Haim - Don't Save Me

Recently the winners of the BBC Sound of 2013, Haim were formed in 2006 by sisters Este, Danielle and Alans Haim. They'e been compared with 70s soft-rock legends Fleetwood Mac, however, they like to insist that their influences are a bit more up-to-date, revealing they are big fans of 90s girl groups TLC and Destiny’s Child, but also claim to be fans of Kendrick Lamar, Jessie Ware and Azealia Banks. Consequently their music sounds a bit like girly folk-rock with a few R&B/hip-hop stylings thrown in for good measure.
So far its reached UK No 32, I don't think it'll get any higher when the chart is full of crap pop and even worse R+B dance dross!
Personally I think they've a very quirky 80's sound, but hey that's me!

Of Monsters and Men - Mountain Sound

Firstly I'd like to wish you all a Happy and Prosperous New Year and thanks for following and commenting on my weird and complex taste in music!!

Of Monsters and Men are a five-piece indie folk/indie pop band from Iceland, formed in 2010. The members are co-singer/guitarist Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir, co-singer/guitarist Ragnar "Raggi" Þórhallsson, guitarist Brynjar Leifsson, drummer Arnar Rósenkranz Hilmarsson,and bassist Kristján Páll Kristjánsson. Try saying them names after a few beers!

 The band won the Músíktilraunir in 2010, an annual battle of the bands competition in Iceland. In 2011, Of Monsters and Men released an EP entitled Into the Woods. The band's debut album My Head Is an Animal (2011), peaked at No. 6 on the US album chart and No 3 here in the UK. Its lead single "Little Talks" was an international success, reaching No 12 in the UK and No 31 in the US, but it did make it the  No1 spot the  US Alternative Songs Chart and in their homeland.

Unfortunately the follow up “Mountain Song only reached UK No 66 and US 106!! I think it’s the better of the two to be honest, but hey that’s me!

I couldn’t find an official video for the song, but I’ve included a live version as well, which is just as good if not better than the studio version.

Jake Bugg - Lightning Bolt

One of my favorite's of the year, Jake Bugg's Lightning Bolt has just been re-released, I hope this time around the song gets higher than the UK no 88 that it reached earlier in the year.

Bugg was born in Nottingham England he  was chosen by the BBC to appear on their "Introducing" stage at the 2011 Glastonbury Festival aged 17, and because of this was given a contract by Mercury Records.  His songs were then placed on various BBC Radio play lists and one of them, "Country Song", was selected for use in a national TV beer commercial for Greene King IPA.

In August 2012 Bugg was a supporting act for Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds at Belsonic Music Festival, Belfast. On 22 May 2012, Bugg appeared on the BBC music programme Later... with Jools Holland. On 1 October 2012, he performed live on the BBC Radio 6 Music programme Live at Maida Vale. Bugg's debut album was released on 15 October 2012. Talking about Bugg and his debut Clash magazine hailed the "precocious talent fusing retro folk with blistering contemporary rock riffs".

The Vaccines - Norgaard

"Nørgaard" is the fifth single from English indie rock band The Vaccines from their debut album, What Did You Expect from the Vaccines?. The single was released in the United Kingdom  on 19 August 2011. As per usual the youth of today are more interested in manufactured pop crap, so this one only reached the miserable heights of No 84 in the UK charts, but I think its a great song!

The Strokes - Machu Picchu

The Strokes are an American indie rock band. Formed in New York City in 1999, the band consists of Julian Casablancas (vocals), Nick Valensi (lead guitar), Albert Hammond Jr. (rhythm guitar), Nikolai Fraiture (bass) and Fabrizio Moretti (drums)

“Machu Picchu” by The Strokes  is the first track from their fourth studio album, Angles, released on March 18, 2011 in Australia; March 21, 2011 in the UK; and March 22, 2011 worldwide. It’s their first album since First Impressions of Earth in 2006.

Although the song received loads of airplay here in the UK, it seems it was only released as a single in France, where it reached the sunny climbs of No 87 in the charts…….bloody criminal!

The Lumineers - Ho hey

A great new song, recently reached No 12 in the UK charts and No 17 in the US, it makes a change to have something decent in the chart for a change, not the usual crap! or am I getting old??

Eddie Cochran - Somethin' Else

Don't need to say too much here, reached UK No 22 and US No 58???