The Shape Of Americana Music To Come – Six Young Performers To Keep On Your Radar
B. Dutch Seyfarth
Posted On March 8, 2011
Welcome to the Class of 2011 – Six Young Performers To Keep On Your Radar (and a follow up on last year’s Class of 2010)
Apologies for not getting this out earlier in February. Well, just like last year, we have a whole new crop of americana musicians worthy of your time to check out. And just like last year, I scoured the earth like Cain in Kung Fu to bring the very best in exciting new original music I think you’ll love.
Before we talk about this year’s honorary inductees, let’s get re-acquainted with how 201- treated last year’s class:
I am happy to report that most of last year’s Class of 2010 had breakout years. Mumford and Sons is now a household word on the tips of music fans everywhere and Nathaniel Rateliff (who dropped the “The Wheel moniker in 2010) logged successful tours across the USA and overseas to large crowds.
Who: These United States
ARTIST WEBSITE
Sounds like: a countryfied version of Modest Mouse with an infusion of DNA from the “Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash” era of The Replacements
Hails from: Lexington, KY and Washington, DC
What this band has been up to since last year: The pride of Lexington, Kentucky, These United States had a hot year headlining just about hip music club across the country to standing room only crowds. The young band also made friends with the Widespread Panic camp and were selected as tour openers for the well regarded side project of Panic headed by David Schools known as Stockholm Syndrome. Predictably, that tour did very, very well and 2011 appears the young kand from Kentucky will be visible at many of the larger, more prestigious music festivals.
Who: Mumford and Sons
ARTIST WEBSITE
Sounds like: The sweeping southwestern musical vistas of Calexico mated with the celebratory irish folk ballads of The Pogues
Hails from: London, UK
What this band has been up to since last year:
Who: Nathaniel Rateliff and the Wheel
ARTIST WEBSITE
Sounds like: I don’t often use the phrase “you-need-to-hear-it-to-believe-it-one-of-a-kind” to describe an artist but Nathaniel Rateliff and the Wheel certainly deserve the moniker
Hails from: Denver, Colorado
What this performer has been up to since last year:
Who: 500 Miles to Memphis
ARTIST WEBSITE
Sounds like: The Old 97’s, Reckless Kelly, Rocky Votolato, Gaslight Anthem, The Jayhawks
Hails from: Cincinnatti, Ohio
What this band has been up to since last year: Our friends in Cinncinnatti country punk band 500 Miles to Memphis logged another 15,000 miles or so criss crossing the USA for the umpteenth time and now easily sell out 1500 capacity venues in their own region. While commercial success so far has eluded the promising young midwestern band on the west side of the Mississippi, it’s inevitable that sooner or later people will catch on.
Who: Elin Palmer
ARTIST WEBSITE
Sounds like: Avante-garde + vaudeville + chamber-pop + angelic-vocals
Hails from: Värmlands län, Sweden
What this performer has been up to since last year:
Who: Stephen Marcus
ARTIST WEBSITE
Sounds like: John Prine, John Popper, Steve Earle, Townes Van Zandt, Levon Helm
Hails from: Crested Butte, Colorado
What this performer has been up to since last year:
