greta van fleet

"Courtesy of aLIVE Coverage" — “Courtesy of aLIVE Coverage”

Shaky Knees season is upon us. If you have your tickets and don’t quite know who to go see tomorrow (or if you’re wondering if you’d like to jump on it last-minute) we present to you our 15 picks for emerging artists who we believe are most worth your time (and sweat!) at this wonderful festival:

Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever

In the mood for danceable garage rock? Melbourne’s Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever‘s nonlinear jangle and driving blend of indie rock will definitely get the pit to a rolling boil. Excuse all the coffee puns, but the energy that this band exudes might perk you up more than any espresso ever could.

Welles

If you’re in the mood for more of a more contemplative set, Welles might be more your speed. Plain spoken, matter of fact lyrics paired with expansive, driving Americana influenced rock all add up to an engrossing show with an emphasis on lyrical content. Read up on our track by track of Welles’ debut EP ‘Codeine’ here.

Marlon Williams

If you want something even quieter, maybe even a show you can sit down at, look out for New Zealand’s Marlon Williams‘ set. Eschewing the country trappings for more lushly orchestrated quietly beautiful folk songs, Williams’ vocals take the forefront. His widely praised distinctive singing voice both calms and enraptures, so if you’re looking to cozy up for a while, you’ll be hard pressed to find somewhere better.

Amasa Hines

Amasa Hines is a band, not a person. Not only are they a band: they’re a tight knit unit drawing on influences ranging from James Brown, TV on the Radio, and DIIV. Being omnivorous with their influence is what gives them an edge: they can ride on waves of feedback but the soulful delivery of the lyrics will ensure that no one is looking at their shoes while the waves of sound hit you from the stage.

Sun Seeker

Now, I was tempted to use the analogy of a bowl of southern-ass grits falling on the band Pavement, but the fact that they’re hot enough to get signed to Jack White‘s label Third Man Records should be enough to entice fans of both the Nashville Sound and slacker rock fans alike.

Charly Bliss

VHS filters are all the rage lately. But. Can they wear it well? With Charly Bliss the answer is a resounding YES! Mining the poppier aspects of ’90s college rock with a millenial sense of irony and purpose, Charly Bliss make throwback rock for folks who know that you need some substance underneath your Instagram filter.

Broncho

When we talk about #clout, sometimes it just means having been at the right place at the right time. Who knows, but Broncho‘s music has been on multiple television shows like Girls and Santa Clarita Diet. Their lightly atmospheric mood music is a great accompaniment to a rose tinted afternoon in the Atlanta heat.

The Voidz

You can’t talk about the Voidz without mentioning that their front man is the one and only Julian Casablancas of Strokes fame (and one-time Shaky Knees headliner). However the Voidz are very much NOT the Strokes. With noisy, dense electronic arrangements, hair metal pastiche, and sheer madness making up their solid as hell second album, their tight live show will definitely be a sight to behold, especially for all those Julian fans out there.

Mt. Joy

Folk rock anyone? Philadelphia’s Mt. Joy deliver in spades. Still riding high on the viral success of their “Deadhead Jesus” song “Astrovan”, deliver slightly jaded, punchdrunk singalong music for those of us who want some rootsy fun, but aren’t shy about dishing the dirt with stories about addiction and growing up.

Wild Reeds

Now, did you think that we’d let the country genre slip through the cracks? Not with Wild Reeds. With rich, diverse instrumentation and beautiful vocal harmonies, their brisk, slightly experimental take on country rock should appeal to both un-ironic and ironic wearers of cowboy boots alike!

Post Animal

Who’s ready to rock out again? Post Animal have you covered. With strains of Thee Oh Sees, Pink Floyd, and King Tuff, the moshers in your friend group are likely to go wild alongside your more psyche tinged folks in the crowd.

More rock! Here at Vinyl Mag we’re no strangers to Greta Van Fleet‘s similarities to Led Zeppelin. If you’re in the mood for some ’70s throwback you have come to the right place. Bluesy guitars: check. High pitched screamalong vocals: check. Ready to get down in a sweaty mosh pit? You decide.

Frankie Rose

After all of that rock and roll I might need a chill pill. Do you like the Cocteau Twins? In that case look for Frankie Rose‘s set. They’ve got a swirling dream pop vibe that might be just what you need to cool down from some moshing—or coming up on some other stuff. Whatever floats your boat, you’ll definitely feel like you’re floating by the end of Frankie’s set.

Bayonne

While Shaky Knees is more rock focused, that doesn’t mean that fans of electronic music need to feel left out. Enter Madrid’s prodigal son Bayonne: electronic wunderkind. With pulsating and dense arrangements, if you don’t feel tempted to dance, just take all the layers in. Bayonne’s ear for samples and texture is bound to engross even the most skeptical listener.

Teenage Wrist

Teenage Wrist‘s name may imply some sort of unlearned youthfulness, but don’t be fooled—these boys make heavy rock that has been polished to a metallic sheen. Makes sense since they’re signed to Epitaph who have handled releases from the likes of Alkaline Trio and A Day to Remember.

No matter who you go see, make sure to take the time to maximize your enjoyment at the festival by staying hydrated and wearing ample UV protection! Happy Shaky Knees season, everyone!

One of the biggest issues with good ‘ole, classic rock ‘n’ roll is just that… it’s old. Many bands, understandably, faded as new music graced us all. For the few that still push on, new music is seldom found and often represents various passion projects (see: The Rolling Stones: Blue & Lonesome—despite how amazing the release was, it still wasn’t an album of originals.)

Luckily, there are, in fact, a few up-and-comers that not only appreciate the musical greats of the 20^th century, but are also clearly, actively, trying to continue the steps taken by those that came before.

Enter the “throwback” of today’s focus: the legendary Led Zeppelin.

From it’s start as a super group by The Yardbird’s own Jimmy Page in 1968, Led Zeppelin followed a storied path marked by enormous successes. The group’s enormous popularity—in the early-to-mid ’70s it was easily one of the largest live-draws around the world—came from its successful integration of blues, folk and middle eastern influences. However, this quick ascent was marred with scandal leading to an early disbandment in 1980. Following that, there has been little to no hope of new music for fans of this legendary group, despite the handful of reunion shows over the years.

So, you’re a fan of the ‘Zep? You should consider checking out Michigan rockers, Greta Van Fleet.

The foursome—three of which are brothers—seemed to be just out of high school when they came tearing out of Frankenmuth (a town that couldn’t be less rock ‘n’ roll if it tried, just give “Bronner’s” a quick google) in 2012, unleashing their almost nostalgic music mastery out into the world.

Honestly, the most shocking part of it all is the rate at which the group has risen. After just releasing it’s first double EP on November 10, following it’s very first studio release only a handful of months before, the group has already embarked on nationwide tours and garnered a cult following—and not just in the “CHRISTmas Wonderland” (literally how Bronner’s is advertised).

Even better than the group’s humble start and quick ascent is its clear ties back to Led Zeppelin. GVF basically feels like listening to the ‘Zep… if the latter were born in the late ’90s, grew up in a world where pop-music ruled our culture and began traveling the world while still in high school.

But don’t just take my word for it. Let’s take a look at the bands.

Upon first hearing a GVF track, say, “Highway Tune,” it takes literally 15 seconds to hear a wail so reminiscent of Robert Plant it’s equally frightening awesome. The group’s front man, Josh Kiszka, has mastered the almost alarm-like war cry previously found by Plant on tracks like Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song.” But that’s not all. In continuing with “Highway Tune,” other similarities are easily traced, such as the dramatic waiver used by both frontmen and their often quick, almost flippant, delivery. Both vocalists are gritty, both have ridiculous ranges and both are beyond talented.

Continuing to lyricism, it’s easy to see GVF taking notes from the greats, stylistically at least, in the track “Safari Song.” Kiszka repeatedly questions, “Hey mama/ What you gonna do/ With all that love in/ Your heart?” and his vocabulary should sound quite familiar to any Zeppelin fan. See “Black Dog,” in which Plant rushes out: “Hey, hey mama said the way you move/ Gon’ make you sweat, gon’ make you groove.” The younger band’s lyrics are nostalgic, and truly feel like they were born of a wilder era.

Taking a turn to the instrumentation, both bands focus on highlighting talented lead guitars—Jimmy Page in the 70’s and Jake Kiszka now. Both bands leave plenty of space for the all-too-essential guitar solo, and both instrumentalists draw heavily on the blues. Neither guitarist feels rushed in execution, and Kiszka is clearly comfortable marinating in the drawn-out, funky delivery that is almost a defining characteristic of Page’s style.

Finally: a quick look at composition. For example, both bands have mastered the art of using backing vocals to create an almost haunting atmosphere for the lead to exist in. Further, both bands tend to keep listeners on their toes using a variety of techniques to do so from switching keys, hopping between acoustic and electric instrumentations and changing up the rhythm often. Even more than just using these techniques, both bands have been known to layer a couple of them to really prevent settling into a track too much.

So, to put it simply. For fans of Led Zeppelin, hungry for more? Look no further than Greta Van Fleet.

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Top 15 Artists to Watch: Shaky Knees 2018