Music

Top 10 Two-Piece Bands

by Barry Taylor

It’s been a while since a festival has created the kind of insane frenzy that’s happening with Coachella 2011. And with a lineup that includes bands like Arcade Fire, the Strokes, Kayne West, Interpol, the Black Keys, and Bright Eyes, the reaction makes sense.

Obviously, one of the biggest stories that came along with last week’s announcement was the reunion of Death From Above 1979. For [at least] one show, Jesse Keeler and Sebastian Granger will put their personal differences aside and reunite for a glorious desert session.

In honour of the DFA reunion, let’s take a look at the Top 10 Two-Piece bands and see what they’re up to now.

10. Pet Shop Boys

Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe’s next project comes with a little culture. The Pet Shop Boys have teamed up with choreographer Javier De Frutos to create a full-length dance production based on the literary fairytale the Most Incredible Thing. The show will run from March 17-26 at the Sadler’s Wells in London, England. Classy.

9. Tenacious D

Jack Black and Kyle Gass are working on a new album that should be released by the end of the year. “We’re gonna be talking about love, there are gonna be some songs about sex and there’s gonna be songs about food,” explained Black.

He also suggested that another film staring the pair is a possibility, though this time around it would “probably be on the lower-budge.”

8. The Ting Tings

The Ting Tings followup to 2008’s We Started Nothing is set to be released this May but Katie White and Jules de Martino have recently discussed scrapping the entire album in favor of some brand new material.

de Martino told Skynews that the decision will be a “tough call because the album’s all been mixed… but the new songs are really fresh.”

7. Lightning Bolt

Brian Chippendale and Brian Gibson are yet another great band that will perform at Coachella in 2011. If you’re one of those compulsive gambler types that just has to bet on which band will have the best set off the main stage, Smooth Jimmy Apollo is picking Lightning Bolt as his Lock of the Week.

6. Woodhands

According to Woodhands MySpace, the band is in the midst of some “Mad writing days.” While Dan Werb and Paul Banwatt work on the follow up to Remorsecapade, they’ll also get out and play some festivals, including Toronto’s Wavelength that runs February 16-20 and the Great Escape Festival that takes place this May in the UK.

5. Local H

Last October, Scot Lucas and Brian St. Clair released Local H’s Awesome Mix Tape #1 featuring covers of bands like Pink Floyd, Agent Orange and Concrete Blonde, among others.

While the songs were great, what took the album to the next level of awesomeness was the fact that the Illinois band put out limited edition versions on cassette. Finally, a reason to bust out the walkman.

4. Daft Punk

Now that all the rumors surrounding the Third Twin have been put to rest, Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homen-Christo can go back to focusing on what they do best: making great electronic music and appearing in those wacky CTV commercials that appear during NFL games.

3. The Black Keys

Last weekend, the Black Keys made their debut on the PBS show Austin City Limits. Their set included ‘Next Girl,’ ‘Howlin’ For You,’ ‘Tighten Up,’ ‘She’s Long Gone,’ ‘I Got Mine,’ ‘Thickfreakness,’ and ‘I’ll Be Your Man.’ You can check out the entire show (which includes a performance from Sonic Youth) here.

2. The White Stripes

Remember this? Here’s reason number eleven. Last November, Jack White told Vanity Fair that he and Meg were ready to “get back into the studio and start fresh.”

While White Stripes fans wait on the reunion, they can check out the reissues of the 2001 Captain Beefheart Covers that came out earlier this month in honor of the late songwriter.

1. Death From Above 1979

This reunion for Coachella really came out of nowhere. In 2008 Sebastian Granger told Eye Weekly that the breakup was “entirely personal” and he felt “a lot of frustration and anger but a lot of relief.”

Those in the know have suggested that the duo will play a few festivals throughout the year, but a full-on reunion (new album and tour) isn’t likely.