Shannon Tommy
Here's a not-so-well-kept secret among us music nerds: there is no better time to listen to new music than the dead of winter aka right now! It's freezing outside, no one wants to do anything and you could simply spend a weekend catching up on all the bands you've been begged to hear to over the last year.
So, while the weather is still miserable, let's highlight the best few-dozen New Jersey bands lighting up the hottest scenes around the Garden State and beyond. These are the highest-flying local rock, pop, folk, punk and hip-hop acts you'll find in Asbury Park, New Brunswick, Jersey City or anywhere else all those killer tunes try to hide.
It's time to refresh your playlists, friends: these are the 31 New Jersey bands you need to hear in 2019.
Anthony Vito Photography
Cook Thugless
Hey, it's only January, but the psychedelic rap group Cook Thugless's latest LP, "LUXE," is going to be difficult to beat when it comes to local releases in 2019. Beyond the record, which is forceful and stands toe-to-toe with many household names, this New Brunswick-native seven-piece outfit is magnificent to watch in the live setting as they trade vocal parts and jam hard on the beat. These multi-talented guys all met at Rutgers, making them the best thing to emerge from the campus since the birth of college football (or maybe the Fat Darrell). Local hip-hop doesn't get much better than Cook Thugless. Look for them to be promoting the new album around the state this year.
Listen if you love: Childish Gambino, Tyler, The Creator
Jenna Murphy, Okie Dokie Studio
Well Wisher
It's all been coming up roses and killer riffs for Natalie Newbold since the disbandment of the New Brunswick pop trio Dollys in 2017. The drummer-turned-frontwoman's new punky group Well Wisher released a great debut LP in "This Is Fine" in 2018 and signed to indie favorite 6131 Records, but 2019 should bring big things, too, beginning with an East Coast tour opening for Weakened Friends, which hits Asbury Park Brewery on Friday. Well Wisher will play South By Southwest in Austin in March as well.
Listen if you love: Mixtapes, Candy Hearts
Courtesy of LH7 Management
AK
Whoa. AK is short for Austin Kassabian, a teenager from South Brunswick who just so happens to be one of the hottest new rap stars in New Jersey. This kid can really spit -- Eminem and that whole tree of emcees who dole the anger-soaked speed rhymes are clearly an influence -- and has a monster following online, as he's racked up millions of plays on Spotify and YouTube. See him lose his mind into a microphone in at The Knitting Factory in Brooklyn April 29.
Listen if you love: NF, Logic
Shannon Tommy
Little Vicious
Imagine if Glenn Danzig was a woman and fronted a bouncy hard-rock band in Asbury Park. That's Little Vicious, a group people can't stop talking about (myself included) in the shore scene. The terrific trio led by Marguerite King melted faces with its self-titled debut last year and now, Little Vicious has a new sophomore album, called "Dark Country," coming out in the Spring, as well as a tour down the East Coast kicking off in March. The band will be opening for punk legends Supersuckers at the Wonder Bar in Asbury Park on March 27th.
Listen if you love: Jack White, Alice Merton
Facebook.com/OldWoundsNJ
Old Wounds
The sonic buzzsaw that is Old Wounds just might be the best hardcore band in New Jersey right now, and good on the guys for breaking up the traditional screams with some clean vocals that remind of early The Used jams. The band's 2018 LP "Glow" was it's strongest effort yet and if you disagree, I'll see you in the pit. Old Wounds has a bunch of East Coast shows booked through the winter; you can catch them in Amityville, N.Y. Feb. 14.
Listen if you love: Turnstile, Knocked Loose
Danny Clinch
Rachel Ana Dobken
After an exciting debut LP last year, local rock singer-songwriter Rachel Ana Dobken says she is working toward a very busy 2019. Expect some exciting Asbury Park-area shows coming in the spring and special appearances. She'll also be announcing an upcoming tour and shows around the Northeast, plus a new single and some music videos. Or you might just catch her jamming at famed rock photographer Danny Clinch's gallery down by the beach.
Listen if you love: Nicole Atkins, Jenny Lewis
Ciara Brinn Perrone
Deal Casino
Every time you turn around, Deal Casino has something new on the burner. The pop-rock four-piece got experimental and subtle on its 2018 LP "LLC" and just re-entered the studio to record a bunch of new music to be released (hopefully) sooner than later. The guys, who have been tireless players in the burgeoning Asbury Park scene for the last five years, scored a big booking earlier this month: they'll be playing the New York mega-fest Governor's Ball in June.
Listen if you love: Young The Giant, Cold War Kids
Daniel 'Tito' Rosas
DBM
Local rapper DBM (short for Dane the Beautiful Monster") says his music is a sincere reflection of the world through his eyes. He's a strong hip-hop storytelling reminiscent of KRS-One, Brother Ali, and Dead Prez and his latest single, "Nefertiti (In My House)" -- off his upcoming album "From Ashes Rose A King" -- is a perfect example. If you're an old-school rap fan, keep DBM on your radar throughout the year.
Listen if you love: KRS-One, Rakim
Courtesy of Rise Records
Palisades
Palisades, an electronically infused hard-rock quintet from Woodbridge, have been slaying the Warped Tour-adjacent scene and now, with the Dec. 28 release of the group's throttling new record, "Erase The Pain," the chances of full combustion are more likely than ever. Singer Lou Miceli and crew will tour the U.S. this winter in support of Nothing More and hit Playstation Theater in New York March 10.
Listen if you love: Hands Like Houses, Bring Me The Horizon
Kevin Miller
The Vaughns
Springfield indie-rockers The Vaughns manage to appear on this list every year because they're just too freaking good to leave out. The dynamic and addictively fun four-piece led by Anna Lies rocked its first East Coast tour last year and is poised to release its debut LP sometime in 2019, after a list of terrific singles and the 2015 EP "Tomfoolery."
Listen if you love: Speedy Ortiz, Hop Along
Nicole Weimberger
The Happy Fits
Who says Clinton isn't a hotbed for surging indie-rock trios? The Happy Fits haven't been on the scene too long, having only formed in 2016, but the guys have been killing it on Spotify, notching well over 5 million streams and appearing on several viral playlists with their understanding of pop melodies and buoyant vibe ripe to explode given the proper platforms. The Happy Fits' debut LP, "Concentrate," was one of my favorite spins of 2018 and you can catch them in Easton, Pa. Feb. 2.
Listen if you love: The Strokes, Wallows
Mark Brown | For NJ.com
Teenage Halloween
The versatile New Brunswick punk-rock outfit Teenage Halloween describes itself online as a "collective," more or less meaning there's a cast of players that rotate around magnetic frontperson Luke Henderiks. That's about right; you might catch these people on a night with just Henderiks, a trombone and a drummer, or you'll get a gargantuan 10-piece army of members who have consistently wowed all over New Jersey. Here's hoping for new music this year (no announcements yet) and if you want to see this chameleonic group, head for In The West in New Brunswick Feb. 15.
Listen if you love: The Front Bottoms, Big Star
Peter Dolshun
Natalie Farrell
Natalie Farrell, one of the most exciting new singer-songwriters on the Asbury Park scene describes herself on Facebook better than I can: "expressive contralto vocals and an eclectic mix of musical genres, including soul, rhythm and blues, jazz, and rock." There's a deft mix of new and old styles here and if you're into the golden-age rock songstresses or their more modern mirrors, you gotta hear Farrell's debut album, 2018's wide-ranging "Natality."
Listen if you love: Amy Winehouse, Joss Stone
James Waltsak
Sonic Blume
Breezy Monmouth County indie-rock newcomers Sonic Blume burst onto the Jersey Shore scene in 2018, gigging a ton on the young four-piece's impressive debut LP, "Beach Karma." The band says it is taking the first few months of the new year off from gigging to finish writing and recording their third record (and finish high school). This one is once again being produced and engineered by Erik Kase Romero (Lorde, Front Bottoms, Gaslight Anthem) and will be released this summer.
Listen if you love: Real Estate, Deerhunter
Okie Dokie Studio
Avery Mandeville and The Man Devils
Avery Mandeville and The Man Devils really nailed it last year, landing on some stellar concert lineups around Asbury Park and releasing "Happy Birthday, Avery Jane," an infectiously fun mix of power-pop with touches of riot grrrl and indie-rock. I don't think any new act in the ever-bursting Asbury scene caught my attention quite like Ms. Mandeville did in 2018 and we should all expect 2019 to bring plenty more good shows and better jams from this intriguing group.
Listen if you love: Jenny Lewis, Sleater-Kinney
Jacob Paul
Jackson Pines
Remember the well-traveled folk outfit Thomas Wesley Stern, who released all those wonderfully banjo-rific songs earlier this decade? Frontman Joe Makoviecki and multi-instrumentalist James Black have broken off to form Jackson Pines, another traditional folk project with an intimate sound and smart songwriting. The guys (from Jackson, of course) just released a satisfying new EP called "Gas Station Blues and Diamond Rings" and if you can catch them live this winter, do so -- great live band.
Listen if you love: Bob Dylan, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats
Instagram/BottledBlonde
Bottled Blonde
Asbury Park singer-songwriter Mackenzie Brown, formerly of scene frequenter Mack, touts a new project called Bottled Blonde, which is set for a huge year after releasing two intriguing new tracks in 2018. The new sound so far is breezy, sweeping indie-rock with a playful vocal performance turned in, begging you to lean a little closer, listen a little more carefully. Well, we're listening -- bring on the new tunes, Ms. Brown!
Listen if you love: Meiko, Ingrid Michaelson
Dieter Unrath
Save Face
Few Jersey rock acts are flying as high as Save Face, a propulsive group whose debut LP, "Merci" was one of my favorite local releases of 2018. The searing rock four-piece will continue to play those new tunes all through February on a full national tour supporting fellow New Jerseyans Can't Swim. This is a sharp band doling a whole mess of bounding, punkish tunes with plenty of heart.
Listen if you love: The Menzingers, Off With Their Heads
Adele Sakey
Cold Weather Company
The first time I met with Cold Weather Company, about four years ago, it was in the trio's Rutgers dorm room. These folksy dudes from New Brunswick have come a long way since then and their sweeping sound with sensational production continues to grow with every release. Now, after millions of plays online and a sizable local following the group is back with maybe its best release yet in the new LP, "Find Light," out Friday and an album release show Wednesday night at Mercury Lounge in New York. If layered folk-rock is your thing, don't let this record pass you by.
Listen if you love: The Decemberists, The Lumineers
Brian L. Tice Jr.
Toy Cars
The Asbury Park rock four-piece Toy Cars released the first great New Jersey album of 2018 with its highly listenable debut LP, "Paint Brain" last January, and have already promised new music this year, too. I can't wait to hear more; the group's single "Cold" was a banner jam for me last year. Let's hope 2019 amps up the group's pop-punk style.
Listen if you love: Real Friends, Modern Baseball
Courtesy of The Vansaders
The Vansaders
Less than a month into the new year and Asbury Park punk-rockers The Vansaders are already back with a new project, an acoustic record called "Standstill" that reimagines some of this stellar groups best crunchy tunes, and includes an unspeakably good cover of Jawbreaker's "Kiss The Bottle." Catch serrated vocalist Doug Zambon and the guys opening for your favorite punk act down around the Jersey Shore this year.
Listen if you love: The Gaslight Anthem, Frank Turner
Brian L. Tice Jr.
Hodera
Here's my annual plea to go listen to the Montclair folk-rock outfit Hodera if you haven't already, and allow frontman Matt Smith's devastatingly personal lyrics wash over you. The four-piece nailed its sad-but-so-good aesthetic again in 2018 with the new EP "Besides" and as the band racks up plays on Spotify and YouTube, I'm waiting for them to follow in fellow Montclairian band Pinegrove's footsteps and really explode onto the indie scene. Hodera plays Coney Island Baby in New York Feb. 3
Listen if you love: The Front Bottoms, Bright Eyes
Facebook/Latewaves
Latewaves
If you're looking for a good time, lock onto Latewaves, a wonderfully fun indie-rock trio from Asbury Park that plays the scene constantly and after a delightful debut EP in "Partied Out" in 2017 dropped a few vibrant singles in 2018 and are due for another record, sooner than later please. See this boisterous group tear the roof off Pianos in New York Feb. 22.
Listen if you love: Motion City Soundtrack, Jimmy Eat World
Jeff Crespi Rocks
Levy and The Oaks
This pop-rock power trio is two-thirds rebuilt from the wave-making New Jersey emo band Socratic, who were signed to Drive-Thru Records in the early 2000s. The new sound, led by crisp vocals from frontman Duane "Levy" Okun, is more polished and at times feels a good deal like Springsteen or Billy Joel with a contemporary flair. The new year will bring new music (lots of it, the band promises) high-octane shows, and some touring as the group continues to tout its 2018 EP "Sound Of The City."
Listen if you love: Jack's Mannequin, A Great Big World
Courtesy of Modern Chemistry
Modern Chemistry
After its latest LP, "Everything In Gold," hit the alt-rock mark in 2017, Modern Chemistry laid a little low most of last year but finished strong with the release of two dynamic, lush singles in "Take A Second" and "Swimmers." The band led by singer Joe Zorzi is getting back into the studio early this year -- potentially for two separate LPs, Zorzi says -- and before 2019 is out, we should have a crop of new tunes from one of Central Jersey's most consistently excellent local acts of the last five years.
Listen if you love: Taking Back Sunday, Manchester Orchestra
Maegan Broccoli
ManDancing
There was so much to love on ManDancing's re-released 2018 LP "Everyone Else" that I don't even know where to start. Frontman Stephen Kelly is one of the brightest songwriting lights in the local scene; his songs range from indie-folk and emo to a sound that could almost be classified as alt-country. Please, local rock gods, give us more ManDancing music this year. The band plays in New Brunswick Feb. 27, check 'em out when you can.
Listen if you love: Brand New, Manchester Orchestra
Courtesy of Long Neck
Long Neck
The jangly indie-rock outfit Long Neck was, for my money, the coolest new band to emerge from Jersey City last year. The group led by Lily Mastrodimos made waves across the state with its debut LP, "Will This Do?" which featured a terrific performance by the newcomer Mastrodimos, who provided a confident and refreshingly urgent look at love and loss. The success of the album has helped to land the band, who are signed to Tiny Engines, a bunch of gigs early this year. Check them out in New Brunswick, at In The West studios March 15.
Listen if you love: Lucy Dacus, Snail Mail
Courtesy of Mercy Union
Mercy Union
If you've followed New Jersey rock for the last decade or so, then you already know most of this local supergroup, led by Scandals frontman Jared Hart and filled out by Gaslight Anthem drummer Benny Horowitz, New Brunswick scene stalwart Rocky Catanese on guitar and Nick Jorgensen on bass. Mercy Union dropped their debut LP "The Quarry" in 2018 and will spend the spring on a national tour supporting punk-rock Laura Jane Grace and the Devouring Mothers.
Listen if you love: The Gaslight Anthem, Hot Water Music
Mike Diebold
Will Wood and The Tapeworms
The sinfully talented and terrifically eclectic North Jersey band Will Wood and The Tapeworms have plenty going on in 2019, especially for the eccentric frontman Wood, who just recorded a new single with multi-platinum producer Matt Squire (Panic! At the Disco, One Direction, Ariana Grande). The band is releasing this summer a full-length concert film, recorded at Roxy and Dukes Roadhouse in Dunellen last year. Wood is also opening an art gallery in Asbury Park and planning to tour inter-regionally as 2019 rolls on.
Listen if you love: Tom Waits, Gogol Bordello
Courtesy of City Vision
City Vision
City Vision is a new, Freehold-based project by a duo of very talented local artists in Rob Nardone and Dar Franks. The sound is bounding synth-pop with an alternative edge and man, it is CATCHY. The guys released their striking debut EP "The Darkness + The Blinding Light" late last year and promise a new single or two in the coming months. They will play a show celebrating the new album at The Saint in Asbury Park Friday night.
Listen if you love: Bleachers, Andrew McMahon And The Wilderness
Chris Bahr
Tara Dente
Jersey Shore-based singer-songwriter Tara Dente will finally release this year a follow-up to her highly regarded 2017 debut LP called, which will be titled "Truth In The Mud" and drop in April via Virginia indie label Travianna Records. Tara Dente & The Blind Pilots will be playing their brand of ethereal indie-folk at Brighton bar Jan. 29.
Listen if you love: Brandi Carlile, Patty Griffin
Listen in a playlist!
Bobby Olivier may be reached at bolivier@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BobbyOlivier and Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips
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