20 Bands You Probably Don't Know About But You Should Totally Listen To

Do you ever get sick of the songs you hear on the radio? Or maybe the songs that you have on you iPod? Well I have been listening to all these amazing Indie bands and i just really want to share good music with all of you.

Here are 20 bands you probably haven't hear before, (because they're not popular) but you should totally listen to (BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL AWESOME) I separated bands with male and female vocalists, just in case that matters.

1) Two Door Cinema Club

Genre: Indie rock, electropop, post-punk revival,dance-punk

From: Bangor and Donaghadee, County Down, Northern Ireland

Best songs: Something Good Can Work, Undercover Martyn, Do You Want It All

2) MGMT

Genre: Psychedelic rock, neo-psychedelia, progressive rock, surf, electronica, western, synthpop

From: Middletown, Connecticut, United States

Best songs: Kids, Electric Feel, Time To Pretend

 

3) The Kooks

Genre: Indie rock, Britpop, alternative rock, indie pop

From: Brighton, England

Best songs: Naïve, Love It All, She Moves In Her Own Way

 

4) Kids Of 88

Genre: New Wave, electro, afrobeat, disco

From: Auckland City, New Zealand

Best songs: My House, Just A Little Bit, Feed The Birds

5) The Wombats

Genre: Indie rock, post punk, [Pop Punk]

From: Liverpool, England, United Kingdom

Best songs: Techno Fan, 1996, Our Perfect Disease

6) Friendly Fires

Genre: Indie rock, Dance-punk, disco, funk

From: St Albans, Hertfordshire, UK

Best songs: Hurting, Hawaiian Air, Jump In The Pool

7) The Drums

Genre: Indie rock, indie pop, post-punk revival, New Wave, electronic

From: Brooklyn, New York

Best songs: Submarine, How It Ended, What You Were

8) The Temper Trap

Genre: Indie rock, post-punk revival

From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Best songs: Sweet Disposition, Fader, Trembling Hands

9) Phoenix

Genre: Alternative rock, New Wave, Synthpop

From: Versailles, France

Best songs: 1901, Lisztomania, Too Young

10) Animal Kingdom

Genre:  Indie rock, Alternative rock, Post-Britpop

From: North London, United Kingdom

Best songs: Strange Attractor, Signs & Wonders, Tin Man

11) Plastiscines

Genre: Garage rock revival, Indie pop, Indie rock

From: Saint-Cyr-l'École, France

Best songs: Bitch, Barcelona, Another Kiss

12) The Like

Genre: Alternative rock, Indie rock

From: Los Angeles, California, USA

Best songs (for me): What I Say & What I Mean, June Gloom, He’s Not A Boy

13) Uh Huh Her

Genre: Indie, rock, electropop

From: Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Best songs: Common Reaction, Another Case, Explode

14) The Pretty Reckless

Genre: Alternative rock, hard rock, post-grunge

From: New York City, New York, U.S.

Best songs: My Medicine, Miss Nothing, Make Me Wanna Die

 

15) The Bird & The Bee

Genre: Indie pop, synthpop, psychedelic pop, shoegaze

From: Los Angeles, California, United States

Best songs: Fucking Boyfriend, Again & Again, I’m Into Something Good

16) Sleigh Bells

Genre: Noise pop, dance-punk

From: Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States

Best song: Riot Rhythm, Rill Rill, Run The Heart, Infinity Guitars, Comeback Kid 

17) Those Dancing Days

Genre: Indie pop, twee pop

From: Stockholm, Sweden

Best songs: Hitten, I’ll Be Yours, Fuckarias

18) Of Monsters & Men

Genre: Indie Folk, Indie Pop

From: Garður, Iceland

Best songs: Little Talks, Love Love Love, King & Lionheart

19) Donora

Genre: indie pop/rock band

From: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Best songs: Shout, I Think I Like You, Shhh

20) Dressy Bessy

Genre: Indie rock, Power pop

From: Denver, Colorado, United States

Best songs: Electrified, If You Should Try & Kiss Her, She Likes It

Enjoy! :)

- Mersi Marrakesh

The Phillip Phillips Coldplay connection

America has decided. Phillip Phillips is the newest American Idol, besting 16-year-old Filipino-Mexican-American Jessica Sanchez.

Phillips is the fifth in a string of white guys with guitar (WGWG) who won the popular reality talent search - David Cook (Season 7), Kris Allen (Season 8), Lee DeWyze (Season 9), and Scotty McCreery (Season 10).

Phillips finale song, for me, is the best coronation single in Idol history. The song entitled “Home” was written by songwriter Drew Pearson, who’s worked with past Idol alumni including Adam Lambert, Casey Abrams and Lee DeWyze. It was originally meant for British artist Greg Holden, but was submitted to Idol as a possible finale number by Pearson’s publishing company, Pulse Recordings.

I can’t help but notice the similarity between Phillip Phillips’ “Home” and Coldplay’s “’Til Kingdom Come,” a song I happen to like a lot. They have parallel guitar riffs and similar melodies. I’m posting videos of the two songs. Try to listen and let me know what you think, let's talk on Twitter.

Home by Phillip Phillips

'Til Kingdom Come by Coldplay

- Kwento ni Remus Mark

Together finally

My grandfather Maximo Fontelera Adamos and grandmother Teodorica Mangosing Adamos in their final resting place. We love you, Lolo at Lola!

- Kwento ni Remus Mark

Inside A Wanderer's Thoughts

Hello, it's been a while since my last blog. So, i'm gonna tell you about my little adventure today.

I woke up around 9 in the morning. I'm not really a morning person, so i needed to drink coffee to sort of energize me. Since i'm slow at everything, eating, taking a shower, getting dressed and all that, it was past 11am when i left the house. I took the bus. Last time i took the bus, i almost flew out of where i was standing (I was forced to stand because there was no available seat). But you know, it's cheap and i like public transportation, the basic kinds. Jeepneys, buses, tricycles and trains. Anyway, i found a seat this time, so it was all good. It was a non-airconditioned bus, which i honestly prefer cause i hate the smell of airconditioned buses and cabs. I prefer the windows open, despite the fact that all i could breathe in is pollution. I don't know, i just like it that way. And as absurd as it was, sitting in the bus with the sun shining on me while i breathe in polluted air, i couldn't help but smile and feel happy (weird, i know). It made me think of wanting to run around a wide open space with green grass and tall trees, for some reason. Finally i reached my destination. I was running an errand. You know, payment of taxes, adult stuff. When i got to the city hall, i ran (or briskly walked, rather) from one building to another. After about 2 or 3 hours, i was done.

I rode a jeepney home then did some work stuff then i suddenly remembered that i haven't had lunch yet, it was 5 in the afternoon. So i had "lunch" then took off again. I was kinda new around here, well, not really. I've been living here for more or less a year but i haven't really been going around by myself. I usually go out with my brother and sister and we usually take a cab. But as I said, i'm not a fan of cabs or airconditioned buses. So I went to ride a jeepney again. The funny thing is, i didn't even know which jeepney to ride, and where i was supposed to get off. I texted my friend and he gave me directions and luckily i was able to find my way. I bought headphones for my gig tomorrow and tried to look for a red dress or shirt or whatever that i could wear for tomorrow but i couldn't find anything i like, and i was kinda tired from all the brisk walking too so i headed to where i went off the jeepney earlier. It was 7 in the evening so naturally, it was dark. I almost got lost as i made my way through the narrow streets that led to where the jeepneys passed. I didn't seem as far when i walked there earlier, i made a lot of left turns. Finally, i saw the jeepneys and i felt relieved. I got home safely.

I honestly don't know what the point of this blog is, but i wanted to share how shallow i am for being happy for all the brisk walking, wandering, getting lost and finding my way i did today, cause i like those things altogether. I've always known that i'm a wanderer, no matter how small the amount of places i've been to, the time will come when i will wander everywhere. I was so lost inside my head that it made me think of all sorts of things and the irony of finding peace within myself while i was making my way through the busy streets of Quezon City convinces me even more of how weird I am. And.... i don't know how to end this. I guess this is sort of a glimpse inside my bizzare, eccentric mind and how my thoughts deviate from the norm. But believe me, i am sane. :D

P.S. This is the perfect song for this blog. :)

- A whole bunch of random thoughts from Mersi Marrakesh

Absence of Light

Black is the absence of light

Here's my picture taken at our house during Earth Hour 2012 :)


- Kwento ni Remus Mark

Remembering Lola Loleng

Teodorica Mangosing Adamos

Dear Lola Loleng, the vision of you singing "Dahil Sa Yo" used to make me smile. Now all I feel is sadness knowing I won't hear you sing this song again. I no longer have to catch up with you speaking Ilokano again. No more companion to eat chico with. I could have served you, taken care of you longer. My only consolation is I know you are now with Lolo Max and in the loving embrace of the Lord. I miss you badly. I love you.

Teodorica Mangosing Adamos

17 January 1928 – 26 March 2012

- Kwento ni Remus Mark

Yellow is warmth, energy

Finally picked a color for the walls of our new office. Yellow blast courtesy of Ace Hardware at SM Cubao.

Ihalo na yang pintura na yan. Shake it, baby!


- Kwento ni Remus Mark

This is the Cocoflow

I just love drinking buko juice. It's probably the most refreshing fruit drink ever. 

Buko is what we call coconut in Filipino. Buko is called kelapa in Indonesian. The Coconut Tree is called "The Tree of Life" and there's a thousand reasons why it's called as such but I won't bore you with that. In the meantime enjoy this photo of a coconut vendor taken couple of days ago as I was walking to the office.

Buko vendor along 13th Avenue, Cubao

Cheers!

- Kwento ni Remus Mark

A piece of Bali in Manila

Look what I found along D. Tuazon, Quezon City

Bali Palace Authentic Balinese Massage

- Kwento ni Remus Mark