Alabama Shakes - I Found You

Remember this band?  I posted one of their songs on here (Hold On) in November last year after hearing their ep.  At last their long-awaited album, Boys and Girls, has been released to huge hype and acclaim (all of it deserved).  The first thing I did on waking this morning was to download it.  And here is another track for you, I Found You.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnVSUH6_oBY

If you like to try before you buy, it is available to stream on the Guardian and NPR websites or you can watch them performing live on YouTube. 

Interestingly the band have only just given up their full time jobs (Brittany Howard was a postwoman and Steve the drummer worked at a local nuclear power plant) to concentrate on music full time.  They find this really scary but I don't think they need worry.  Although the music business is notoriously fickle, I can't see that this band will go unnoticed.  Brittany's voice is impossible to ignore and already the word is out and the press are banging at their door.  So forget Adele and Lana del Ray.  This is the real deal.  Watch this space. 

http://www.alabamashakes.com/

Hooded Fang - Tosta Mista

Hooded Fang are a 7 piece Canadian indie-rock band who hail from Toronto, Canada.  They released their first album (called Album) in 2010 which followed on from their debut ep (entitled EP, naturally). Their latest album, Tosta Mista (of which this is the title track)  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rETZbGv-frI
followed in March of this year in the UK.

Nominated for the Polaris Prize, for Album, which is the Canadian version of Mercury, they are a real rival to Arcade Fire in their home country.  And they are now gaining popularity outside Canada too.

Apparently this album was formed around the break up of two band members - Daniel and April, but you wouldn't necessarily know that as it is delightfully poppy and upbeat.  

They are touring the UK, supported by Howler (another Truffler recommendation from last year) during May (1st-16th) and then heading over to Europe for the remainder of the month.  I might just check them out.

http://hoodedfang.com/