Lake Street Dive

Jazz/soul/blues/rock rolled into a great retro package.  Reminds me a lot of Alabama Shakes, who was the hot, young bluesy rock band fronted by a strong female voice a few years back at ACL.  The sound at the stage for that show was awful, so I remember being very disappointed about that show.  LSD were a major buzz band at SXSW this last year - lots of breathless articles about how this Brooklyn retro powerhouse was poised to hit the big time (NPR said they were dangerously charming).  Because of that garbage, I was feeling the need to dislike the band.

However, their 2010 eponymous album is full of solid soul rock that lives up to the hype.  The main hit off of that album, which gets some radio play around Austin, is Don't Make Me Hold Your Hand - here is a live version:

Damn Gina.  The lead singer's voice is so strong.  That powerful and yet lovely sound is killer - especially when most of the female vocals you hear in popular music today are either auto-tuned tinny little weakness or powerfully overprocessed slaps to the ears.

After that 2010 album, they apparently put out an EP of just covers, and that Jackson 5 action above was on there - although Spotify doesn't have the EP for us to enjoy.  Jerks.  More recently, LSD put out their new album (Bad Self Portraits) in February 2014, and it is more of the same good stuff.

Very Beatles-esque sound in the music, with Rachel Price killing it over the top.  Not the full song, but YouTube isn't giving me much from the new album that isn't live.

Here is the title track off of the new album, live on Letterman.  Another great one.  The whole band is just tight - the backing harmonies, that great upright bass, the locked-in drums.  Letterman appears to be a fan as well, asking them to come back every night.  I agree.  Hope I'll get to see them at ACL.