Local Natives (formerly cavil at rest) is an indie rock band based in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, California. After the three founding members originally met in high school, a bassist and a drummer were found, and they all moved to a house in Silver Lake in 2008 to record their album. Their debut album as Local Natives, "Gorilla Manor", was released in the UK on Nov 2nd, 2009, and saw a US release date of Feb. 16th, 2010.
CocoRosie began in Paris, France and formed by Sierra Casady (Rosie) and Bianca Casady (Coco) in 2003. Sierra and Bianca Casady are North American half-Cherokee sisters. Sierra, the older of the two, was born in Iowa, and Bianca was born in Hawaii. Their mother nicknamed them Rosie and Coco, respectively, from which their musical act takes its name. In 2003, Bianca was growing restless and decided it was time for a change. Leaving her apartment in Brooklyn to travel the world, she ended up at Sierra's apartment in Paris.
Francis Plagne is a Melbourne-based musician and songwriter whose work engages with both popular and experimental music.
Grizzly Bear is an indie/folk rock band from Brooklyn, New York. Their music uses melody and ambiance in conjunction with hazy-eyed choruses, whistles, piano, banjo, and several woodwind instruments. Grizzly Bear was originally the solo project of Edward Droste (vocals/guitar), who recorded his debut album Horn Of Plenty at home. The record was originally meant for his friends, but it eventually circulated and got a proper release in 2004, this time with the help of Christopher Bear (drums/vocals). A re-release with a bonus disc of remixes was issued in 2005.
So-named after infamous soundsystem experiments by obvious influences The Flaming Lips, The Parking Lot Experiments are a Melbourne free-k pop ensemble ecstatically making music that glitters with charm and smiles, that wilfully escapes genres by being so hyper-inclusive, and that will almost certainly make you want to hug your friends. Currently consisting of brothers Andrew and David Connor, Lloyd Pratt and Justin Schachter (don't bother working out who plays what), often with other friends and family joining in.
Joanna Newsom (born January 18, 1982) started taking piano lessons at a very early age and played for a couple of years, but switched to the harp at seven. Her approach to the harp, from the percussive aspects of her playing to her chord changes, was also influenced by West African and Venezuelan harp music, which she began studying at a folk music camp she attended in her early teens. At the same time, she also listened to more vocal-based folk, punk, and jazz like Karen Dalton, Texas Gladden, Patti Smith, and Billie Holiday.
Vashti Bunyan is an English singer who was publicized to be the next Marianne Faithfull and the female version of Bob Dylan back in the mid-60s. Several singles were released in the 1960s to some mild success. Bunyan also released the LP, Just Another Diamond Day, in 1970 which consisted of songs written while traveling in a horse drawn gypsy cart. Critics panned the album and a discouraged Vashti soon disappeared from the music scene.