Let’s start off with an apology to the ladies.
A plethora of articles glorify indie starlet after indie starlet, without so much as a bone thrown to female readers. We all know that image is a prime part of an artist’s draw, and it’s no surprise that exposed skin and high cheekbones can turn a guy’s head. However, for all the bombshells that are sprinkled across noisepop, country and underground rap right now, there’s more than a few guys that can charm the hearts of female listeners across the musical spectrum.
Foster The People
Flip on the radio anytime in the last 10 months and it’s likely that, within a few minutes, this band’s airwave smash ”Pumped Up Kicks” popped on. So it’s clear from this track alone that the brand of hip-shaking gloss pop Foster The People churns out is infectious in every way. Despite the sound, these guys are not what one would expect visually — instead of hallucinogen-laden, new-age hippies, we get Los Angelenos who look like they should be modeling Prada rather than playing pop. There hasn’t been a band in recent history that looks better on stage or in an interview, and Mark Foster’s vocals and strong sense of musicality, as well as his nine years in the industry, have led Foster The People on a meteoric rise to becoming indie darlings.
Dead Man’s Bones (Ryan Gosling)
Nothing about Ryan Gosling is fair. All things considered, he should not be a real person — no one should be able to look that good, act that well (“Blue Valentine,” anyone?), and still have a talented band. Dead Man’s Bones embodies a concept that is abhorred by most music critics, as actors typically aren’t known for having great concept bands, but Gosling breaks the mold with his brand of Tim Burton-esque folk. When he isn’t breaking up fights on the streets of New York City, he’s also enlisting children’s music choirs to come and record with his group, providing anthemic backing vocals for his concise and haunting tracks. Ryan Gosling is a unicorn — there’s just too much awesome in this one man for him to be a real person.
Panda Bear
Some may know him as Noah Lennox, and others may remember his iconic panda hat donned at most early Animal Collective shows, but Panda Bear is truly now in a class of his own. His latest album, Tomboy, is an unlikely cocktail of psychedelic infused Beach Boys pop, and a true evolution of the roots he laid with Animal Collective. He is also easily classifiable as being “indie hot,” much in the same vein as Zooey Deschanel. His music may not be completely accessible to most at first listen, but just as with his former musical ventures, his delay and reverb-heavy spin on summertime sing-a-longs will eventually win over hearts, whether on paper or in headphones.
