The 2012 Riverfront Times Music Showcase is a month away. And if that is our own St. Louis Music holiday, then consider this the season: Over the next month, we'll be making our cases for all 125 bands and artists nominated for an RFT Music Award this year. Each weekday between now and the showcase on June 2, we'll introduce the nominees from one or more of our 25 categories. For each artist you will find a photo, a streaming track to sample and a few words from the staff at RFT Music.
Vote for all categories at the official 2012 RFT Music Showcase Reader's Poll.
From now until Sunday, buy wristbands for the 2012 RFT Music Showcase at half price -- $5.
Previously
Bear Hive Because each member of Bear Hive handles an impressive number of duties onstage, those who have heard but not seen the band may be surprised to learn it is merely a trio. Bassist Joel Burton and drummer Nate Heininger supplement their setups with secondary synthesizers, either hopscotching between instruments mid-song or tending to both simultaneously. Chris Phillips' vocals are remarkably expressive, especially since he belts them out while tap-dancing on pedals to loop layers of prickly guitar riffs and managing a hands-on drum machine. The variety-show spectacle is far from effortless, but this demanding, sweaty routine is the process necessary to execute Bear Hive's eclectic electro-indie party rock, which ranges from Battles-meets-Modest Mouse roof burners to lounging smoke breaks akin to Yo La Tengo. --Ryan Wasoba
CaveofswordS If marriage is just another name for collaboration -- a synergistic pairing of forces, a mingling of strengths and talents combined to make something lasting and beautiful -- it's amazing that so few rock & roll marriages stand the test of time. Husband and wife Kevin and Sunyatta McDermott are off to a good start as CaveofswordS -- she sings and writes the lyrics, and he takes care of the music, which tends toward organic electronica and looped percussion. Those who knew Sunyatta McDermott (then Sunyatta Marshall) from her role as the lead singer in pop-psych group Helium Tapes or as part of Fred's Variety Group will certainly recognize her controlled and seductive voice, and in these more beat-heavy arrangements she is freed from the constraints of live, loud rock & roll. As such, her voice becomes the uncontested centerpiece of these songs, with Kevin's drum-machine boogies and artfully processed sound collages offer a rich, nuanced palette to sing against. --Christian Schaeffer
DemonLover Once a seminal group of experimental Americana in St. Louis, Theodore dissolved in late 2011 releasing its invaluable artists into the wild. DemonLover is a power trio, collecting three heads from the aforementioned Theodore. Frontman Andy Lashier has a compelling voice, and he keeps the set grounded with solid bass work. Sam Meyer's rock background provides a powerful rip to the drum sections, while J.J. Hamon reprises his role as the specter of texture, making use of homemade devices to evoke otherworldly sound. There is a hint of punk rock in the band's delivery, with songs privy to experimentation. DemonLover provides a rare sound, one that feels at home in dusty warehouses and dive bars as well as art galleries and concert venues. DemonLover's hybrid of genre conventions is distinctly St. Louis, with wild fret-shredding and hometown twang. --Joseph Hess
