# Top DIY Rock Songs & Albums of 2014, Vol. IV – Bat Zuppel, Young Creatures, The Holy Ghost Electric Show, Tupelo Honey

- Link: https://indierockcafe.com/2015/01/top-diy-rock-songs-albums-of-2014-vol-iv-bat-zuppel-young-creatures-the-holy-ghost-electric-show-tupelo-honey-pyrrhura/
- Published: 2015-01-15T11:17:31-05:00
- Author: indierocker

Pittsburgh's Bat Zuppel rock as hard as they play

 The IRC series, [Top DIY Songs and Albums of 2014](https://indierockcafe.com/category/2014-diy-releases/),
has been such a hit with readers around the globe and across the web that we figured
it only made sense to push out the fourth installment sooner than planned. Every
year thousands of terrific singles and releases from DIY artists and bands fly under
the radar. Often, through the years, you guys have pushed them on to the radar after
they were featured on IRC and via our [Facebook](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/indierockcafefb40)
and [Twitter](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/IndieRockCafe4) feeds.

First up, in Vol. IV of this series (which will run for some weeks), are artists
and bands whose 2014 releases were big hits with IRC listeners and readers around
the U.S. and the world. Also, we’re getting closer to finding a player to use to
replace the Yahoo Media Player (Yahoo stopped supporting it in 2014) so that you
can stream all of the songs in this post. You can also download and stream them 
one by one by clicking through the player or as you read the entries below.

#### Bat Zuppel – _Brain Eater_

From small basements throughout **Pittsburg,** PA, the DIY garage rock band **Bat
Zuppel** knock out aggressive teen angst with a well honed style they’ve been working
on since forming in 2013. The sound is raw and gritty, drawn from their favorite‘
old punk and garage rock bands,’ all in an effort to ‘recreate that chaotic atmosphere’
bands from those days funneled into their music.

Last March, the band released their debut album, _Brain Eater_, featuring tracks
like the crunchy “Under My Bed” and the Sonic Youth-inspired, “Apparition Girl.”
Bat Zuppel’s sound and style is also informed from bands like The Damned, Metz, 
Nirvana, Ty Segall and Wavves. The trio features **Matt Ruppel** on bass, **Zach
Bronder** on guitar and vocals and **Gordy Brash** on drums. “We play a lot of basement
shows, those are the most fun for us and I feel like the fans have the most fun 
at these shows.” Bronder said. “We recorded and mixed this album entirely by ourselves,
a lot of work was put into this one.”

Under My Bed – **Bat Zuppel** from _Brain Eater_

Apparition Girl – **Bat Zuppel** from _Brain Eater_

![fear-all-the-things-young-creatures](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/
2015/01/fear-all-the-things-young-creatures.jpg "fear-all-the-things-young-creatures")

#### Young Creatures – _Fear All Things_ EP

Los Angeles indie rock band **Young Creatures** has been competing for a piece of
the LA music scene – the most saturated and competitive music scene int he world–
since 2011. Over the past couple of years, they’ve managed to attract a small following.
Julie Slater chose the band as her ‘Local Anesthetic’ on 88.5 KCSN in Los Angeles
last year. We think the following two tracks exemplify the band’s sound perfectly–
Young Creatures draw on heavy classic rock riffs peppered with indie rock hooks 
from guitarists **Mike Post** and **Andrew Gleason**, bassist **Spender King** and
drummer **Mikey Escalante**. Post’s effortlessly terrific vocal melodies line up
nicely with the band’s riff-oriented rock sound that honors musical influences such
as Led Zeppelin, Delta Spirit, Dawes and Local Natives. The band’s latest EP, _Fear
All The Things_, includes the standout track, “Lionheart,” which enjoyed frequent
plays in the cafe, and the sunny pop of “Foreigner.” They’ve opened for bands like
Burning Jet Black, The Sixth Son, Argentine, and The Podunk Poets.

[Lionheart](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/Young%20Creatures%20-%20Lionheart.mp3)–**
Young Creatures** from _Fear All The Things_ EP

[Foreigner](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/Young%20Creatures%20-%20Foreigner.mp3)–**
Young Creatures** from _Fear All Things_

#### The Holy Ghost Electric Show – _The Great American_

Based in the town of **Oxford**, in northeast Mississippi, **The Holy Ghost Electric
Show** started out in an abandoned cabin a couple of years ago when songwriter, 
vocalist and guitarist **Cody Rodgers** began tirelessly working on songs for the
eventual band’s 2014 release, _The Great American_. Together with other band members–
including his brother **Jake Rodgers** on banjo and guitar, plus **Austin Wheeler**(
drums), **Connor Wroten** (bass), and **Will Shirley** (chord organ) – Rodgers channeled
his life experiences and thoughts into loosely arrange tracks that were honed over
and over during performances at bars, house parties, in parking lots and even for“
policemen in a park late at night,” with each member, Rodgers said, adding their
own special touch to the songs.
 “To me, indie rock isn’t a specific sound a band
may have, but instead just simply an independent band,” Rodgers said, “that is willing
to pay out of pocket, without the help of a label, to record the music they’ve made
with care.”

Related Post:  Top DIY Rock Songs & Albums of 2014, Vol. I - The Howler Weary, The
Supplement, Matt Boroff, Zach Jones, Glitch Mouth

Let The Waters Rise – **The Holy Ghost Electric Show** from _The Great American_

Phantom Engineer – **The Holy Ghost Electric Show** from _The Great American_

![brave-new-world-tupelo-honey](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/
12/brave-new-world.jpg "brave-new-world")

#### Tupelo Honey – _Brave New World_

**Edmonton** rock band, **Tupelo Honey**, has become one of Canada’s top DIY rock
acts over the past decade . On their 2014 album, _Brave New World_ (which debuted
at No. 7 on the Canadian iTunes Rock chart), the band has built on their popularity
in the region and acquired fans across Canada, and increasingly in the U.S. The 
past few years have been a ride for the band; in fact, they were picked to share
the stage with Bon Jovi for two shows at Rexall Place in Edmonton and The Saddledome
in **Calgary**. They’ve also shared the stage with Billy Talent, Everclear, Three
Days Grace, Thornley, and Metric. The band picked up even more interest after one
of their tracks was used for a _Sunkist_ commercial that aired during the televised
_Billboard Music Awards_ in 2012. While that may not sound very DIY, most bands 
nowadays have to rely on licensing their music to commercials, TV and cable shows,
and other opportunities just to pay their basic costs because they simply don’t 
make money, or enough money, from singles and album sales.

Singer **Dan Davidson**, echoing this fact, told IRC that “indie rock isn’t a genre
to us, it’s the DIY way to make our style of music and get it to the fans on our
own terms.” We happen to dig their singles “Halo” and “Lifetime.” The other band
members include **Steve Vincent** on bass; **Tyler Dianocky** on guitar; **Brad 
Simons** on guitar, and **Greg Williamson** on drums.

 Halo  – **Tupelo Honey** from _Brave New World_ – Feb. 6th

 Lifetime  – **Tupelo Honey** from _Brave New World_

![jamesdifebbo](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/turnonthesterio1.
jpg "turnonthestereo")

#### Justin DiFebbo – _Turn Out The Light, Turn On The Stereo_

Mixing acoustic and electric guitars with bass, piano, organs, ukelele and mandolin,
singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalis **Justin DiFebbo** from **Philadelphia**
crafts intricate, lush songs that draw from an eclectic background of church music,
love for bands like the Beach Boys, The Beatles and Simon and Garfunkel, and years
of music lessons from the time he was nine years old. During his early 20s, DiFebbo
played the Hammond organ for the blues rock band **K-Floor** and toured extensively,
performing live for more than 500. During this time, he honed his skills and developed
a strong love of vintage keyboards, including the Hammond B3, Fender Rhodes and 
Wurltizer 200A.

In 2011, DiFebbo decided to strike out on his own. In 2014, he quietly released 
his debut album, _Turn Out The Light, Turn On The Stereo_, an homage to his keys
fascination and a commendable exercise in recording and mixing all of the instruments,
percussion and vocal tracks. His sound is a swirl of pop and harmonies, folk roots
and bluesy rock with overtures of psych all supported by deep keys infusions. Tracks
like the appropriately upbeat and melodic, “Coffee,” and the swaggering, reggae-
like, “Play It Slow,” are two of the EP’s tracks that stand out particularly well.

[Coffee](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/01%20Coffee%20-%20Justin%20DiFebbo.mp3)–**
Justin DiFebbo** from _Turn Out The Light, Turn On The Stereo_

[Play It Slow](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/02%20Play%20It%20Slow%20-%20Justin%20DiFebbo.mp3)–**
Justin DiFebbo** from _Turn Out The Light, Turn On The Stereo_

![pyrrhura](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/pyrrhura-586x584.
jpg "pyrrhura")

#### Pyrrhura – _Off The Big Road_

Not often do we receive music from **Slovakia**, but **Milan Tarina Jr.** is a 17-
year-old experimental indie folk musician from the former Soviet satellite town 
of **Nitra** whose been playing keys for eight years now. Together with a passion
for indie music, piano and synths, he decided to write and record some of his own
songs. And we’re glad he did because we’ve listened to tracks like “Spring Is Coming”
and “Clouds of Thoughts” again and again. While his raw, under-produced sound and
nasally vocals may not be the typical fare that one assumes rises to the level of
being featured on an indie blog, we still like his DIY style. The sound overall 
is hard to define. His father, **Milan Tarina** senior, who plays guitar and sings
in a band called Bearish Dream, also contributed

Related Post:  Top DIY Songs & Albums of 2014, Vol. V - Jack and The Ripper, Mechanical
Joints, Monuments, Time Spills, Desert Killers

In March of last year, using the moniker **Pyrrhura**, he self-released his sophomore
EP, _Off The Big Road_. That EP was proceeded by his 2012 debut EP, _Try To Think,_.
In 2013, he released his debut LP, _In The Middle of The Forest_, which you can 
stream on Bandcamp (and we highly recommend you do). Oh, and the band name? According
to Wikipedia, Pyrrhura is a genus of parrots in South America. Tarina’s musical 
influences include a diverse collection of bands and artists, like Julian Plenti,
Death Cab for Cutie, Borko, Woods, Fossil Collective, The National, Noah and the
Whale, and Great Lake Swimmers.

Spring is Coming– **Pyrrhura** from _Off The Big Road_

Clouds Of Thoughts – **Pyrrhura** from _Off The Big Road_

![fallenamongthieves-honeymouth](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/
01/fallenamongthieves-honeymouth.jpg "fallenamongthieves-honeymouth")

#### Fallen Among Thieves – _Honey Mouth_

We don’t know much about the unsigned **Lancaster**, PA indie rock trio **Fallen
Among Thieves** other than to say they rock in the tradition of 90’s alternative
rock and indie rock, with influences from bands like **Surfer Blood** and **Cloud
Nothings**. Their songs are hard and crunchy as well as upbeat with ringing guitars
as evidenced by two tracks from their _Honey Mouth_EP. There’s no mistaking as well
that the band members draw from Nirvana and Weezer in constructing and executing
their own sound and style. The band members, formed in 2013, include **Ian Anderson**(
drums); **Joshua Buckwalter** (vocals/guitar); **Kurt Demarra** (guitar); **Carolyn
Leber-Eyrich** (vocals); and **Sean Hillard** (bass).

Down – **Fallen Among Thieves** from _Honey Mouth_

Mateo – **Fallen Among Thieves** from _Honey Mouth_

![shethemonster](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/shethemonster.
jpg "shethemonster")

#### She The Monster – _Pacific EP_

Drawing from influences that include Sufjan Stevens, Coldplay, Relient K and others,
the multi-continental indie rock band **She The Monster** dropped their debut EP,
_Pacific_, last March, featuring exceptional tracks like “I Like You The Way You
Are” and “Dream.” Fronted by **Green Bay** signer/songwriter **Andi Peot**, whose
sassy, soft vocals are endearing, and so far, underrated, the band formed in 2011
when Peot met guitarist **Darren Oosthuizen** and bassist **James Lennox** at university
in **Sydney**, Australia.

Peot was impressed with their existing band **Nova Sky**, and in return, they where
taken by her songwriting and vocal skills. And thus, the groundwork for She The 
Monster was laid. Teaming up with Nova Sky, Peot and the guys launched a series 
of successful shows in Sydney and then took a break. Months later, in December of
2012, they decided to get back together, but instead reformed as She The Monster,
a new band with a sound that would be “a lot different to the alternative rock style
of Nova Sky.” Former Nova Sky drummer **Kyle Rutten** from Canada also joined the
new outfit. Sometimes it’s very smart for bands to make such changes early on when
they realize they want, or need, to go in a different direction. For She The Monster,
it worked out on _Magical Goodness for the Soul_. In June, the band released another
EP, _Wayfarer_, featuring the track, “Hey.” Update: Right before publishing this
post we heard the band has broken up. Oh well, the music they did make together 
is now officially part of the History of DIY Archives.

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I Like You The Way You Are – **She The Monster** from _Pacific_ EP

Dream – **She The Monster** from _Pacific_ EP

![cousin-dud-the-faded](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/cousin-
dud-the-faded.jpg "cousin-dud-the-faded")

#### Cousin Dud – _The Faded_

With their upbeat, catchy track, “Illinois,” the **Chicago** band **Cousin Dud**
are not duds at all. They remind us of The Proclaimers; they rock with a pop groove
and some accordion riffs; they’re witty and like choruses that make you want to 
join in. “Illinois” is a good track when you just want to be mindlessly gleeful,
and would fit in nicely with IRC’s next installment of the **[State of Music](https://indierockcafe.com/2009/04/state-of-music-playlist-series-vol-i-sufjan-stevens-magnetic-fields-the-uglysuit-stlyby-the-rosebuds-more/)**
playlist series – which we really need to catch up with; it’s been a while.

A decidedly countryish-rock love song, “(Wilco) By The River,” harkens back to the
soft Southern rock sound that was so big in the early to mid 70s. It’s really a 
very well written, executed and produced song from a band that deserves more attention.
The members of Cousin Dud are **Matt Carmichael** (guitar, vocals), **Josh Burns**(
guitar, vocals), **Pete Geraci** (saxophone), **Dan Schuld** (bass) and **Ben Sams**(
drums). Their musical influences include The Hold Steady, The Grateful Dead, Oingo
Boingo, Wilco, and The National. Their latest album dropped in March of 2014.

Illinois  – **Cousin Dud** from _The Faded_

Wilco (By The River) – **Cousin Dud** from _The Faded_

![thewhistlesandthebellsband](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/
01/thewhistlesandthebellsband.jpg "thewhistlesandthebellsband")

#### The Whistles and the Bells – _The Whistles and The Bells_

During a 2010 tour, in which **Nashville** band, **Cadillac Sky**, was opening up
for the Grammy-winning band **Mumford and Sons**, lead singer **Bryan Simpson**,
a **Nashville** local, hit a wall – spiritually, mentally, physically and emotionally.
In distress, Simpson made the incredible decision to leave the tour and his band
right at the time when they had seemingly achieved the kind of success that just
about any other band would give just about everything they had for. Supporting one
of the hottest bands in the world is not a minor thing. But Simpson simply could
not continue the rigorous tour. He battled demons and went to a very dark place,
he told IRC.

He left it all behind to strike out on his own, and formed **The Whistles and the
Bells**, making peace with himself and his former band mates. The entire experience,
from the highs of a national spotlight, to the lows of his darkest moments on the
road, provided plenty of material for the young songwriter. The result is his new
band project’s self-titled debut album, described by his publicist as “the dark,
and at times musically twisted, autobiographical snapshot of Bryan’s personal earthquake
surrounding the education of studying his maker.” Obviously, he was particularly
struggling with his faith. The debut album encompasses “all [of] the modern southern
gothic swirl of sounds from blues, to Americana, to New Orleans-style horns and 
darkness of the [sic] self-exploration,” the type of material, he contends, that
creates a “personal soundtrack of a character from a Faulkner novel.” The first 
single, “Mercy Please” was a _Rolling Stone_ magazine daily download.

 Mercy Please  – **The Whistles and the Bells** from _The Whistles and the Bells_

[ Transistor Radio ](https://indierockcafe.com/wp-content/uploads/The%20Whistles%20&amp%3b%20the%20Bells%20-%20&quot%3bTransistor%20Resistor&quot%3b1.mp3)–**
The Whistles and the Bells** from _The Whistles and the Bells_

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