Emergent :: Paste

22 up-and-coming artists you ignore at your own peril!

By Paste Staff on 4:53 PM on August 9, 2008

[Above: White Rabbits]MugisonHometown: Ísafjörður, Iceland Album: Mugiboogie Why He's Worth Watching: Mugison likely embodies the person Led Zeppelin envisioned when writing “Immigrant Song.” One moment, this man from the land of the ice and snow is sounding the hammer of the gods, alternating between an infernal howl (much like Robert Plant’s) and a guttural heavy-metal groan, the next, he’s crooning to twanging guitar over eerie strings. He’s a shape-shifter and a funnyman, and Mugiboogie builds on his four previous genre-transcending works. For Fans Of: Tom Waits, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, Led Zeppelin Acceptance Speech: “When I was 14 years old, I... read more

Bon Iver

By Jason Killingsworth on 4:34 PM on August 9, 2008

Hometown: Eau Claire, Wisc.Album: For Emma, Forever AgoWhy He's Worth Watching: Justin Vernon’s homespun album is full of intimate songcraft, and has already whipped up a veritable hurricane of blog buzz, not to mention perfect five-star ratings in major U.K. music rags Mojo and Uncut. For Fans Of: Iron & Wine; Phosphorescent; Loney, DearJustin Vernon looks slightly out of place. The bearded songwriter who performs under the moniker Bon Iver (pronounced “bohn ee-VARE”) sits placidly on a black leather couch in an ultra-slick Manhattan photo studio. It’s dark in the back of the room and the screen of Vernon’s MacBook... read more

The Bridges

By Sean Edgar on 4:08 PM on August 9, 2008

Hometown: Oxford, Ala.Album: Limits of the SkyWhy They're Worth Watching: Raised on praise-and-worship hymns and classic-rock vinyl, The Bridges deliver organic pop bliss devoid of saccharine filler. Their debut, Limits of the Sky, perfectly captures the majestic folk harmonies of its three female vocalists with retro production flourishes from Matthew Sweet. The Bridges are poised to introduce the digital generation to the forgotten analog beauty of ’70s-era album rock. For Fans Of: Eisley, Fleetwood Mac, the beachIt’s hard to imagine another band with members as close as the musicians in folk-rock collective The Bridges. The group—consisting of three sisters, one brother and... read more

Janelle Monáe

By Tim Regan-Porter on 4:00 PM on August 9, 2008

Hometown: AtlantaAlbum: Metropolis: The Chase Suite (Special Edition)Why She's Worth Watching: Janelle delivers daring, engaging, fun and thoughtful fusions of American music, and her live show can’t be topped.For Fans Of: Prince, Talking Heads, Barack Obama“This is a historic night,” the emcee shouts to the crowd. Waving blue and white inspirational signs, the assembly chants louder. The excitement is palpable. The diversity of the crowd—young and old, black and white, male and female—is itself a sign of the hope offered. When the shouts reach a fevered pitch, the guest of honor emerges. Welcome Janelle Monáe.... read more

Jamie Lidell

By Mark Krotov on 3:51 PM on August 9, 2008

Hometown: Berlin, Germany (via Brighton, U.K.)Album: JimWhy He's Worth Watching: With a background in electronica, Jamie Lidell is an unlikely candidate for soul-music stardom, but with his multilayered live shows, disarmingly personal lyrics and intricate revisions of 1960s classics, the British musician proves that he doesn’t care about rules or expectations. As he continues to fuse the past and the present, his scope will only increase—even Lidell may not know where he’s going next. For Fans Of: Amy Winehouse, Stevie Wonder, CaribouJamie Lidell and Conor Oberst have a lot in common. Alright, not a lot. But they do have one... read more

By Paste on 12:00 AM on March 1, 2008

By Paste on 12:00 AM on March 1, 2008

By Paste on 12:00 AM on March 1, 2008

4 to Watch: Throw Me The Statue

By Robert Loerzel on 3:24 PM on February 18, 2008

Scott Reitherman says his previous band Flag Signs “imploded” before ﬁnishing its ﬁrst recording sessions. Taking control, Reitherman decided to make an album on his own under the moniker Throw Me The Statue... read more

4 to Watch: Bon Iver

By Rachael Maddux on 3:18 PM on February 18, 2008

Justin Vernon had a rough 2006. His longtime band, DeYarmond Edison, broke up soon after relocating from Wisconsin to North Carolina; then he was slammed with severe mononucleosis, and was bedridden for three months... read more

4 to Watch: Estelle

By Matt Fink on 3:10 PM on February 18, 2008

Though her two-pronged attack as a rapper and vocalist has rightly earned her a reputation as the U.K.’s answer to Lauryn Hill, Estelle Swaray’s breakthrough hit “1980” was a classic more in keeping with Loretta Lynn’s “Coal Miner’s Daughter”... read more

4 to Watch: Thao

By Amanda Petrusich on 3:03 PM on February 18, 2008

Thao Nguyen’s scrappy folksongs—a blend of acoustic strums and brainy lyrics—have already earned the 23-year-old songwriter heaps of critical acclaim... read more

4 To Watch: The Whigs

By Alex Smith on 11:26 AM on January 24, 2008

"Rock is probably as unpopular as it’s ever been right now—I can’t really see a small band like us really getting involved in any roller-coaster ride, but ya never know.” Modest talk from Parker Gispert, lead singer of one of the more hotly touted bands of the moment, The Whigs... read more

4 To Watch: Lightspeed Champion

By Kristina Feliciano on 11:16 AM on January 24, 2008

Dev Hynes, a.k.a. Lightspeed Champion, has suffered from stomach ulcers since the age of 15, so he really should avoid stress. And yet stress always seems to ﬁnd him... read more

4 To Watch: The Bridges

By Kate Kiefer on 11:03 AM on January 24, 2008

In the past, AAA (Adult Album Alternative) has too often stood for: middle-aged adult who eats at Ruby Tuesday and TiVos Everybody Loves Raymond; uninteresting, frequently sucky album; and decidedly unalternative, even anti-alternative. But Oxford, Ala.’s The Bridges—along with bands like The Magic Numbers and The Weepies—are doing their best to re-invigorate the genre... read more

4 To Watch: Doug Burr

By David Mead on 10:48 AM on January 24, 2008

"I’ve always loved old fashioned phrases and wording. Especially in poetry and music.” Doug Burr, fresh in from pulling his two-year old son around their back yard in a wagon, is dissecting the bones of his exceptional sophomore release, On Promenade... read more