The boys guide to girls who rock

When it comes to music, I try my hardest to keep my ear to the ground about what’s new and fresh but hands up I am getting on a bit. I am two weeks away from my 30th birthday and I am feeling a bit old.

I used to always have my head stuck in an NME or a Melody Maker and the Evening Session with Jo Whiley and Steve Lamacq was my religion. I was an authority on every new indie band out there, but I have decided it is time to pass the torch down the family line. My little brother, Laurence, knows much more than me and he loves female artists as much as I do. So he is going to tell you what current female artists you should be listening to, whilst I go and dance to Alphabeat around my bedroom!

Over to you bro:

“One of the breakthrough female artists of 2012 for me was Lucy Rose. Impressing with her folky brand of pop in recent months, less than twelve months ago she was playing at the Jericho Tavern. She returns to Oxford this Thursday playing the O2 Academy with a deal with Columbia Records and a significant amount of hype and buzz. Having moved to London and played every open mic possible Rose has earned every bit of success that has and will come her way.

From her 2012 album ‘Like I Used To’ I particularly like the minimal, infectious and romantic sound on ‘Shiver.’ ‘Bikes’ is more an uplifting anthemic style song and certainly stands out as one of the highlights of the album. The closing track ‘Gamble’ hits you with honest emotion, and she has the ability to really connect to the listening. Her lyrics are poignant and mature for someone of only 23.

‘Little Numbers’ by BOY (actually two women) was one of my songs of summer 2012. I had largely forgotten about BOY, until I stumbled across their album in the brilliant Truck Store on Cowley Road, Oxford, whilst helping Jo out with the Fe-line Frock Swap. I had not bought a CD in so long. I have succumbed to relying on Spotify and Soundcloud, etc to listen to my music. But this time I made a conscience effort to purchase a real CD. It felt special that I’d actually invested in music and in return I got like a CD with a booklet (which is currently proudly stuck to my bedroom wall) and everything. It somehow felt novel.

On to the album itself, ‘Little Numbers’ certainly stands out as a highlight, with its uplifting piano and its flirtatious lyrics. Watch the video to this song and you will feel summer has arrived. ‘Army’ is a song about companionship and love amongst friends (literally an ‘Army’). ‘Railway’ is a memorable song on the album, with lyrics that are slightly less slick and more earthy. Although, nowhere on a par with Lucy Rose’s recent album it makes a nice accompaniment to lying in a field on a hot sunny day or soothing a Saturday morning hangover.

Female fronted Danish band, , ooze class, attitude and originality. Unfortunately it appears that they don’t currently have any plans to play the UK this year. Given that they are very much an up and coming band, the more people that start listen to them on this island, the more likely they are to get themselves over here, so spread the word people!

Songs on the five track ‘Danger’ EP, range from the euphoric and futuristic ‘Golden Dust’ and ‘You’, to the dark melancholy of ‘Escape.’ Keyboards take centre stage on their tracks and smoothly align with their mature and deep vocals. As she tells us on the opening track of the EP, ‘She’s totally playing it cool.’ Indeed this was certainly true when I saw them at Cambridgeshire Festival Lodestar in 2012, where their live performances was no less impressive than their recorded tracks.”

I have added all of the tracks, Laurence mentions above to the “Girls Who Rock the Boy edition” playlist on Spotify! But obviously the Truck Store is a great place in Oxford to go and get yourself a real life CD! Oh and they have an awesome cafe, The Kean Bean, that sells deliciously strong coffee.

Love and real life CDs,