This past weekend, over a thousand artists flooded NYC for the CMJ Music Marathon. The annual event is always a great place to find bands on the rise and Erica Shultz, a former KCRW volunteer, sends us this report from the East Coast:
Sydney, Australia’s The Jezabels shined at the Planetary Group/Future Sounds Party at Pianos during the CMJ music festival in New York City this past weekend. Vocalist Hayley Mary’s dynamic range with added reverb creates ethereal melodies over mid-tempo pop/rock. Mary’s stage presence is humble yet captivating and her body moves genuinely and spontaneously to the music. I wasn’t too surprised when I saw Sara (of Tegan and Sara) chatting with Mary after the show. The Jezabels supported Tegan and Sara’s Australian tour last May and seem a perfect fit. They have put out a trilogy of EP’s since February 2009, with the latest, Dark Storm, released October 1st. I’m looking forward to hear what they can do on a full length.
— Erica Shultz