2020 brought with it social change, debate, sorrow and new opportunities. Many contemporary musicians took advantage of the era to create music that expresses the emotions and upheavals of the year in ways that will surely withstand the test of time.
Now that the new decade has begun we want to take a break from our FairGo casino login to look at those pioneering bands as we anticipate artistic innovation and experimentation for 2021 and onward.
Quaker City Night Hawks
Quaker City Night Hawks mixes Texas blues with science fiction, Bible Belt boogie and 1970s rock that creates a vibe of spacy, southern stomp that rocks the house. They have a wide-ranging fan base with enthusiasts that, as Rolling Stone said, flies "in the face of mainstream rules."
The southern influence and '70s element is infused in all of their work which weaves melodies and signature riffs throughout, even science-fiction inspired songs. If you're looking for some street-smart, Tex-Mex desert rock that provides a big-city bombast, QCNH's experiments are the ones to explore.
Bishop Gunn
Bishop Gunn brings good ol' Southern country and blues rock 'n roll Americana into America's heartland. The four-piece band hails from Natchez, Mississippi and includes all the best elements of all of its musical traditions including guitar, bass, drums and a harmonica.
The Bishop Gunn members have been influenced by artists including Soundgarden, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Wilson Pickett.
In addition to covering other artists, Bishop Gunn has first-class material of their own. Their most striking composition is generally believed to be a spooky gospel-type song, Alabama, about a young man who picks up a strange woman at a bar and finds himself exploring the dark never-regions with the pistol-carrying Bible thumper.
The Underground Thieves
Led by Nick Perry, The Underground Thieves focuses on covering Deep Purple and Led Zepplin but they have some unique material of their own. In the past, Perri produced the Transformers compilation album and is now leading the Thieves in a delicious bluesy romp through other bands' successes and the Thieves' own.
Perri wrote the "Feeling Good" single two years ago and it's more meaningful today than it was when he wrote it, at least for his fans and listeners. The song spoke to dealing with challenges, both those that we meet personally and those that we meet professionally. The lyrics could have been written yesterday but offer hope about bringing light to darkness.
John (TimesTwo)
For some roaring metal, check out John (Times Two), a unique duo (both named John) who deliver raw alt-rock, metallic minimalism and classic punk. They are, perhaps, best known for supporting the Idles on the Idles European tour but they have their own material to present in the form of Future Thinker where they outline their pessimistic vision of the future. Looking beyond the words, the theme focuses on man's struggle to really grasp an image of a future among the challenges of the present.
Dinosaur Pile-Up
With a name like Dinosaur Pile-Up, it's no surprise that this band's preferred genre is melodic grunge. What is surprising is that after several years of hanging with the 2nd tier, Dinosaur Pile-Up has broken out with some fun and rollicking alternative rock entertainment.
Their first three albums, Growing Pains, Nature Nurture and Eleven Eleven were met with lukewarm enthusiasm but their 2019 release, Celebrity Mansions, put them firmly in the drivers' seat. Celebrity Mansions featured the full-of-substance Thrash Metal Cassette with plenty of two-stepping, catchy warring energy.
Dirty Honey
Dirty Honey is an LA-based group that plays "new old-fashioned rock 'n 'roll" and have made a success of it, topping Billboard's Mainstream Rock Songs chart with their When I'm Gone" in which the band members attempt to identify what speaks honestly to them. That, together with their goal of creating a raw and authentic piece, delivers a fun and wild experience that, rumour has it, has made them a favourite of the members of Guns 'n Roses.
Those Damn Crows
Straight from Wales, Those Damn Crows have produced albums and singles that have resulted in them being named the Best Live Band of 2019 by the NWOCR FaceBook Group. The band is a "hard-hitting five-piece rock band" whose star shines brightly thanks to their loyal following, mention as the UK's Planet Rock radio station's "Ones to Watch" and title of Metal Hammer magazine's "New Band of the Week."
Their 2018 debut album Murder and the Motive was number 5 on the Independent Album Breakers Chart and number five on the Official UK Rock & Metal Album's Chart. Their second album, 2020's Point of No Return, was number 14 on the UK Album's chart. With merciless energy levels, blissful harmony and the piano-led, orchestral Never Win, Those Damn Crows have made it clear that this group are artists to watch in 2021.
Larkin Poe brings a fusion of delta blues and garage rock 'n roll to Nashville, their new home. The sister duo combines guitar, lap steel dobro and some serious strong southern harmonies to the sound studio. Their efforts have been noted with a nomination for a Grammy.
Over the last 15 years, the sisters have had numerous successes including appearances on TV and at festivals, collaboration albums, 5 independent EPs and a live performance EP. Their first full-length album was KIN which was released in 2013 and their second, Reskinned, came out in 2016.
It was their 2018 album, Venom and Faith, that received the Grammy nomination. Self Made Man hit the charts just a few months ago and featured the first single She's a Self Made Man.
Joyous Wolf
Joyous Wolf is simply a joyous classic West Coast rock'n'roll that picks from the '70s to '90s bluesy metal and rock to create rocking covers of some of the old greats as well as their own contributions to the 2020s music scene. Their fusion of different sounds creates what they call "angry blues" though it sounds anything but angry when they get down and dirty on-stage.
Their 2020 standout, Odyssey, fuses all of the classical elements of a Joyous Wolf piece along with meaningful lyrics that make you want to pat the performers and remind them that "it's going to be OK."
