There has been a recent uptick in the number of foreign bands I listen to. Not because I'm anti-American music-I've got plenty of that too-but because I've found or been introduced to some amazing foreign musicians that I think deserve a little love.
First, I'd like to introduce the Pepper Pots. Not to be confused with Tony Stark's assistant/lover, this band is Motown soul at its best-except they're from Girona, Catalonia, Spain. These guys and gals, all 10 of them, put together a Motown sound and stuck to it. They've played a few festivals here in the states, but mostly they play over in Europe, with a U.K. Tour in the works for April of this year.
I found these guys through a site that specializes in alternative music, and when I saw that it was labeled "swing", I decided to give it a try. Needless to say, it's not quite what I expected, but Train to Your Lover was a great introductory album, where they seem to have really found their sound.
Swingin' Sixties, their first record has very much a more ska feel to it, but it feels like they want to be so much more than a ska band.
Now! (2010) came pretty close to the sound that they've settled into on 2011's Train, but there was still something missing. The addition of sound engineer Bob Olhsson, who was instrumental in Motown's records between 1965 and 1972, has definitely tightened up the sound and created a true soul revival around this band.
Norwegian girl-band Razika is definitely a band to watch, and for once, the band from Norway isn't a black metal band. The sound these four young Norwegian lasses coax out of their instruments is decidedly old fashioned, but not tired. Jangly guitars and honey sweet vocals make their debut, Program 91, a great introductory album.
These four women recorded their album on weekends to get around their school schedule, which makes them highly dedicated, but also makes me a little bit sad that they're only 19 and already have an album this good.
While some people call their sound indie or ska, they really sound like good pop music. The clean guitars and straightforward sound put them into a category I can't quite assign. They sound like a little bit of everything good in old pop music.
The pillows are another band that deserves some attention. After 20 years of making music, this J-rock (Japanese rock) band has made some unforgettable tunes. Most notably, for those familiar with anime, the pillows did the soundtrack to "FLCL" or "Fooly Cooly." Songs like "Little Busters" and "Ride on a Shooting Star" are instantly recognizable to fans of the anime, even if the lyrics are unintelligible for those who don't speak Japanese.
Even without knowing exactly what they're singing the songs are super catchy, and numbers like "Purple Apple" will have you tapping your foot and ready for more.
With so many records out (17 right now, the 18th on the way this year) there's more than enough music to sift through. There's also a wealth of genres the band has dabbled in, including jazz, punk and pop.
One more band: a punk gem, Die Toten Hosen. These Germans have been putting out punk music for nearly 30 years, and they have the back catalogue to prove it. While their name translates literally to "the Dead Pants," there's a lot of energy to their music. From early albums of yelling in German and abrasive guitars like 1983's Opel Gang to the more pop-punk Kauf MICH! only 10 years later, the band has maintained a steady progression of sound.
If there is any song American audiences would recognize from the band's singles it would be "Hier Kommt Alex" from 1988's Ein kleines bisschen Horrorschau. While the band has never had wild success here in the states, this track made it into "Guitar Hero," making sure that the band has at least been glossed over while kids learn to play "Through Fire and Flames."
There you have it-my four foreign bands that deserve some American attention. Check out the records on YouTube, most of the bands have a good selection of music on their official channels, as well as MySpace pages with music to stream. The only bad thing is some of their records haven't had American releases, so be prepared to pay a little more if you buy a physical copy.
Having a love affair with foreign music as well? Want to give Jeremy some listening tips? Send him an e-mail at jgartzke@dailycardinal.com.
