100 Great Bands to See at SXSW 2013
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To celebrate the festival’s music section, which kicks off tomorrow, we’ve compiled a list of our 100 favorite acts heading out to Austin this week. Read about and listen to them all below.
Haim
Alana, Este and Danielle HAIM lend their vocal harmonies to an aesthetic blend of indie rock and chilled out ’90s R&B girl groups. This isn’t just delicate slow jam music, though. They’ll keep you out of your seats with their robust hip-hop influence courtesy of thick, head-nodding beats and driving percussion.—Sarah McCarty
He’s My Brother She’s My Sister
He’s My Brother, She’s My Sister is about far more than just the music they make, which is eclectic in the truest sense of the word, incorporating elements of psych, folk, country, western, gypsy, vaudeville and several other adjectives that probably are more likely to be used to describe fashion movements or underground burlesque shows. Above all else, and owing to their theatrical roots, they’re about putting on an entertaining show. Music is one component of this, but so are the band’s clothes, so is their movement on stage, so is their energy, so are the opening acts, so is the venue and, perhaps most importantly, so are the audience members.—Ryan Bort
Highasakite
Despite the jokey nature of their name, this Norwegian band means serious business. Lead by Ingrid Helene Håvik’s striking vocals, Highasakite displays a pop sensibility while retaining the kind of folksy and moody production that keeps the songs grounded. It’s that rare kind of music that’s appropriate for both sunshine-y afternoons and dreary, rainy nights.—Mark Rozeman
Houndmouth
Houndmouth’s twangy, classic rock-inspired songs are instrumentally satisfying enough on their own, but the vocal collaboration between Katie Toupin and Matt Myers solidifies what the group is going for—strong instrumentals and vocal parts that always serve the best interests of the song. The project started off as a folk duo The Saint James Hotel, featuring vocalist Toupin and Myers, but expanded to add volume and punch to their country-flavored tunes.—Tyler Kane
Hurray for the Riff Raff
Listening to Hurray for the Riff Raff’s Look Out Mama, it wouldn’t occur to you that the indie folk band’s lead singer was from about as far culturally and geographically from New Orleans as one could get. Alynda Lee Segarra’s from the Bronx, but with fellow bandmates Yosi Pearlman and David Maclay, she sounds like New Orleans has always been and forever will be her home. Released in April of 2012, Look Out Mama is Hurray for the Riff Raff’s fifth album and is said to be “the result of almost two years of Alynda and [a honky-tonk band known as] the Tumbleweeds criss-crossing the USA, playing over 100 shows in small bars and clubs,” according to the band’s official website. There’s no mistaking the influence classical country and southern rock has had on Hurray for the Riff Raff, but it is surprising how Segarra’s voice and lyrics can be reminiscent of both Emmylou Harris and Florence Welch and still be versatile enough to allow the band to experiment with different musical styles such as pop and even psychedelia. And to be able to experiment successfully that way with such different styles, all on the same album, is an accomplishment.—Anita George
Icona Pop
Established in 2009 by Stockholm’s Caroline Hjelt and Aino Jawo, Icona Pop reached global attention with their chart-topping single “I Love It” featuring British songstress Charli XCX. Bolstered by its appearance in the hilarious season two episode of Girls where lead character Hannah tries cocaine and goes clubbing, digital downloads boosted this slamming dance anthem right into the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. Merging the kind of infectious, melodious pop that Swedish bands are so renowned for with the drums and synths of the European club scene, Icona Pop present themselves as the fun-loving dance band that everyone can get behind.—Mark Rozeman
Indians
Indians is Copenhagen multi-instrumentalist Søren Løkke Juul. While creating spacey tunes about life and love, he holds the ear of his audience with keyboards, strings and his soft, wispy voice. The music is intimate but not minimal and diverse enough to keep you along for the ride. Indians’ performance at Stage on Sixth will certainly be a unique experience you don’t want to miss.—Dacey Orr
Ivan & Alyosha
Formed in 2007 by Wilson (guitar, lead vocals) and Ryan Carbary (guitar, piano, vocals), the band has now grown to include the singer’s brother, Pete Wilson (bass, vocals), and Tim Kim (guitar, vocals). The quartet works these spiritual themes into their music organically in songs like “Rebel Jesus” and “Glorify,” but they handily avoid the trap of coming off preachy or overbearing.—Rachel Bailey
Jason Isbell
Besides being hilarious on Twitter (seriously, make sure you’re following @JasonIsbell), this former Drive-By Trucker is a live act not to be missed. He crafts beautiful tracks with the best of them, and that same charm that his adoring followers on the Internet know and love finds its way onto the stage during his performances as well.—Bonnie Stiernberg
Jonny Fritz
Jonny Fritz (nee Corndawg) is a serial road warrior and modern day renaissance man. Not only is he a grassroots revered, country music outlaw he is also an airbrushing, leather stitching, marathon running, motorcycle aficionado on a self proclaimed “perma-tour”. Although some have deemed him an ironic character the fact remains, he’s an authentic free spirit who speaks from the heart and also happens to write some amazing songs.—Jay Sweet
