The DePaulia continues its look at the lesser-known bands of Lollapalooza
Jake Bugg: Already a star in his native land, England, 19-year-old British singer songwriter, Jake Bugg, is widely regarded as this generation’s Bob Dylan. Raised in the Clifton housing projects of Nottingham, Bugg began writing songs when he was 15 years old, after hearing Don McLean’s “Vincent,” in an episode of The Simpsons. Upon its UK release, his self-titled debut album “Jake Bugg,” shot straight to no. 1 on the charts, beating out Leona Lewis and fellow folkies Mumford and Sons from the top slot.
It’s easy to see Bugg’s appeal. His semi-autobiographical lyrics about the teenage experience and his comparatively sparse instrumentation set him apart from the widespread folk drivel sweeping the nation and show a profound maturity not usually seen in the debut album of someone his age. One of the standout songs from his album, “Seen It All,” describes a party gone awry, with lyrics like “one Friday night I took a pill or maybe two,” and this raw authenticity and brutal honesty feels like a musical breath of fresh air. This is definitely a set not to be missed from one of the UK’s most promising new artists.
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Palma Violets: The British, indie-garage rock band and latest Rough Trade Records signee, has been compared to everyone from The Strokes to fellow Rough Trade band The Libertines. The band released their debut album “180” this March, and their anthemic song “Best of Friends,” was named the Best Track of 2012 by British music magazine NME.
Their sound, complete with jangly electric guitars, pounding drums and sing a long choruses are heavily reminiscent of ’60’s British pop and the garage rock revival of “the aughts.” This band is lauded for their live shows and has been described as the quintessential live band, so their Lollapalooza set is not to be missed.
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The Orwells: The Chicago 17-year-old high school punks bring an unprecedented energy level to their shows, harking back to the glory days of punk and rock and roll. The band, which hails from Elmhurst, Ill., formed back in 2009 when the members were still in high school. In 2012, they released their debut album “Remember When” on Autumn Tone Records, which featured standout songs like “Mallrats (La La La)” and “Suspended.”
Recently, the band finished working with producer Dave Sitek, the guitarist from TV on the Radio, on their latest EP “Other Voices,” which will be released June 25.Their sound is pure straightforward punk, with scuzzy electric guitars, distorted vocals, raw power and songs describing days at the mall, being suspended and girls.
There is nothing new, complex or genre defining about their sound, but that is the reason why they are so compelling. They realize they don’t need to be.
