As The Who Said, “Long Live Rock!”
I love british music! And I love british bands! I mean, from The Beatles to Led Zeppelin to The Who, The Clash and beyond, the English know how to keep rock alive!
Need Proof? Well, since the 1960’s, the world has listened to the best that Britain has to offer musically, known of course as:
The British Invasion!
Regardless of how music changes, some things stay the same: the Brits know how to make great music! Time now to check out five of the latest – and in some ways the most under-appreciated british bands, beginning with the upbeat pop stylings of this band:
Keane “Spiralling”!
If you know of Keane at all, it is probably due to “Somewhere Only We Know”, which was Keane’s biggest hit in the US, but here is one of the catchiest songs I’ve ever heard, of their “Perfect Symmetry” CD:
Here is the VERY catchy music video for the song “Spiralling”:
Here is how the band is described on their website:
“Not many British bands these days have more than one big-selling album, let alone five. Fewer still manage to replicate – and maintain – that success outside the UK. But, in the last decade, Keane have achieved all of those things and a whole lot more. After selling over 11 million copies of their five consecutive Number One records, with their four award winning albums and their 8 track EP ‘Night Train’, it is no exaggeration to say that Keane are firmly established as one of the world’s most successful, innovative and cherished bands.”
Keane is upbeat, sunny pop music, with a bit of weekend dance vibe, and some nice love songs as well, very melodic…now, here is a band with a bit more of a rugged vibe:
“Doves” Take Flight!
“Doves” are a great band from Cheshire, England. The band is twin brothers Jez Williams (guitar, vocals) and Andy Williams (drums, vocals), and Jimi Goodwin (bass, vocals, guitar). The band have released four studio albums, two of which have reached Number One on the UK album charts.
Here is the band performing “Catch The Sun” live in 2010:
The band has a number of great rock anthems, and here is a great way to get to know them: their first career-spanning compilation album “The Places Between: The Best of Doves” was released a few years back…
Both of these bands had great success in the UK, but didn’t really break big in the US. Here is another example of an acclaimed british band that is virtually unknown in the US:
Behold “Elbow!”
Elbow is one of the best bands in the UK today! They have been together since 1997, releasing six studio albums:
Their CD’s include Asleep in the Back (2001), Cast of Thousands (2003), Leaders of the Free World (2005) and The Seldom Seen Kid (2008)…
All of these are critically-acclaimed, such as Build a Rocket Boys! (2011), and The Take Off and Landing of Everything (2014).
Each CD is a classic, but I want you to hear Elbow’s first big hit: “Asleep In The Back”, from their very first album: it’s a haunting, melodic story of love lost.
Here is the VERY inventive music video for “Asleep In The Back”:
All of their studio albums have placed in the top 15 of the British album chart, and seven of their singles have placed in the top 40 of the British singles chart!
In 2008 Elbow won the Mercury Music Prize for their album The Seldom Seen Kid, and in 2009 they won the Brit Award for Best British Group. In 2012 they released “First Steps”, the BBC theme for the 2012 London Olympics.
They are definitely worth discovering…now, here is a band that is currently flirting with success in the US, by far the “rocking-ist” band on the list!
Hello, Kasabian!
Here is one of Britain’s greatest live band today: Kasabian rocks!
If you don’t believe me, check out the music video for this raucous, aggressive and completely catch Kasabian hit:
“Days Are Forgotten!”
Kasabian have released five studio albums – Kasabian (2004), Empire (2006), West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum (2009), Velociraptor! (2011), and 48:13 (2014). They won them a Brit Award in 2010 for Best British Group, and they headlined the 2014 Glastonbury Festival.
Kasabian is one of the most inventive bands on the market today…and finally, I have a band who I have referred to as:
“The Band To Listen To If Coldplay IS Too Raucous For You”!
Time to meet the British band “Athlete!”
“Athlete” formed in Deptford, London, and had a period of high-profile domestic success when their debut album Vehicles & Animals was a platinum seller in 2005.
It was followed up by their #1 CD “Tourist”, which went platinum in the UK. Their subsequent two albums “Beyond the Neighbourhood” and “Black Swan” were also hits in the UK.
Athlete’s “Superhuman Touch!”
Check out their latest hit single:
Athlete does have a Coldplay sound, mellow and smooth, but the songs are well-written and very catchy, and they are certainly worth a listen!
Now, as great as these five UK bands are, they don’t quite measure up to:
The Beatles!
Of course, the British Invasion was led by The Beatles, the single greatest musical group of all time…and if you haven’t heard the “remixed” White Album, check it out here:
I love it!
Categories: Awards, Books / Media, British Cinema, Classic Rock, London, Music, Obscure Music, Talent/Celebrities, Uncategorized
johnrieber 
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