With their slackerfied-Blondie sounds, California trio Best Coast have a lot of potential as an up and coming band to get big on their first time around.
Impresario of Baltimore's Wham City loft, Deacon's rocking is experimental, freaky, funny and hard-driving. His look pretty much redefines unassuming, but onstage he has a huge pied piper personality and can get a crowd to do pretty much anything. Tourfilter was at a Middle East show where Dan talked the entire audience of 600 into walking out of the club onto Brookline Street, and continued to play to an empty room for a few minutes before everyone shambled back in again.
Dawes' formal debut, "North Hills," echoes the Laurel Canyon sound of yore. Think Neil Young, CSNY, The Band and yup, we're going for it, "early" Eagles. Gorgeous harmonies, gorgeous guitar lines and they bring it live.
Cincinnati/Brooklyn croon-rockers The National are touring in front of their follow-up to 2007's acclaimed Boxer, coming in May of this year.











