Yesterday, the BBC revealed its Sound of 2011 long-list. Now, to me and probably a lot of you, there’s nothing remotely new about some of these names – and do Warpaint really qualify as a new band after releasing a fine debut album in 2010? Indeed, all bar three of the acts have featured in OTR’s New Music section over the last 12 months so we already know all about these acts.
But this is the mainstream we’re talking about and these are the annointed ones. These are the acts the Beeb’s team of talent spotters believe will light up the coming year. Over the last few years, this list has become the bellwether of rock’n'roll bellwethers as dozens of music insiders ring their mates who work for record labels and management companies and ask them who they should tip. Questions which do not enter the equation: is this not some sort of self-perpetuating ritual? How many of these acts will we still be talking about when they get to their third album? Actually, how many of these will even get to a third album? And whatever happened to Ghosts?
In many cases, these are seen as the annointed ones because a major label has already invested heavily in the act and the PR department are out there doing their job and whispering in all the right ears. Indeed, many of next year’s “next big things” have already signed big-ass deals. While it’s a relief to see the awful Brother do not feature on the list (Brother are a band who already sniff of a three-quarters full Olympia and second-from-the-top billing on the third biggest Oxegen stage), they’re probably not too unhappy given, per Steve Lamacq, that they have signed a £200,000 two album firm deal. We hear Mona have also trousered a sizable advance and the bidding war for The Vaccines was won by Sony.
It remains to be seen if this is money worth spending. The attrition rate for new bands is very high and, with every week bringing new acts out of the woodwork, ensuring that your latest signings are still on the radar will take more than money and songwriting talent. It will also require luck. Lots and lots of luck. Of course, this time next year, we’ll be talking about the Sound of 2010.
I just watched that Brother video on the site you linked to and they came across as insufferable hipster pricks.
Unlicenced public gig stopped by “the man”? How original.
Nothing too new there in terms of how things work, even compared to the old days, though I do think the main thing to get out of this is the shear volume of acts out there trying to make a go of it.
Its easy to blame media fatigue and the next big thing tag, but does anyone think there’s also audience fatigue. Like if you find the next big thing yourself, or through your favorite writer, you just bang it on the iPod, listen to it on rotation in work, on the train, jogging or wherever, watch all the YouTube videos, read all the interviews etc. After a few months of that with most bands and you’ve had your fill for good, no matter how much they reinvent their sound by album number two.
What, besides shear luck is actually making it possible for any band to survive beyond one even moderately successful album. There must be more tactics to it, or is it still just down to quality and originality, or do image, work ethic and maybe these days a bands ability to self-publicise make the real difference.
Ooh! how did I not know about that breaking tunes website – cheers for the link Jim, I’m going to trawl through that after work later. I do listen to new picks posted by your goodself, Nialler among others but sometimes I like finding stuff myself, I’m experienceing some of the fatigue STY speaks of, i’m more likely to ignore ‘the next big thing tag’ than be encouraged by it, in a world that its become much easier to experience new music than ever before it is hard for new acts to stay current, relevent, produce great tunes. For me it’s got to be quality tunes over everything else.
I’ve actually limited myself to new music this year, both mainstream and new acts I’ve tried to live with albums for a while before buying others – it’s hard it really is but I’m finding that the music resonates with me more if I do this and I can really make my mind up if I like it love it or really loathe it. I was buying way too music at the same time and just listening to it 2 or 3 times per album and moving on to the next. I didn’t like that I felt like I was treating it like it was disposable or fast food and its not it’s something to be savored and enjoyed, but I tell you there is alot of shite out there you do have to wade through it.
another name to throw out there is laura sheeran. shes got an album coming out in jan called Lust of Pig and the Fresh Blood and shes very very good.
And with one post you have (almost) highlighted why chasing new music is a miserable existence.
Ever considered that the majority of these new acts are not lasters… And hence aren’t really that good or original after all… Unless you’re actually paid to write about it, I find that looking for new acts is a wholly exhausting and unrewarding experience. I know I’m not alone but I also know that few on here share that view.
My hunting for new music process is simply to wait for the albums of the year lists to come out and and check out those I haven’t heard yet. Going though Drowned in Sounds 2010 review at the moment. Great fun.
STY – yeah, you’re right – it’s the volume of acts which is the new factor in all of this. It’s the same return of quality but the quantity has gone way up. And, indeed, as the quantity has grown, the number of quality acts has also increased
karen – breaking tunes is a great resource – very simple and easy to use. As for “listener fatigue”, I can definitely understand where that is coming from. I know it’s different for the likes of me and other writers – it’s our job – but I also readily acknowledge that there can really only be a small number of music fans who’re totally dedicated when it comes to new music. Most of them read OTR, thankfully!
xdeletiax – yep, we know Laura round these parts
ally – the majority of acts ever in rock’n'roll history were not “lasters”. Give me the thrill of hearing a brilliant song from a new band over having to wade through the worn-out, cliched, tired, uninspired ramblings of a past-it band on their fifth album any time
JC – yep, I can endorse that approach. It’s my fave thing to do over Christmas and find out what stuff I passed over during the year. Have already found one great album that way – Forest Swords and “Dagger Paths”
Jim,
I don’t necessarily mean the band is a laster. More the music.
People get carried away with a new fix which they grow to realise in a few months was exactly that cliched and uninspired rambling that you associate with “proven” bands.
The question of longevity and lasting power in music is an important one. Most recently it is the bands with the longest serving fanships – look at recent sell outs at Arcade Fire, Rednecks, Godspeed, MF DOOM, Goldfrapp, Leftfield – that will pull in their crowd despite a recession or fan fatigue. All these bands have never bombarded blogs and over-exposed themselves wheresas some new bands struggle despite their exposure in the online medium.
Sometimes I think there has to be something of the unknown and enigmatic to a band that draws fans in. In today’s online world everything is revealed. I suppose what I’m getting at is – is all this over-exposure of music self-defeating? Maybe bands should conceal themselves more rather than putting too much out and two soon. Like the bands and brands debate that was had I think over-exposure and self-promotion is a little grating.
Couldnt believe how big Arcade Fire were the other night at the o2. 3 albums over 8 years(correct me if i’m wrong! I’m not their biggest fan) is not a huge output. But now they seem to have become one of the world’s biggest bands. Maybe you have to go underground before you go overground.
Hi Jim, I’ve mentioned Forest Swords on this blog…at least twice. Dagger Paths was an EP although as per a Pitchfork review the past week, Olde English Spelling Bee (Forest Swords’ label) have recently repackaged it with some previous tunes…the Rattling Cage EP is great too.
http://www.breakingtunes.com/thecold100
I can’t get enough of them…
I heard their new single is out in a couple of weeks on i-tunes too…jaysus – why am I the only one howlin’ about them? Jim – you need to check them out live!
Robert – it takes at least three different people mentioning an act to me or three different references about a band for them to register with me! I also totally ignore all street teams who try to plug stuff (see Gonzo above, whose only postings on this blog have to do that band).
Great post Jim and I particularly agree with Ally’s sentiments @5.
Personally speaking I’m inclined to stick by acts and follow them through the peaks and troughs… I find myself picking up Badly Drawn Boy’s 7th album rather than starting over and buying Lightspeed Champion’s second or Sam Amidon’s first. At the end of the day, new music is new music regardless of whether the act creating it are on their 47th or their debut.
Thought Beck’s Modern Guilt from a few years ago was the perfect example of an outstanding record that really went under the radar simply because the press had ‘done’ Beck on previous releases, Bon Iver and his Blair Witch Project recording techniques makes for better copy but not in my opinion better music.
Also gets me thinking quite cynically about the recent trend towards the sideproject-isation of music whereby Albarn/Jack White and co. re-brand new music projects entirely in order to turn the ‘…them again?’ factor on it’s head.
colly – that’s a good point about following an artist through the “peaks and troughs”, which is where being a fan comes in. There’s a difference, in my mind at least, between that and someone who deals with new music and new releases week in and week out. Aside from judging that act against their own back-catalogue, I’m also judging that act against the other releases out on a particular week or period of time. And yes, what you say about Beck does apply here – I’ve read very little about his various Record Club releases, for instance. Instead, all the focus will be on his next “big” album when Universal decide to make that a priority for a few months. What’s interesting is that even in a time when there is supposed to be mass online media, the old rules regarding priorities still apply.
I don’t envy you Jim, I can only imagine the amount of noise you have to wade through to get to the good stuff.
I’m also very wary of overexposure/tired ears. I think too much varied music at any one time leaves you cold to a lot of stuff. I’m a big fan of music with ‘substance’, and I don’t mean that in a snobbish judgmental way I’m talking about craft and attention to detail, stuff where there’s subtleties hidden in the mix and playing of a track that you only start to hear on the fourth/fifth listen (No Vaccines for me please, they’re appaling and need to go away before they break music for everyone..). Which is an impossible point to get to if I was to spend all my time seeking out new stuff. As much fun as it can be to always have new new new to listen to, good slowburn records can be a bit like a comfort blanket, something reliable you can retreat into when you want to switch off. Generally speaking I prefer to leave people like yourself do the new music leg work (it is your job after all Carroll..) and wait to see which bands and singers keep cropping up on the blogs!
One of my top records this year has been Massive Attack’s Heligoland. Far from a tired out rerun of their musical aesthetic (apart from maybe the corporate doom-mongering lyrics which are admittedly a bit grating at times), they’re branching into more acoustic instrumentation really serves them well. First couple listens it left me a bit meh, but over the months every time I revisited it I was hearing such beautiful depth in the production that’s there to be heard given time. Some records need this time, and I only gave Massive the repeated listens because theyve rewarded me so abundandly in the past. James Blake is my top new guy this year, he’s combining soul, garage, dubstep, a real heady feel for textures and his stuff has the immediacy you want from emerging acts. Hope he doesnt win the BBC thing, it’ll hex him for sure. And, fave Irish record is from Adebisi Shank. I am a bit like a street team for them but I have enjoyed it immensely, gave me my rock kicks for second half of this year and methinks its miles ahead musically of all the other Irish instro-rock vying for attention.
@colly
“Bon Iver and his Blair Witch Project recording techniques makes for better copy but not in my opinion better music.”
I’d opine his ‘Blair Witch’ recording techniques are what gave that record its charm. Put those arrangements in a shiny, gleaming studio with some arsehole perfection-engineers and the warmth and soul is lost.
“Also gets me thinking quite cynically about the recent trend towards the sideproject-isation of music whereby Albarn/Jack White and co. re-brand new music projects entirely in order to turn the ‘…them again?’ factor on it’s head.”
Whatever about Albarn (who is a genuine musical thinker), Jack White can f*ck off. He’s a true one trick pony and he bullies everything musical he touches with his domineering ADD-kid-in-a-candy-store rawk stylings (see The Raconteurs..). It worked in the White Stripes, pity he didn’s stay in his box..
this man halandor speaks sense…
@halandor “I’d opine his ‘Blair Witch’ recording techniques are what gave that record its charm.
I’d argue that it simply gave the press something to write about. Tons of charming wolly-hatted hermits record tunes with a similar sonic make-up to Bon Iver, but without the sexy sob story they don’t secure a fraction of the coverage. Coincidence?
Re: Albarn/J.White. My citing of those particular artists has nothing to do with the standard of their output or any sort of admiration on my part. For the record, I own pretty much everything Albarn has put out (and that consistently includes small portions of absolute dross) while the only thing I have by Jack White is a threatening email from his lawyers (whole other story). But my point wasn’t about them as people or even the quality of their music. I was merely noting the trend by which established artists are drawn to side/other-projects: new band, new name, new look, new sound (sometimes) and suggesting that it may indeed have something to do with certain canny operators sensing that the “initial impetus” which launched/established them is on the wane as Jim refers to above.
@Ally
how did you know i’m a man.. a slightly, distinctively male passive-aggression manifesting itself in my ramblings?
nah seriously, mine is just one opinion among many, which is part of the fun of blogging on sites like these.. your own petty dogmas are constantly challenged.
talking about slow-burners.. my current slow-burner.. google flying lotus bbc essential mix from way back late 2008 (great thing about the net is it’s increasingly unlikely that genuine brilliance will get lost.. and yes i’m WAY behind the times on it, i see it was named essential mix of that year somewhere on planet earth too..). a friend of mine passed it on to me a couple weeks ago, hasn’t been off my speakers since. there really is some sort of higher being at work in that mix. aside from how awesome his selection of tunes are, the way he strings them together is more enjoyable with each listen. peace out on this most pessimistic of irish days..
Hi Jim, thanks to the generosity of Foggy Notions, I went along to the free Smoke Fairies gig last night. They were great, amazing voices and perfectly mellow after the horrible day it had been. I didn’t manage to get a copy of their cd at the gig, the ongoing saga of Bank of Ireland’s “technical fault” meant cash reserves were low but will get it again.
Fiona
Love that Forest Daggers EP (album is probably stretching it), really haunting stuff, love what they do with the vocals. I find these end of year lists, especially from bleep.com, factmag, residentadvisor and the like very useful, definitely helps to hear what people are still listening to a few months later. Bleep’s EPs of the year list is excellent, some great stuff like Seams and Balam Acab on there which I’d never heard of previously. I’d second halandor about Heligoland, I think it’s a great record, especially when I was expecting very little from them. Paradise Circus is one of the tunes of the year.
@ Hal- that flying lotus mix is AMAZING. Complely forgot about it