85 Days 'til Coachella - The Naked And Famous

While perusing the lineup and trying to find bands I actually liked, I did.  They're called The Naked And Famous, and while I think I've heard that song Young Blood on a commercial or god forbid an iPod commercial, they're catchy as hell and I won't apologize for liking them.

They remind me of a more poppy version of The Joy Formidable (another Coachella find, maybe in 2011) with a healthy dose of New Order phrasing and Ulrich Schnauss-esque keyboard loops mixed in.

For those of you who know and love the bands I've compared this band to, I know.  It's a pretty bold statement.  They're not as hard as TJF, not as classic as NO, and not as varied and lush as Ulrich, but they're also not derivative of any of them either.  And from the short previews I've experienced, I'd say the difference between their first (Passive Me, Aggressive You) and second albums (In Rolling Waves) speaks more to their diversity than anything.  The one constant is Alisa's vocals, and the fact that all the other elements surrounding her vocals, make you want to hear more. 

It's a bit of a shock to go straight from the poppy anthems they're known for to the brooding, swirling stuff on the latest effort, but hang in there.  The patient listener is rewarded, in different ways, listening to each.