Entertainment
New Music Runs on Girl Power: 5 New Bands You Need to Listen To Right Now
Over the weekend, New York's CMJ Music Marathon doled out servings of new music in venues all over Manhattan and Brooklyn. There were dollops of indie pop, hip hop, and electronic music, but the most prominent offering was a line-up of absolutely kick-ass women. Whether we're talking about talented ladies leading a coed band like Lucius (pictured above), an all-girl band challenging the stereotypes of a male-dominated genre, or a solo artist putting a twist on the well-worn shtick of our most beloved pop stars, one thing is very clear: it's a good time to be a female artist in the music business.
These are the five acts we discovered at CMJ that need to find their way onto one of your Spotify playlists right now.
Lucius
Great things come from Brooklyn, it seems. Indie-pop band Lucius takes no time at all to put you under their spell of infectious beats and thoughtful lyrics. Co-founders and lead vocalists Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig bring haunting vocals and a killer sense of '60s-inspired style to the stage and to their newly released album Wildewoman .
Of all the talented ladies on this list, Lucius is the group with the most imminent success. They've already been praised by the likes of Paste Magazine, NPR's Bob Boilen, and the New York Times. Get on this train already, people.
Image: Courtesy of Mom+Pop Records
Betty Who
For the pop-music-inclined music lover, look no further than Australian pop singer Betty Who. An enticing mix of Katy Perry and Robyn finds its home in Betty Who's catchy collection of dance-ready songs, including the bubbly "Somebody Loves You."
Her EP, Betty Who The Movement (no relation to Miley's Movement), is available on SoundCloud and is primed and ready to make an appearance on your party playlist. Now. Seriously. Do it.
Image: Kelsea Stahler
Potty Mouth
Punk music is not a realm often known for its inclusiveness. In the long list of influential punk bands, you'd be hard-pressed to find a solid number of women leading the charge. Enter the young all-lady pop-punk band (with indie tendencies) Potty Mouth.
Their debut album, Hell Bent , was released in October ahead of their appearance at CMJ and it epitomizes the ladies' go-to slogan: "gender does not equal genre."
Image: Potty Mouth on Facebook
Alpine
This Australian alt-pop band has already made waves Down Under, so at this point, we're just playing catch-up. Their debut album, A is for Alpine, is marked by the intoxicating, airy vocals of singers Phoebe Baker and Lou James and is ridiculously easy to love.
The group already has two ARIAs (the equivalent of Australian Grammys) under their belts and their album was placed at the top of Australia's iTunes Alternative charts in 2012. Clearly, these leading ladies and their cohorts are worth a listen.
Image: AlpineBand.com
ASTR
This indie/electronic duo may be half-dude, but singer Zoe Silverman commands the stage completely when ASTR takes the stage with their specific brand of dark, dreamy dance music.
While ASTR only has a handful of songs available on SoundCloud and Spotify, they were all over New York in the past week and their EP is imminent. Silverman, the former yoga teacher, and her partner Adam are a group worth keeping your eye on, if for no other reason than their fantastic cover of Drake.
Image: ASTR on Facebook
