We're all in college (surprise!). At this point in the game, we all realize that the best and the brightest in new music are not always found on major, gigantic labels or Total Request Live (although to find out that 22-year-old grad students actually watch that show is totally disheartening).
As Pitchforkmedia tends to talk about so-and-so signing to Capitol Records and more and more people are blabbing about blogging, the hunt for fresh, exciting music has become a bit more esoteric. We at The Scene are constantly searching for diamonds in the rough and have decided to share our findings. What follows is a short list of bands that are making waves - whether it's with a glossy, self-produced CD that the trust fund clearly paid for or a sloppy Myspace profile and a couple of CD-Rs. Either way, these three bands are either headed towards greatness or will find a comfy spot in obscurity.
-Compiled by the Scene staff
The Changes: "The Changes"
A little bit nerdy and a little bit sheepish, The Changes are doing their best to channel the plane that exists between Devo and The Talking Heads. This Chicago band has been itching to break out of its pigeonhole and will probably do so any minute now. For example, they recently played a gig at the Sundance Film Festival. The main degree of separation from their new-wave idols, though, is their glistening production and well-maintained haircuts. Okay, just kidding. The original new wave dudes had great hair.
Tartufi: "So We Are Alive"
Tartufi hails from the San Francisco Bay area and will be making their way to South by Southwest to show the bazillions of people who journey to Texas in March what they've got up their sleeves. And that is fun, energetic and surprisingly unlame indie-pop that takes major cues from bands like Built to Spill, the Spinanes and Minus the Bear (who ever thought those three would be in a comparison set like that?). Lead singers Simone Grudzen and Lynne Angel plow out harmonies like you wouldn't believe.
Jessica Jones: "Every Barren Branch"
Last semester, The Eagle ran a piece about the Pacific Northwest music scene and how awesome and influential it is. Jessica Jones, based out of Portland, Ore., is a prime example of that influence and the great things it produces. Fuzzy, lo-fi, "I recorded this on a tape deck in my bedroom" sort of stuff is Jones' specialty. What's great about Jones is that while she recorded this album sounding much like Mirah circa 1999, she's also in a sweet noise band called We Quit. What this girl has is called diversity.
