Artist of the Week/of a lifetime: The Black Keys

This is a band I discovered in Summer 2013
                                  and haven't looked back since.

This talented American guitar and drums rock/blues duo encapsulate everything I love about the genre. Their lyrics catchy and original, their videos are entertainingly absurd, and their music is so rich and soul-absorbing you can't help but writhe with the strumming of the guitar and headbang vigorously with the drum beat.
In a few words: they are bloody good.

Best picks:

- Tighten Up (I strongly suggest watching the music video for this one)
- Gold On The Ceiling
- Howlin' For You
- Lonely Boy
- Little Black Submarines

Artist of the Week: Tame Impala

I've fallen in love with this Australian band, with vocals reflective of The Beatles, Kasabianesque guitar strumming and drum beats (in some of their songs), and other songs having more psychedelic qualities, they entrancingly capture the sounds of the 60s and 70s whilst only being a recent noughties band.

Some of the best songs of this wonderful trippy band include:
- Feels Like We Only Go Backwards
- Elephant
- Mind Mishief
- Sun's Coming Up

Artist of the Week: Glass Animals

This quirky indie band is quite new, only having released a few songs, but already sound like an indie band I could really get into. Their music composes of a mixture of natural and unnatural sounds, unusual lyrics and trance-like undertones which take you into another world for a few minutes, holding you in a dream like state.

Best picks: (though there aren't currently very many to choose from)
- Black Mambo
- Golden Antlers
- Exxus

Recommended Artist of the week: KAKKMADDAFUKKA

This Norwegian indie rock band have a name which is, quite frankly, terrifying, and gives the impression of being some sort of hardcore screamo band. However they are far from it. They are a lovely band which is reminiscent of The Kooks, with their upbeat songs and lighthearted lyrics.
They are a bit odd though; a music video for one of their songs, 'Someone New' taking place in a lemon factory, and many of their videos showing the members of the band dancing in a rather unusual manner, pulling ridiculous and unfitting faces. Maybe its a Norwegian thing.

My best picks:
-Someone New
-Restless
-Is She
-Forever Alone
-Bill Clinton
-Touching

Part II of my life through music- Introducing Indie

So far I haven't made any mention of Indie music, as I didn't discover my love of Indie until about a year after my rock music obsessions of 'Muse' and 'Coldplay' (which I still listen to from time to time, and whenever I do I feel a strange sense of nostalgia), which was when my Dad suggested two bands to me; 'Vampire Weekend', at first I was wary of these suggestions, as in the past I had found my Dad's taste in music to be rather obtuse and with a marmite quality to it, but from the moment I heard 'I see a Mansard roof through the trees' combined with that addictive drum beat and diverse range of instruments and miscellaneous lyrics sung by Ezra Koenig's tungsten melting voice I fell in love with this NY band, and to this day they are still unshakeably my favourite indie rock band.
Over the next few years, I discovered just how much music taste we have in common (and how much we don't), and much of the music I listen to and love today was and still is suggested by my Dad. He influenced my taste in very good music, and I am so glad he did, god forbid I would have ended up a Belieber or OneDirectioner (N.B. I mean no offense if you are a fan of these singers, however I must point out that they are certainly not my 'jam').
In June I went to see them perform at Portsmouth Guildhall, and it was AMAZING. As the lights dimmed and the audience started screaming, they came on stage in a burst with 'Cousins', the lights flashing with such a powerful ferocity that they could induce an epileptic fit to the beat of the intense drum beating and guitar strumming.
They are unforgettable live, and if you have the chance to see them live I'd strongly encourage you to see them, and if you didn't love them before, you'll love them afterwards.

Best picks: (however Vampire Weekend is one of very few bands whom I like all the songs of)

'Vampire Weekend'
-Oxford Comma
-Horchata
-Cousins
-Walcott
-A-Punk
-Diane Young

Ska revelation

So recently I was recommended 'Ska'. After being told that it was a mixture of reggae and jazz, I wasn't sure if I would like it but, low and behold, after listening to 'Ghost Town' by The Specials, I was hooked!
However, as this genre is relatively new to me, I don't know very many Ska bands, so I'm asking you guys to quench my musical thirst and recommend some Ska bands! Any Ska bands which you recommend, I'll listen to and review!
I look forward to hearing from you :3

Recommended Artist of the Week: Grouplove

About half a year ago I came across a band called 'Grouplove', an LA based indie rock band, when I was looking up a catchy song of theirs- 'Tongue Tied'- which I heard on an advert and subsequently looked up, finding that I love their other songs just as much.
The main singer, Christian Zucconi, has a distinct voice which has a raspy voice and whose singing is often more like yelling or talking, which works well with the odd lyrics and tunes of Grouplove's songs.
Have a listen to Grouplove for something a little different. :)

My best picks:
-Tongue Tied
-Ways to Go
-Don't Say Oh Well
-Colours
-Itchin' on a Photograph
-Getaway Car (this song has sections which sound very familiar, if you know songs which sound very similar, please comment as I'd love to know :3)