As musical trends continue to evolve and new genres emerge, plenty of other styles of music happen to fall out of fashion in the process, with their legacy only living on through bands who have come before.
However, despite this, there are still plenty of bands out there who are taking it upon themselves to make sure they maintain the spirit of these bygone genres, reinventing them and making them relevant once again. These bands manage to make new audiences captivated by the eclectic sounds that they would not usually hear with their usual fare.
One perfect example of this is Hurray For The Riff Raff. With this in mind, we’ve decided to take a look at some of the bands helping to reinvent these classic sounds and take them in directions that had only ever been dreamt of before.
Hurray For The Riff Raff
Hurray For The Riff Raff are one of those bands who have been on the scene for just over a decade now, and have been bringing their unique style of indie-folk and Americana country to the world for the majority of that time. Fronted by Alynda Segarra, who ran away at age 17 and began busking on the streets as a way to survive, the group have a seasoned style of wisdom to their music, showing a respect for the music of years gone by, while crafting a forward-thinking sound in the process.
Having taught herself everything she can about her Puerto Rican history, Alynda Segarra’s music combines elements of traditional American folk protest songs, while implanting roots to her heritage with Afro-Caribbean percussion and empowering storytelling that tackles displacement, diaspora and racism to attempt to push back against fear mongering.
C.W. Stoneking
Australia’s C.W. Stoneking might have been on the scene for a couple of decades now, but he’s still undoubtedly one of the few musicians out there bringing back the old style of blues that has fallen by the wayside. Adopting a mix of traditional calypso and hokum style of playing, Stoneking has managed to take his unique take on the genre all around the world, with fans eager to hear this one-man blues revivalist.
Recently, it was announced that noted blues fan Jack White has even tapped C.W Stoneking for a guest appearance on his new LP. If that doesn’t indicate just how well-received this bygone blues style of his is, nothing does.
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BadBadNotGood
Jazz has always been an overlooked genre in the world of music, with many unfairly writing it off as a high-class, snobbish style. However, thanks to a bunch of Canadian musos who have all gone to school to study the genre, it’s becoming more and more fashionable once again.
BadBadNotGood have been spending a number of years making a name for themselves through their electronica-infused jazz odysseys, which often see them collaborating with some big names in the world of hip-hop, including Ghostface Killah, Kaytranada, and even Snoop Dogg, proving that despite what you may think, jazz has the ability to be cool once again.
Benjamin Booker
Famously described by The Chiacgo Tribune as a “raw brand of blues/boogie/soul,” Benjamin Booker is a one-man party starter. Fuelled by the raw emotion of soul, and inspired by the ferocious power of early blues rockers, Booker pays tribute to some of music’s legendary rock and rollers while still crafting his own niche of explosive blues and garage rock.
Undoubtedly one of the most dedicated and energetic performers you’ll see today, Benjamin Booker has been gaining rave reviews for his live shows, which often feature an intensity not seen by an average performer.
Leon Bridges
Seemingly coming out of nowhere just a couple of years back, Leon Bridges has quickly risen to the top of the gospel and soul world, giving fans a fresh, modern take on the classic genre. Writing music in the style of ’50s and ’60s soul music, and using time-specific instrumentation and equipment, Bridges’ music sounds like it has been plucked directly from a jukebox in the ’50s.
Having blown away the music world with his debut album, Coming Home, in 2015, fans are now eagerly awaiting a second helping of this astonishing musician, who we just know is going to deliver yet another collection of soulful tunes in no time at all.
Gary Clark Jr
Gary Clark Jr. is one of the most critically-acclaimed guitarists in recent years, managing to almost completely invent his own niche in the world of blues, rock, and soul music. With his trademark, fuzzed-out guitar sound, Gary Clark Jr. has achieved fame and success in ways numerous musicians could only ever dream of.
In a famous Rolling Stone interview from 2013, it was said that Gary Clark Jr. managed to re-inspire Eric Clapton to play guitar again, and even made the legendary blues musician Buddy Guy claim that he may just be the saviour that blues needs. With a list of supporters longer than one of solos, and with his own unique, versatile style, Gary Clark Jr. has achieved legend status a solid 30 years before many other artists usually do.
Winston Surfshirt
Much has been said about Winston Surfshirt over the last year, but the meteoric rise to fame for these Sydney musos prove that they’re definitely onto a winning formula. Managing to combine an eclectic mix of hip-hop, soul, and R&B, Winston Surfshirt have made an enigmatic style of music that can’t really be described with ease.
While 2017 has definitely been the year that Winston Surfshirt blew up our speakers with their chilled out tunes, their accessible, beloved sound is undoubtedly going to keep on winning them fans the world over as they continue to spread their wings.
