Kevin Bronson on December 31st, 2014

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Forecasting the future, especially at an arbitrary juncture such as year’s end, is a fool’s game. As we learned from our “Bands to Watch 2014,” the timelines for artists’ releases, as well as their creative processes, are frequently capricious. Some things take time.

Other things happen overnight. There’s probably some already-signed artist woodshedding right now who could turn our world topsy-turvy in February. Or some diva with a great stylist, a better producer and three talented co-writers who’ll capture your fancy by SXSW. Or some synth-pop duo in a bedroom who this very moment are crafting your next “song of the summer.” Or some scruffy kids who will break out of the Burger/Lolipop scene with music that transcends retro-ist shackles.

Our “Bands to Watch 2015” is limited to artists who have not yet released full-length albums, and it includes several who were on 2014’s list (see the “some things take time” part). Some have the muscle of major-label promotion behind them; others are indie and unsigned and just getting started. Some might not even be our thing, but we’re sure to hear from them in 2015.

So, in no particular order, here goes:

THE MOTH & THE FLAME | Their late-2013 EP “&” tagged them as serious and sophisticated, and since then the trio of Brandon Robbins, Mark Garbett and Andrew Tolman have signed to Elektra and worked with producers such as Peter Katis, Tony Hoffer and Nate Pyfer. Live, they’ve played a new song titled “Young and Unafraid” that we swear can move mountains. They’re one of three bands originally from Provo, Utah – art-punks Sego and guitartastic the New Electric Sound are others – who could do big things in ’15.

BØRNS | Michigan transplant Garrett Borns, already inked to Interscope, made a big splash with his “Candy” EP, which included the sweet singles “10,000 Emerald Pools” and “Electric Love.”  Possessing an incredible command of upper octaves and charisma to match, Borns is already more “idol” than anyone on television. Pure popcraft.

DOROTHY | The back-to-basics rock ’n’ roll movement could hardly have a more dynamic spokesperson than Dorothy Martin, the band’s note-hittin’, flask-totin’, would-be-bad-girl namesake. With Martin surrounded by shredders Mark Jackson, Greg Cash and Zac Morris, the quartet quickly released one EP, and to them 2015 must look like a vast expanse of verdant earth, waiting to be scorched.

JAMES SUPERCAVE | The Echo Park art-poppers have rolled out their music ever-so-slowly, with March’s EP “The Afternoon” showing their inscrutable, Bowie-inspired chops. Frontman Joaquin Pastor and his seemingly helium-filled voice, along with the band’s labyrinthine arrangements, figure to be showcased on a full-length arriving in 2015.

CLARA-NOVA | Singer-songwriter Sydney Wayser released three solo albums under her own name but upon returning to her native L.A. from New York has reinvented herself as Clara-Nova. Her new soundscapes are grounded in mythology and folklore, and, now affiliated with Sony, an EP (at least) is on the way.

AVID DANCER | The lovelorn, faintly retro guitar-pop of Jacob Dillan Summers is rapturous from the first chord; we’re only sorry we didn’t have the songs on the “I Want to See You Dance” EP for all those mixtapes we made a couple of decades ago. Avid Dancer’s concise nuggets sound cleaner than most psych-pop revivalists, but fuzzy or not, it’s all about the hooks.

BABES | What to do with a band that merchandises lip gloss and monogrammed panties and runs a “hotline” (470-BABES-77). Smile and sing along, that’s what. Dreamy retro-pop with enough cheeky sexual electricity to power a … well, whatever you want. Stream “ATMO” above [song starts at 1:10] or revisit the video.

FEVER THE GHOST | Of all the psych-rock bands in the these parts, these guys are most likely to transport us into another dimension – everything about their long-ago (released way back in January) “Crab in Honey” EP is mind-blowing, from the complex, otherworldly synths to the rhythms. More please, and soon.

MOSES SUMNEY | Sumney’s homespun “Mid-City Island” EP only scratched the surface. The folk-soul-jazz singer and looping magician spent 2014 performing and traveling the world, collaborating with A-listers and underground talents and finally, he reported recently, sequestering himself to work on “the album.”

TAPIOCA AND THE FLEA | After a couple of years of batting around their chill electro nuggets, the dance-pop outfit fronted by Samuel Jacob Lopez Jr. is ready for a bigger turn: Their forthcoming “Savage” EP (not streaming yet) has some synth-baked earworms in “Alone” and “Cigarettes and Geminis.”

MEG MYERS | Two EPs later, you’re still not sure whether the love-obsessed Myers is, in relationship terms, a giver or a taker. No matter, her big, ’90s-styled confessionals make for great theater of the heart.

GATEWAY DRUGS | Ever since the psych-rock quintet blew our hair back at Echo Park Rising, we’ve wanted more of that big, swirling psychedelia. On the horizon: A tour with Swervedriver, which ain’t a bad start to 2015.

HOLYCHILD | We are not big fans of commercial electro-cheese, but what Liz Nistico and Louie Diller do is unfailingly catchy, perfect for its demographic and … did we mention catchy? More on the way from Glassnote Records.

PPL MVR | The mighty talented songwriters and players in the Yeti costumes are … mighty talented. Take our word for it. Here they’re doing heavily synthesized and vocoded neo-metal. With a big helping of schtick. See this video of their first song, “People Mover.”, and here’s some background. More to come via Elektra Records. If and when the masks ever come off, we want to be there, with a drink in hand.

SPELLES | The nom de tune of Kathryn Baar, Spelles has released but two singles, but each shows exceptional depth, worthy of her influences of Portishead, Feist and the Microphones.

MAUDLIN STRANGERS | Jake Hays’ self-produced “Overdose” EP placed him squarely at the front of next wave of electro-R&B, following in the slipstream of bands like the Neighbourhood. Hays comes from good bloodlines (he’s the son of the Runaways’ Cherie Currie) and displays a deft touch for everything: vocals, effects, understated arrangements and sideburns.

HUNTER HUNTED | It’s been over a year now since the indie-pop band helmed by Dan Chang and Michael Garner dropped their debut EP. Surely they didn’t need all this time to polish their already-picturesque harmonies, right? Expect new music soon.

MEREKI | The diminutive Australian was last spotted touring as Goldroom’s singer [above], but she has her own thing, which is heavy on the attitude (and on a couple of her new songs, sawtoothed synths). It puts her in the same league with other feisty female pop sirens such as Conway and Kitten.

KERA & THE LESBIANS | Their gypsy/punk/folk rock is one of the most distinctive sounds on the L.A. scene, powered by the voice and outsized personality of Kera Armendariz. Mixing acoustic guitars, bass grooves and brass (literal and figurative), the band has a special way of turning their sometimes-dark tunes into theater, with all its life-affirming forces.

JEZ DIOR | The rapper/electro-pop singer made a big impression with November’s EP “The Funeral,” in which he tackles dark topics like addiction and mortality. “Grunge rap,” Dior calls it, but whatever the terminology, it’s muscular stuff.

25 More You Oughta Know:

Banta
Phoebe Bridgers
Castro
Conway
Dark Waves
Zella Day
Dear Boy
Dutch Party
Forebear
Harriet
Heathers
Irontom
Liphemra
New Beat Fund
Northern American
Strange Babes
RAJ
Roses
Night Terrors of 1927
Parade of Lights
Sego
Smallpools
Washing Machines
Ryn Weaver
The Vim Dicta

Photo credits:

Spelles, Meg Myers, Gateway Drugs, Holychild, PPL MVR and Moses Sumney by Carl Pocket
BØRNS by Cory Greenwell
Dorothy by Matt Draper
The Moth & the Flame and Hunter Hunted by Michelle Shiers
Avid Dancer and James Supercave by David Benjamin
Fever the Ghost by Scott Dudelson
Tapioca and the Flea by Joseph Llanes/Red Bull Sound Select
Mereki by Zane Roessell
Kera & the Lesbians and Babes by Jeff Koga
Maudlin Strangers by Bronson