Mid January is traditionally known as the most depressing, dreary and mind numbingly boring time of year. All the clubs are as empty as our bank accounts, the weather is less spectacular winter wonderland and more drizzly, grey and insipidly dull. Lacking in sunlight, fatter and poorer, the summer seems a long way away. It doesn’t even bear thinking about recent world news, the general destruction of the planet, the credit crunch  and the general doomed outlook for humanity. But hey don’t let all that silly stuff get you down there’s a golden lining to the January shaped cloud, and that is all the new music out  this year to look forward to-HURRAH!

I’ve had a decidedly uplifting week mainly spent on my own in my bedroom listening to, reading about and downloading new (and overlooked) bands and artists. And having new stuff to listen to always put’s a spring in my step and a smile on my face-and now is the best time of year to do it. In fact it’s what these long winter evenings were made for in my opinion. Before you know it the year is in full swing and you  can only dream of being bored as you’re too busy to even trim your toe-nails. Now is the time! I urge you to do like me and get out find yourself a little known band to champion(or ten) so when every body’s talking about them at the end of the year you can say you’ve been in to them for ages with a certain smug satisfaction. I’ve made loads of new discoveries this week but I’m just going to give you five for now. To find out the rest you’ll just have to read next weeks blog.

We Want War-These New Puritans

First on my list is not a new band but a new album from an already favourite band of mine.  “We Want War” is the first release from These NewPuritans new album “Hidden”. It’s the best track I’ve heard in a long time-bass heavy, percussion lead terrifyingly dark and dramatic. It has received enraptured reviews, and is being heralded as a masterpiece. I read the reviews and was slightly concerned it  couldn’t live up to them, but it does.

Two Door Cinema Club-Something Good Can Work

Released on the unwaveringly eclectic Kitsune Record label.It’s irresistibly  immediate, cheery and upbeat . Again not really a new band but one who’ve really come in to their own recently and look set for big things over the next few months. The perfect antidote to pessimism and apathy.

Chew Lips-Salt Air

Channelling Karen O, front-woman Tigs manages much more than a lame Yeah Yeah Yeahs, impersonation. This trio have promised much since having their demo picked out by Steve Lamaq at the start of 2009. They’ve secured a record deal and their new album(judging by this song) looks set to deliver the goods.

Marina and the Diamonds-Obsessions

Again Marina is  not so much a new artist but an artist with a new sense of confidently accomplished tracks to match her early promise. Everyone is tipping her for chart topping success this year akin to the lovely Florence last year (they’re not dissimilar in style either).

Art vs Science-Parlez vous Francais?

It’s a ridiculous track and if it didn’t have such a filthy riff I would have dismissed it as teenage, trendy and trite. However it does have one of the most awesomely filthily funky riffs that just makes me want to jump around like a teenage mosh monster.