CMJ 2011: Six Bands to Watch

Ravens & Chimes
Ravens & Chimes / photo by David Greenwald

I won’t be at CMJ this year, but here are the bands I’d see if I was. Fun jams for everyone after the jump.

Hospitality: New Merge Records signees. Sounds accordingly Merge-y (guitar fuzz!) with the added twist of a New York Post-Feist Sassy Lady lead singer.

Hospitality – Friends of Friends by MergeRecords

North Highlands: Intricate folk-rock with the added twist of a New York Post-Feist Sassy Lady lead singer. (Do I have a type? I have a type. See also: Twin Sister, not playing CMJ.)

North Highlands “Benefits” by heartmusicgroup

Widowspeak: The only band on 2k11 Label of the Year Captured Tracks not playing ’80s synthesizers. Still terrific!

Gun Shy by widowspeakband

The Stepkids: Funk-pop wiz-kids out on Stones Throw. Sly and the Family Alt-Bros.

The Stepkids – Shadows On Behalf by stonesthrow

ARMS/Ravens & Chimes: Both bands played our SXSW party in March, both have really incredible albums coming out in November and both will blow your mind in totally great-yet-different ways.

Fleeced by ARMS

Ravens & Chimes – “Carousel”: mp3

Previously: CMJ 2009: 10 Bands That Killed It — Or Died Trying

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