The latest new indie rock songs from the following indie and DIY bands:
The New Investors – Copenhagen, Denmark
Atlas Run – Glasgow, Scotland
Johnny Raincloud – Portland, Oregon
Band of Dust – Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Glen Spardello – Warwick, Rhode Island
The New Investors – “Deborah”
The Copenhagen indie rock band, The New Investors, has made a stand in the venues of its local Danish stomping ground by packing in enthusiastic audiences and building a loyal following.
Over the past couple of years, the band has dropped a series of singles and two albums, including its new sophomore album, In Love With Everyone.
The new album is a bit of a departure from the beach-driven indie rock, 1960s-influenced melodies, and harmonies that first gave rise to the band’s popularity.
While still relying heavily on its signature sound, the band says its new release features a “dreamy layer of dark Twin Peaks-like synths” as a more dominant element.
The album is filled with songs apparently about past girlfriends: the emotive “Patricia”; the opening track, “Molly”; followed by the pensive “Eva” and the standout new single, “Deborah.”
Among other tracks on the album is the anthemic, unforgettable, “Utopia”.
In Love With Everyone is “a journey which begins and ends in the same place, with loneliness,” the band exclaims, “which is a basic condition for The New Investors and all other ‘Chemists of Love’ who must go by trial and error in their search for the Formula of Love.”
The band members – vocalist and guitarist Glenn Müller; drummer Kristian Karup; bassist Fredy Kaalhauge; guitarists and keyboardists Andreas Eriksen and Søren Tiemroth – all share a common love for “the silky harmonies of The Beach Boys and Prefab Sprout, the breezy chords of Real Estate, the fragile vocal melancholy of Cass McCombs and the fierce sarcasm of The Smiths.”
Atlas Run – “Choices”
Back in 2016, when we first heard Glasgow alt. rock band Atlas Run, the group had dropped a pair of solid debut singles, “Home” and “Bookshelf,” we knew they’d be a band to watch over the years.
The band’s latest single, “Choices,” demonstrates its progression over the past couple of years, wherein incorporating pop anthem influences is helping to shape its overall sound.
“We make tight, honest rock music rooted deeply in Scottish culture and influenced by bands such as Biffy Clyro, The Xcerts and Fatherson,” says bassist Stefan Connor.
The other band members include vocalist and guitarist Paul Howie; guitarist Ryan Hamilton; and drummer Ryan Monteith.
Atlas Run has opened for bands like We Were Giants, Just Hope, and Ayakara, and are mainly influenced by artists such as Deaf Havana and Car Seat Headrest.
Flashback MP3: ”Bookshelf” – Atlas Run
Johnny Raincloud – “Idiocracy”
Three years ago, Florida born cousins Mike Stortz (guitar, keys, vocals) and Jon Hampton (bass) formed the band Johnny Raincloud, adding drummer Timmy Hidalgo. Soon after, the band dropped its debut EP, No More Horses In This One Horse Town.
Not long after that, the guys moved a continent away to the great city of Portland, Oregon, and dropped a second EP last year, Objects In Mirror Are Closer Than They Appear.
The band’s latest effort, its sophomore album, The Unexpected Death of an Acrobat, dropped earlier this year, featuring standout and unforgettable songs like the lead single, “Idiocracy.”
The band mixes a variety of genres that include indie rock, alternative rock, and post-rock, and are most influenced by bands like Modest Mouse, Built to Spill, The Growlers, and Radiohead.
Band of Dust – “Vicious Love”
Pairing catchy rock melodies with clever songwriting, Milwaukee indie rock outfit, Band of Dust, dropped its anticipated sophomore EP, Songs for All Blood Types, on September 14, 2018, featuring the new and enthralling track, “Vicious Love.”
During the summer of 2018, BOD released the first single from SFABT, “Lara and The Devil,” just days after a successful appearance at SummerFest, one of the largest and longest-running music festivals in North America.
The band’s sound is both contemporary and classic, informed by influential artist like Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, The Replacements, and Strand of Oaks.
BOD’s debut album, Whispers Are Roars, has led them on a Midwestern excursion, with singles like “Blue Flame” rocking the radio waves and getting big reactions at shows.
Now, the infectious infusions of guitar and organ continue on, boasting an expanded sonic template within a new collection of songs that pack an emotionally powerful punch. The band formed in 2015.
Glen Spardello – “Lighthouse Tonight”
Rhode Island indie rock musician Glen Spardello has a lot to say. In fact, his debut album, 5IVE 2N9E, that we profiled earlier this year, features an extensive track listing featuring 26 songs.
More recently, Spardello dropped a catchy new single, “Lighthouse Tonight,” a ‘very different kind of love song,’ he says.
“I am atypical, and by and large reclusive,” Spardello adds. “But I’m also very transparent and would not want to be anything but upfront and honest with myself, others and my music.”
Spardello’s music is a lo-fi, exceptionally unique and raw sound that is hard to pinpoint; it’s not quite blues and not really folk; it’s not straight-up rock and it’s definitely not pop.
His talents, songwriting, and versatility follow the vein of artists like Mac Delmarco. In addition to the piano and drums, Spardello also plays acoustic and electric guitars.
As with many indie artists who blaze their very own DIY path, Spardello draws from many different influences, ranging from 1990’s alternative rock to 70’s classic rock; indie punk to lo-fi.
And the artists who have had the biggest impact on his music, Spardello says, include Mother Love Bone, Eric Clapton, Queensryche, Layne Staley, and Brian Wilson.
All of these influences have sept into his music, and fermented over the years as he worked on his own epic debut that he calls “an authentic listening experience for those looking for honesty in today’s nebulous musical landscape” highlighting tracks like “Gypsy’s Reign” and “I Ain’t No Rolling Stone,” and “Slithering Snake,” among others.
“My writing style is erratic,” Spardello says. “Like most musicians, I go through times where I write a lot, and times where I don’t write at all.”
