New Discoveries 2008

now playing: Orleans - Dance With Me

With the new year upon us, it's appropriate for most people with a music blog to talk about the best albums of 2008, or the best new artists of 2008, or the tastiest sandwich of 2008 (which I would have to say was some sort of terrible multi-tiered concoction that needed support beams to stand upright). I, however, plan to talk about some of the best bands I discovered this year. That's a double-edged sword: I don't have to limit myself to this year in music, but I also run the risk of embarrassing myself if I talk about a band that everybody has known about for ages. That's never stopped me before.

The Sterns

Boston-based band The Sterns hit the music scene in 2005 with Say Goodbye to the Camera and delivered again in 2007 with Sinners Stick Together. I picked up their sophomore album a few months ago and was impressed the whole way through with their ability to take guitar, bass, keyboard, and horns and blend high-energy tracks like "Supreme Girl" (about a love affair between Harriet Miers and George W. Bush) and "Twenty-Three Hours" seamlessly with slower songs along the lines of "Rosemary Cross". The quintet-turned-trio is working on a new EP, due out sometime soon. I had the privilege of seeing The Sterns live at the Baked Fresh Festival in October and was not disappointed with any of their new material. Keep an eye out for updates on their MySpace, or pick up their music on iTunes.

Ghost Hounds

It's a real shame California's Ghost Hounds don't have more publicity. In a musical diaspora filled with imitation band after imitation band, they bring a truly unique sound that just can't be found in modern bands these days. These five guys have a heavy blues/classic rock sound with backing vocals in all the right places, real guitar solos, and just a touch of Hammond organ for taste. You can't get this anywhere else. You can look for Ghost Hounds' first album, Vintage Trouble, to hit stores in February 2009. Until then, keep yourself posted on their MySpace and don't forget to sign up for their mailing list.

Paramore

All right, this one's a bit of a stretch, since I've known about Paramore for a while. I did, however, decide to pick up their live album, The Final Riot!, recorded in Chicago on the last show of their Riot! tour. This is without a doubt one of the best live albums I've ever heard. Singer Hayley Williams commands the crowd in countless callback sections, which are my favorite part of any concert, in songs from Riot! and their debut album All We Know is Falling. Just before doing their (unrelated) song of the same title, the band does a brief cover of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah". By the time the show closes with "Misery Business", the energy is pulsing through the speakers at record amounts and it makes me realize just how much I want to see this band perform live. I don't even care if their brand of power-pop is marketed towards the scene kids. (It helps that Hayley Williams is a bit of a fox.) You can find clips from The Final Riot! and more on their MySpace, and if you like that, feel free to check them out on iTunes.

With that, the first edition of Ombrophilia draws to a close. Until next time, keep your eyes on the skies.