They Came From Myspace Vol. 6.0
words: Megan Petty
photos: LR

I didn’t think it would happen. A lot of other people probably didn’t think it would happen. But like my things inexplicable, happen it did.

Myspace has hit, and surpassed, the 100 million user milestone.

A number that monstrously large warrants significant fanfare, surely. Perhaps someday we’ll have Myspace Street or Myspace Day. Or perhaps it’ll all spontaneously combust one of these days. The universe works in mysterious ways.

Attempts at prophesizing aside, it’s no small feat to get 100 million people plus to sign up for your service. So in honor of this (somewhat frightening) event, I present to you the SuperSized TCFM 6.0. The number of bands has been doubled, yes that’s right doubled, for your pleasure.

Here’s to Myspace. Bottoms up.

The Action (Wise, Virginia) – garage, indie/rock ::

Wise County, Virginia is celebrating its Sesquicentennial this year. Wise County is also home to the duo known as the Action. “Go” highlights their raw, aggressive sound, and features the simply fabulous line “less talk a little more action.” Perhaps it’s the Action’s mantra. They’re loud, brassy, and full of attitude. They remind me of a (slightly) less frantically frenzied Death Set. Maybe they’ll be putting Wise on the map for something other than a centennial.

Benny Hotel (Melbourne, Australia) – rock/pop/regional Mexican ::

Benny Hotel are one of those bands that you almost don’t want to tell anyone about, because then they won’t be your little secret anymore. But seeing as they’ve got loads of Myspace friends now, I thought it necessary to break my silence. Never again will you hear a song about eating a farm animal done so well. “The Whole Hog” is a retro-rock ode to the culinary delights of pigs (“pigs have much to offer us”), but if a song about pigs isn’t your speed, check out any of the other songs they’ve posted. They’re all recommended.

Charlie Persson (Sweden) – rock/soul/acoustic ::

His Myspace page is in Swedish. His songs are in Swedish. I don’t read or speak Swedish. But that all proves unimportant. Charlie Persson has a beautiful voice, a little fragile but pretty darn soulful for a Scandinavian white guy. “Tjansteman” is a smoothly mellow, placid piece of soul. Not bad indeed.

The Enmorés (Winchester, England) – rock/indie ::

Influenced by “all the evils,” the Enmorés sound a whole lot like those 60s skinny-panted British bands with a hint of first album Libertines and a dash of Detroit (upon visiting their page you might notice their version of “Long Tall Sally”). “She Loves You” is brief and brilliant, a bit rough around the edges but a stunner all the same.

Girls in Hawaii (Belgium) – indie/pop/alternative ::

I saw Nada Surf in their top friends and I was intrigued. Then I heard their cover of “Blizzard of ‘77” and I fell in love. Acoustically wonderful and so darn cute I almost couldn’t stand it. Happily, their own songs are even better. “Found in the Ground” is almost ethereal in its excellence, and you should immediately go listen to it approximately six thousand times.

Give Half to the Monkey (Glasgow, Scotland) – rock/pop ::

Scottish bands have always been pretty adept at that whole pop music thing. Give Half to the Monkey carry on this fine tradition, with frolic-worthy piano accompaniment and a big voice leading the charge. It’s too hard to pick from the tracks they’ve got up on their page, so my suggestion is to just go listen to and fall in love with them all.

The God Damn Doo Wop Band (Minneapolis, Minnesota) – a’cappella/afro-beat/turntablism ::

The God Damn Doo Wop Band are indeed a doo wop band, God damn it. That girl group sound of the 60s is evidently making a comeback, and the GDDWB are smack dab at the forefront. Their harmonies are super, the band is great, and I pretty much think that they’d be a pretty special band to see live. They’re throwbacks yet totally relevant, and that’s pretty awesome. They’ve got two songs posted, and they’re both well worth adding to your iPod’s rotation.

Jo, Zette & Jocko (Montpellier, France) – rock/psychedelic/pop ::

Another band that I wanted to keep all to myself, but decided to share, being the kind and beneficent gal that I am. Jo, Zette & Jocko are in love with that psych rock sound, ladies and gentlemen. It’s like the Brian Jonestown Massacre went to Paris in the spring and met the Jesus and Mary Chain at a frou-frou café for some drug-laced coffees, while waiting for Bob Dylan to show up as he was thirty years ago. JZ&J are really, really good. Listen to every single song of theirs that you can get your hands on. Vive le Jo, Zette & Jocko!

Lumavox (Hollywood, California) – indie/shoegaze/surf ::

My Bloody Valentine’s Loveless and the Verve’s A Storm in Heaven are two of my all-time favorite albums. It sounds like Lumavox loves them, too. Despite calling Southern California home, the songs posted here sound more akin to the aforementioned Brits, with heavy emphasis on Mssrs. Shields and Ashcroft. Lumavox is currently flying solo, but when he gets a full band going I can only imagine things will get even better. It’s a toss-up between “Blue” and “Insular Sun” for my favorite track, so thusly I recommend them both heartily.

Melanie Horsnell (Sydney, Australia) – pop/folk/acoustic ::

Melanie Horsnell has really pretty hair. She’s also got an incredible voice. Warm and comforting, there is also something that inexplicably makes me think of Paul McCartney on mid-Beatles albums (not that she sounds like a man, but something about the tone of Melanie’s voice). Simply lovely and not to be missed; I wouldn’t be surprised to hear her end up on Grey’s Anatomy or some other prime time show in the not-so-distant future. A vocal knockout.

Mississippi Witch (London, England) – rock/alternative ::

I’ve decided that there are few things I like more than English bands with an affinity for American rock. Mississippi Witch sound like they’ve spent the past couple years in the South, soaking up bourbon and some dirty blues. “Just for Roosevelt” is one of the best songs I’ve heard in a while; every filthy, hard-rocking, tarred-and-feathered second of it. Music is the food of love, and I say play on Mississippi Witch, play on.

The Neon Hearts (Liverpool, England) – folk/pop/acoustic ::

Sometimes bands don’t really give you an idea of what they’re all about with their self-proclamations. But the Neon Hearts have hit the nail on the head: “the sound of tiny stars exploding, bleeding hearts beating a sound so full of love it could implode at any one moment.” Like lovesick puppies, the Neon Hearts are doe-eyed and sugary sweet. They’re also drenched in Americana, and it suits them well. “Mocking Bird” is a little Zuton-esque and a whole lot of goodness.

The Regimental (Liverpool, England) – indie/other ::

This batch of Liverpudlians specializes in a slightly dark and somber yet captivatingly tuneful rock. Able-bodied vocals and great riffs abound in the music of the Regimental, as does a hint of quirk (that’ll be the influence of Zappa and Beefheart, then). Their songs are all magnificent, so go give them a listen. You won’t regret it.

A Rooster for the Masses (Raleigh, North Carolina) – indie/rock/alternative ::

What happens when six Hanks from Raleigh get together? A Rooster for the Masses, obviously. Impossible to shoehorn, ARFTM are just plain good. They’re what I like to call danceable twangy psychedelic bootgaze. “Left Coast” is good for many reasons; like how that’s what a lot of us East Coasters call that other coast. But mostly it’s just a good song. I guarantee they’ll be your new favorite Hanks.

Semi Royal Blood (London, England) – rock/indie/pop ::

Not just for bastard spawn anymore! This Semi Royal Blood is for everyone. Despite only having formed at the beginning of this year, Semi Royal Blood are already showing tons of promise, especially when you consider they’re all 20 years old. “Quandary” is the best song on offer, driving and soaring with its harmonic mastery and slick instrumentation. It’s one of those songs that wedges itself in your brain, which given the quality of the song shouldn’t pose a problem.

The Shallow Call (“The North West,” England) – new wave/punk/rock ::

Loud. Gritty. Raucous. Snarling. Divine. The Shallow Call are a hurricane-force band, axeing and grinding their way into your music collection. There isn’t anything I don’t like about them. They’ll satisfy your need for eardrum-bursting rock in a heartbeat, and you’ll love every second of it. “Loose Lips Sink Ships” is impossibly good, so good that it almost hurts.

State Bird (New Philadelphia, Ohio) – indie/folk rock/acoustic ::

O, pastoral idyll. State Bird’s songs are like that scene in Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty,” where the princess is in the forest and the birds are chirping and all the woodland creatures come to frolic and make friends with her. Lest you think that makes them twee, fear not. There’s no twee to be heard. They’re rustic. And rustic is good.

Twenty Definitions (Middlesbrough, England) – indie/rock/punk ::

The kids today sure like to dance, don’t they? The scamps in Twenty Definitions sure do. If I had a dance night, you can bet your sweet bippy that I’d be playing “Verona” like there was no tomorrow. It’s got that nu new wave sound that makes the young ones go crazy these days. Their youthful exuberance coupled with some pretty good talent makes me think that they could be destined for bigger and brighter things.

Ultra Sonic Edukators (Chicago, Illinois) – psychedelic/indie/pop ::

It’s time for a little edukation. Chicago’s Ultra Sonic Edukators are spreading their quirky good word all over Myspace. You might notice that the USE sound like the Americanized offspring of the Super Furry Animals and Teenage Fanclub, with Guided by Voices lurking in their family tree somewhere down the line. Get edukated by acquiring as much of their music as possible. Class dismissed.

Vandaveer (Washington, D.C.) – folk/pop/indie ::

It’s not often I get to write about local bands for me, because I don’t normally hear about them on Myspace. But thankfully, Vandaveer (aka Mark Charles Heidinger) popped up, and here he is. In Mark’s voice I hear equal parts Nick Drake and Gram Parsons. His style is simple and spare, and lets you focus on his wonderful voice, a voice made for folk tales and troubadoring.