SXSW 2015: 10 must-see bands beyond L.A.
Seraphina Lotkhamnga on
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South By Southwest Festival‘s music portion officially kicked off on Tuesday, but there’s four more days of music to be seen and heard. While we strongly suggest stopping by the fourth annual “Dear Austin: Love, L.A.” day party today, there are plenty of artists beyond the City of Angels to check out after downing Austin’s delicious breakfast tacos.
We list 10 must-see bands beyond L.A. below. Are they on your SXSW schedule?
If you like:Â Digging through the crates for old Otis Redding and Sam Cooke records
Why he’s worth your time: Texas is Leon Bridges’ home state, so he’ll have that home state glow and charm if you catch him any time this week. Bringing back the simplicity of soul, Bridges’ breakout single “Coming Home” — not to be mistaken for Cooke’s “Bring It On Home To Me” — has garnered praise from critics near and far. Never mind that his two-song demo was produced by White Denim; Bridges’s butter-smooth vocals will brighten up your day even during the dreadful rainy days during the festival.
||| Stream:Â “Lisa Sawyer” and “Better Man”
If you like:Â Bright vocals that have depth and pathos
Why she’s worth your time: Not to be confused with Natalie Sass, the part-time Nashville, Tenn., and part-time Richmond, Va.,-based singer, who started out as Jenny Lewis’ keyboardist and eventually got her own opening slot for Lewis and Ryan Adams on tour, has potentially released one of the best records of the year. Her self-titled debut is powerfully soulful despite her delicate tones with gorgeous orchestrations in songs like “My Baby Don’t Understand” and “Why Don’t You Believe In Me.”
||| Stream:Â “My Baby Don’t Understand” and “Bird of Prey”
If you like:Â Disclosure, ’90s house and R&B
Why they’re worth your time: Not only did this U.K. trio win the prestigious BBC Sound of 2015 and praised by British tastemakers like Zane Lowe, but the buzz has crossed the big pond with the release of their “Take Shelter” EP in the US. Featuring hit songs such as “King,” “Desire” along with the title track, they’re on their way to selling out venues, especially now that they’ve announced their debut full-length “Communion.”
||| Stream:Â “Desire” and “Take Shelter”
If you like:Â Getting your hands dirty and exhausting all the adrenaline in your body, or least the soundtrack to doing so
Why they’re worth your time: This motley quintet from Toronto has a little bit of everything for music fans. One second Peter Dreimanis is growling with seemingly hard rock elements and the next second Leah Fey foils his grit with sweet vocals that sound like they would be better suited for a synth-pop duo. July Talk isn’t about being normal though. Their main strength is juxtaposition; unlikely combinations of hard rock, blues and pop sound darn good coming from July Talk.
||| Stream:Â The Luke Lalonde/Borns Ruffian remix of “Guns & Ammunition.”
If you like: Pop music a la BØRNS with a twist of Paulo Nutini
Why he’s worth your time: If there’s any pop singer-songwriter to catch this week, it’s the Brit Awards-winner James Bay. Some may recognize him from Hozier’s tour, but Bay has made a name for himself with the debut “Chaos and the Calm.” Bringing in some gospel and soul into his pop melodies that he’s elegantly laid upon sparse rock arrangements, Bay may be the U.K.’s darling pop start of the moment but he’s got the goods to go further.
||| Stream:Â xxx
If you like:Â Tall men at low pianos
Why he’s worth your time: Aside from the being able to find him in any room due to his height — there’s a billboard ad in Echo Park at Alvarado and Sunset that reads ““You can’t miss Tobias Jesso Jr. He’s six foot seven.” —  Canadian alt-pop singer-songwriter Tobias Jesso Jr. is one of a kind. He’s a modern-day piano man with songs like emotional “How Could You Babe,” and he may be the reason your local record stores start stocking more Billy Joel and Elton John in those crates.
||| Stream:Â “Just a Dream”
If you like:Â Indie pop that jangles
Why they’re worth your time:Â They’re the second Toronto band to make this list, but with a track as undeniable as “Archie, Marry Me,” who’s counting? We’ll even forgive them for substituting a “w” with two “v”s. There’s a nice balance between the quintet: They’ve got sweet vocals with the fuzzy guitars; they’ve got the boy-girl dynamics, they’ve got the nonchalant melodies with the yearning lyrics. Basically, they’ve got everything you need for everyone’s jangle-pop collection.
||| Stream:Â “Adult Diversion”
If you like:Â A little electronic seeping into your rock
Why they’re worth your time: Cleverly following up their “How Do You Feel” Ep with their sophomore record “How Do You Feel Now?,” The Rochester, NY., -based electro-rock quintet are still on a roll. They might have made a NSFW video with Kopps to make the buzz louder, but their music alone will bring you back to the days when you first heard the Killers and thought “Oh, this works.”
||| Stream:Â “Bad Dream” feat. Mick Jenkins and Little Simz
If you like:Â Breezy guitar-pop with falsetto from abroad
Why they’re worth your time: This Japanese quartet could knock out any of your surf-garage bands out of your library with just one listen to “Night Time.” Light, crisp and pillowy all at the same time, the fin. would be a perfect opening act for bands like Phoenix or M83. Intricate textures and light-hearted melodies make them our international pick.
||| Stream:Â “Veil”
If you like:Â Amy Winehouse stylings (musical), Lady Gaga and/or Marina and the Diamonds stylings (fashion), with some Columbian flare
Why she’s worth your time: Some may recognize her voice on GoldLink’s track “Divine” among her hip hop tracks, and some may remember Columbian singer Kali Uchis from when she recently killed it at the Echo just a couple of weeks ago. Somewhere in between coos and scats, Uchis brings the lyrical heat in songs like “Know What I Want” and “Ridin Round.” Underneath all that loud fashion lie some pretty fiery statements as well.
||| Stream:Â “Melt” and “Ridin Round”
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