During the making of my ultimate top 50 – just hold on, it will come soon, don’t get too excited! – I noticed there were quite some youngsters with good albums. Not great albums – then they would’ve been in this ultimate list of mine – but just plain good, with all the youthful mistakes etc. So Why wouldn’t I put them in the spotlights first? So, here is Top 9 of Most Promising Debuts, or something like that... (don’t know whether they’re all debuts :D)



9. imadethismistake – Tomorrow We start New
http://www.myspace.com/imadethismistake

Did anyone ever hyperventilate here? Cause if you did, you shouldn’t make the mistake of listening to Imadethismistake. The singer is out of breath all of the time, but still can’t resist of singing this catchy acoustic folk-punk kinda songs, with just a little hint of emo in it. Songs about how you have to choose to go to college or otherwise someone will punch you in the face are always nice. Musically it’s all wonderful acoustic instrumental built-up thingies. I admit: after five songs it tends to start to get on my nerves just a little bit, but hey we all get nervous at times! If they learn to just stop and breath once in a while, they’ll be a pleasant surprise for the years to come.
Favourite Tracks: College Or A Broken Nose, My Sins, Imaginary Notes
Favourite Lyrics: I Think I Made Up A lot of what i said

(no album cover to find?)
8. French Quarter – French Quarter
http://www.myspace.com/frenchquartermusic

I’m not sure whether this album is already out, but in Oink-, Torrent-, Illegal Weblog times I already seem to have found it somewhere. But don’t you moral hypocryts worry, i’ll buy it (before you start to yell at me and call me names: remember that if i wouldn’t have downloaded it, i would never have been able to give you this hint! It’s free advertising baby!) .. Anyway, i’m not gonna rattle on on me still buying cds but not before listening to it by downloading it. French Quarter is a gentle summer breeze, hitting you softly like a butterfly with coloured wings. I know, the metaphore sucks. He is friends with guys from Woods, who have made a really great album, but he doesn’t sound that lo-fi.. Acoustic pearls that perhaps could be compared to Peter & The Wolf (but i suck at comparisons).. Hey, just listen to it!
Favourite Tracks: Debt, In June


7.Begushkin – Nightly Things
http://www.myspace.com/begushkin

Will Oldham is like an old friend. He sneaks into your bedroom at night and whisper songs into your ear. But he has this one kinda sneaky side: he has an ultimate craving for women. He just wants to have sex all the time. And he isn’t always safe. So he has a lot of bastard children. Meet Begushkin, son & nephew of Mr. Oldham. Especially the voice, the timbre is quite similar. His songs aren’t yet Great oldham-standard, but they’re the ideal soundtrack to listen to at full moon, when the trees have no leaves. Sad, but beautiful nightly music.
Favourite Tracks: Nightly Things, At night With Me, Bitter Night Choir
Favourite Lyrics: You Can Be My Monkey Girl



6. The Morning Benders – Boarded Doors (EP)
http://www.myspace.com/themorningbenders

The Shins, The Beatles, Dr. Dog, Tacks, the boy disaster... Well, those names say it all.. What do you say? The Beatles, never heard of? .. Well, it was some boysband in the sixties, you should listen to them, they’ve got some nice songs.. But clearly stole all their songs from the Shins... They’re not that original, you know. Their entire back catalogue is made up of songs by other bands... just rip-offs... but good ones... Morning Benders however! They’re the original! You know what? Forget about the beatles... Just wait for the Debut Album by Morning Benders.

Favourite Tracks: Damnit Anna, Last Today
Favourite Lyrics: If you want to meet the devil, you’ve gotta go to hell


5. Randall of Nazareth – Randall Of Nazareth

2006 was fingerpickin’ guitar-year, with great releases like James Blackshaw, Sir Richard Bishop, etc. In 2007 I seemed to have enough of that music. Not that i don’t like it anymore, but i just didn’t want anymore. The albums i have are sufficient. But Randall of Nazareth, well, he deserves some room in my room. It’s not just fingerpicking, it’s a bit bluesy slide-whatever folk this is kinda – music, with a great voice singing (think currituck co.). Nice songs, no myspace, so go search for yourself!

Favourite Tracks: Climbing Trees, It’s Nice To Know



4. Beatbeat Whisper – Beatbeat Whisper
http://www.myspace.com/beatbeatwhisper

Joanna Newsom released Ys about a year ago, and most people agreed it was the best record of 2006. I thought it was a nice one, but i haven’t listened to it 10 times or so. It’s just too much. The songs are way too long, and i’m MTV man! I need quick stuff, not concentrate too much! .. No not really, but still, Joanna Newsom’s songs were too long. But there a lot of alternatives. One of them is Beatbeat Whisper. She doesn’t sound that witchy as Joanna does, but still nice. And there’s a man as well! Nice duets, lovely lovely. A folk album that you should give a try if you like Vetiver, Mariee Sioux...

Favourite Tracks: Door To Door, Little Window


3. David Vandervelde – The Moonstation House Band
http://www.myspace.com/davidvandervelde

There must’ve been a time in our life when we all looked like Kurt Cobain. So did I, so did you. If you didn’t, then you’re probably someone who listened to House music. But we never sounded like Marc Bolan when singing, did we? Only Devendra Banhart did. Oh, And David Vandervelde. Moreover, he doesn’t only sound like him, he also makes the same kind of music. 60’s Stuff, that’s really good by the way!

Favourite Tracks: Jacket, Nothin’ No



2. Kid Harpoon – The First EP
http://www.myspace.com/kidharpoon

No other guy in all the lists i make sounds as british as Kid Harpoon. There’s pop, a bit of reggae, a bit of Jeff Buckley, a bit of bob dylan, and so on. All his songs on this EP (none of them to be found on his myspace, too bad) sound different & show a real musical talent. It’s poppy, perhaps a bit commercial (oooeh, don’t we all despise that word....) but it sounds great. (i’m starting to run out of original things to say)

Favourite Tracks: Fifty Seven, Small Town War



1. Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever
http://www.myspace.com/boniver

Hype! Hype! Hype! Well, at least in the world of melancholic emotional wannabe-poets. This sounds so tender, so warm. I wish i was Emma, so i could listen to this album, think it was especially made for me. And Then I Would go up to Bon Iver and kiss him, and we’d marry, and every Thursday night, when he’s in the bar, i’d play our record. And i’d weep, oh my god, i’d weep like a child. Like the child i’m carrying around me, asking what that heavenly music is. (yeah, like being over the top!)

Favourite Tracks: Flume, Blindsided, Creature Fear (but it’s all great)