Hailing from Echo Park in Los Angeles, NO have heard the big music – or at least certain strains of it. Fronted by Bradley Carter, a New Zealander whose elegant baritone is occasionally a ringer for Matt Berninger, NO fills their moody, broody, slightly careworn and hugely endearing songs with vintage hooks, harmonies and melodies. From the rich, epic span of Leave the Door Wide Open to the emotional punch and poise of Stay With Me , NO have sussed what it takes to create songs that resonate with melancholic charm and are equipped with the nuts and bolts needed to scale up to stadium size. So Scared and There's a Glow make El Prado the kind of lush, introspective, expansive rock album you didn't think they made any more. This will be a year when many more people will start saying yes to NO. noechopark.com
Download: Leave the Door Wide Open, Stay With Me, So Scared