NEWCOMERS: WHO TO LOOK OUT FOR IN 2008 AND BEYOND

One of the best feelings in music searching is uncovering a new artist, one with limitless potential who has their whole career coming for you to enjoy. The bands and artists contained herein are, like Dragonette and A Fine Frenzy last year, great ones coming up with their debut album. Some have great careers behind them already (M. Ward, looking at you) but these are still all new beginnings.

THE GRAND ARCHIVES

Led by Carissa's Wierd's and Band of Horses' Matt Brooke, this dreamy band is looking to have an amazing debut. In 2007, they released a quartet of demos that blew me away, including the amazing Sleepdriving and damn good Torn Blue Foam Couch. Their self-titled debut album comes out in February, and I'm foreseeing a great hit here.

Sample: The album version of one of their demos, Torn Blue Foam Couch, in all it's finished glory.

JAYMAY

This quirky young singer has a lot of talent, and I've managed to grab a scattered sample of her work that popped up on last year's EP and will pop up on March's debut, Autumn Fallin'. Lyrically fun, low key, some nice humming. Should be nice.

Sample: Nice, quiet song See Green, Sea Blue.

SHE AND HIM

This intriguing pairing of Matt "M." Ward and Zooey Deschanel drew my attention from the moment they sang a duet together, and they apparently feel the same way. Their debut, Volume One, should hit shelves in March, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited.

Sample: The two take on Ward's Magic Trick, a song I've always liked, in a live recording.

AMANDA PALMER

The Dresden Dolls vocal powerhouse's debut album, Who Killed Amanda Palmer? is one of my most anticipated albums of 2008. Her work with Dresden Dolls and her various covers have shown power, range and emotion, and a live recording of Ampersand (a song I desperately hope finds its way onto the album) made me fall in love with her and her gorgeous voice.

Sample: The gorgeous Ampersand, performed live.

MOLLY MCQUEEN

Former lead singer of The Faders before their break-up, she's now moving to a solo career and using their most well-known track, No Sleep Tonight, as a single. There's no concrete news about the debut other than it's coming, and honestly, I can't wait.

Sample: The original Faders version of No Sleep Tonight.

HELLO, BLUE ROSES

Their debut, The Portrait is Finished and I Have Failed to Capture Your Beauty..., has already been released, I believe, but they qualify as newcomers in the 2008 year. This comes from visual artist Sydney Vermont and Dan Behar, best known of Destroyer, Swan Lake, or The New Pornographers. The album has a delightfully sweet, soft golden feel to it.

Sample: The single, and my personal favourite so far, Shadow Falls.

BELLE'S WAKE

A new band I discovered through thesixtyone, last year's release The Nature of the Ground EP, is quite good, and one of their songs has particularly caught my attention (see below). No concrete news of a possible album, but I'm hopeful as I'm interested to see what happens with these guys next.

Sample: Their most interesting track from the EP, Wild Creatures of Doubt.

LIGHTS

Toronto-based youth Lights makes sweet pop music that never fails to make me at least smile. The lyrics, the music, the sound, it's all very nice, and that's refreshing.

Sample: I've already posted my favourite of their tracks before, February Air, so this time I'll let you guys have I Owe You One.

STREAMS OF EUROPE

Oddly enough, this gorgeous instrumental music isn't from a band at all, but from a video game composition for an independent video game. This, however, doesn't detract from its beauty one bit. It's, in fact, excellent sleep music. I don't know if we'll be hearing from this artist once the score, and the game are completed, but I definitely hope so! The whole album, Meanders, was released free on the 'net last Christmas here.

Sample: The song that led me to fall in love with Streams, the quiet, beautiful and epically long From the Top of the Mountain to the Bottom of the Sea.

So, there's my upcoming newbies for 2008. Anyone have any suggestions for new bands or artists who I might wanna check out in 2008? Other than that, enjoy!