Max Hammer – Page 10 – INDIE ROCK CAFE

October 2018’s Best Music Videos with Thom Yorke, The 1975, Vince Staples and More

Posted on 11/14/201812/18/2019 by Max Hammer

The following is a selection of some of the best indie music videos dropped during October 2018, including videos from Thom Yorke & Greenpeace; Vince Staples; The 1975; Weezer and others.

Subscribe and like and share our IndieRockTV Music Videos channel with more Best Indie Rock Music Videos of 2018 plus many other types of playlists. We try to pick only the best videos and songs.

Thom Yorke – “Hands Off The Antarctic”

Radiohead’s Thom Yorke dropped a new track, “Hands Off The Antarctic,” in collaboration with Greenpeace in October in suport of the organization’s appeals to the Antarctic Ocean Commission to create an Antarctic Ocean Sanctuary. The song is a hypnotic, pulsing instrumental with muffled electronic drums. The song was released with the above video footage recorded by the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise.

Yorke’s statement: “There are some places on this planet that are meant to stay raw and wild and not destroyed by humanity’s footprint.” On October 26th, Yorke released his soundtrack album to Suspiria and will embark on a North American tour beginning later this month.

Vince Staples – “Fun”

Prolific producer Kenny Beats recently worked with hiphop artist Vince Staples on his latest album, bringing back some of the West Coast/HYPHY sound that made Staples his name in the world of hiphop. The album features the track “Fun” with the fresh accompanying music video above.

1975 – “Love It If We Made It”

The 1975 have already released – count it – five singles from their upcoming album, and this, “Love It If We Made It” is the third video from the album. For an album that hasn’t been released, that’s revealing; just goes to show how ‘sacred’ albums are nowadays.

Cheval Sombre and Dean Wareham – “Grand Canyon”

Not only is this a great song from two artists – Cheval Sombre and Dean Wareham – that don’t get enough notice, but we love the time-sequencing, colors and the graphical transformation from the dazzling sunset in the desert to the dark inky canvas of night dabbled with shimmering stars and finishd with the cold thin brush of a crescent moon.

To add to the credits, Stephin Merritt (The Magnetic Fields, Future Bible Heroes), wrote the song. For all that have had the fortune of visiting the Grand Canyon, this track and song will likely have a special meaning.

Weezer – “Can’t Knock The Hustle”

This video, featuring Rivers Wentz, of Weezer’s new single, “Can’t Knock the Hustle,” the first from their impending Black Album (no release date yet), is kind of funny, if not a bit overstated. Still, anyone who has been an Uber or taxi driver for long enough has probably had a few such fares.

The single is produced by TV on the Radio’s Dave Sitek. Weezer is gearing up for a spring 2019 tour with the Pixies. That’ll be a show to see. Although one does wonder if Weezer was the best pick for the Pixies’ opener.

Hallowscreaming: Best Halloween Indie Rock Spotify Playlist with Bon Iver, Beck, Radiohead, Beach, YYYs

Posted on 10/04/201810/17/2021 by Max Hammer

IRC’s Halloween indie rock songs playlists go back as far as 2009.

Over the years, there have been more than 2 million visitors from across the U.S. and even around the world.to our various best of Halloween indie rock songs playlists here and on Spotify.

In response to demand, IRC has compiled a comprehensive Indie Halloween Songs playlist below and via the new Spotify Hallowscream Halloween Songs playlist on our Spotify page, featuring the Top 100 Indie Rock Halloween Songs.

Hallowscream: Best of Halloween Indie Rock Songs Spotify playlist includes spooky, scary, and like-themed songs perfect for an alternative Halloween songs playlist with bands and artists like The Black Keys; Radiohead; Beach House; Sufjan Stevens; The Kills; Beck; Pavement; Spoon; The Smiths; Sonic Youth; The White Stripes; Bright Eyes; Wilco; the Dead Weather; Flaming Lips and many others.

Please share and spread these songs around; they are based on our listeners’ votes compiled over a decade of publishing these playlists – long before Spotify. Enjoy and be ghoul…Halloween is here and people want playlists.

New Indie Rock Songs from The New Investors, Atlas Run, Johnny Raincloud, Band of Dust, and Glen Spardello

Posted on 09/28/201801/09/2020 by Max Hammer

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.”

Best New Indie Rock Songs – I’m No Chessman, PinnedCrooks, PV & The Hehehee’s, Catherine Michelle, Little Birds

Posted on 09/06/201812/18/2019 by Max Hammer

This best new indie rock songs playlist features the following artists of note:

I’m No Chessman – Bournemouth, England
PinnedCrooks – Tehran, Iran
PV & The Heheheee’s – Bergen, Norway
Catherine Michelle – Austin, Texas
Little Birds – Stockholm, Sweden

I’m No Chessman – “Actors”

Based in the town of Bournemouth in the Dorset area of the UK, alternative rock and indie band I’m No Chessman has a sizzling 2018 track titled, “Actors,” that caught the attention of press and music lovers in the UK.

Formed in 2013, the band “wears its modern rock sound well, writing sleek, grooving songs that still pack the needed punch and crunch of proper post rock,” according to guitarist and pianist Jason Wheeler.

The other members of the band are frontman and guitarist Michael Rockett (what a great rock name!); bassist Aaron Roberts and drummer Jez Lee.

I’m No Chessman is influenced by Say Anything, Foo Fighters, QOTSA, Muse, and Biffy Clyro.

PinnedCrooks – “Machine Run”

Obviously influenced by The Cure, and perhaps The Fall, Iranian artist PinnedCrooks‘s single, “Machine Run,” is strangely and menacingly enthralling.

A demo rip for sure, the track is characterized by a repetitive, dark bass line; rattling drumsticks and a forceful beat; and raw, ringing guitars – that break out into mini post-punk/new wave jams – around the odd vocals of a musician who goes by the name of Eddie English.

And yet, we like it. Yes, it needs help from a good engineer and mixer, and a bit more fine-tuning on the composition side of things, but the band shows promise.

PV & The HeheheeeY´s – “A Craving For Leather”

Based in Bergen, Norway, indie rock band PV & The HeheheeeY´s originally started out as a studio project.

After the drop of the band’s debut, Create Your Lover, it set out on the road, performing in cities and towns across Norway and the U.S.

Altogether, PV has performed hundreds of shows and built a small but loyal following. Nowadays, PV is back to a studio project.

The band’s newest release, Eye Say II, is the sixth studio album and it’s an EP well worth listening to and sharing. One of the most notable tracks, “A Craving For Leather,” is the band’s latest single.

The band’s drummer, Iver Sandøy, is also a member of the famous world-touring metal band Enslaved. PV’s top musical influences include The Beatles, The Kinks, Queen, and Jellyfish.

Catherine Michelle – “A Little More Faith”

Austin singer/songwriter Catherine Michelle‘s music is perhaps best described as a mix of indie soul and pop with elements of jazz classic vocalists like Billie Holiday and rock singers like John Mayer.

Michelle’s inspirational new single, “A Little More Faith,” recalls components of traditional southern gospel and Leon Bridges-inspired neo-soul.

Altogether, she has put her musical stake in ground of the competitive music space of Austin with a fine debut.

Little Birds – “Know You Better”

With upbeat, jangly guitars, sweet, steady beats and soothing vocals, Stockholm indie band Little Birds latest single, “Know You Better,” is a perfect end-of-summer track.

Following in the footsteps of bands like Shout Out Louds and The Wombats, Little Birds has flown on to the radar of our listeners and others from around the world.

Other song releases of note recently include:

“Landlady” – Young Mammals

“Sirens” (via Soundcloud) – DOM

“Be Cool” – FD20

“Joy” (via Spotify) – The Informal Thief

The Unexpected Death of An Acrobat (via Bandcamp) – Johnny Raincloud

Best New Indie Rock Playlist with The Rassle, Max Goedecke, Moonshifter, FM Band & More

Posted on 07/10/201812/18/2019 by Max Hammer

The new and best 2018 indie rock playlist for July (part one). Enjoy and please share and like.

The Rassle – Austin, Texas
Max Goedecke – Cologne, Germany
Linnea Krepper – Zoetermeer, The Netherlands
Moonshifter – Melbourne, Australia
FM Band – Nashville, Tennessee
The Sleeping Tongues – Brooklyn, New York

Roll On

Alessia Di Castellabate

Dirty Mind

Two Of A Kind

Strawberry Kisses

The Rassle – Austin, Texas

Austin-via-NYC indie rock duo, The Rassle, who we pegged as a band to watch all the way back in 2010, has just dropped a new summer anthem, the wonderfully infectious, fist-pumping single, “Roll On.”

The song is the latest in a string of celebratory, upbeat, chorus-driven tracks put out over the years by the band, which has built its fanbase gradually over nearly a decade now.

Inspired by artists such as Arcade Fire, Kasabian, The Kinks and The Clash, The Rassle are brothers Blair and Reed Van Nort, originally from NYC.

The duo has a wholly original sound that combines a raucous American spirit with anthem-rich energy and a New York edge.

The brothers fuse electronic and acoustic and electric guitar with an authentic, upbeat indie rock/pop sound that one could imagine wow’ing a crowd in a small venue or a big music hall.

With a series of breakout tracks going back almost a decade since the duo’s NYC days, and the debut single building true, organic buzz via SoundCloud First and other playlists, The Rassle is finally getting the recognition they deserved years ago.

The duo’s synch appeal is growing with recent television spots on ABC’s Kevin (Probably) Saves the World and several MTV series, as well as via video games like MLB: The Show and Saints Row.

Linnea Krepper – “Show A Little Love Tonight”

The latest single from one of our favorite DIY Swedish female artists, Linnea Krepper, is a soaring track with all of the energy and imagery of a summertime anthem.

“Show A Little Love Tonight,” recorded in Zoetermeer, Netherlands is “a song about love, like many others, but this love is the kind that you give away without getting nothing in return,” Krepper reveals.

“For people in this kind of relationship,” she adds, “I want to give them the energy to say no and the courage to walk away. There is something better waiting for you, you just need to take the chances when you see them.”

The autobiographical nature of the track gives it a more heartfelt and genuine quality with Krepper’s vocals soaring with emotions above an industrial pop-rock percussive edge.

Max Goedecke – “Alessai Di Castellabate”

Situated in the historic city of Cologne, Germany, songwriter/musician Max Goedecke has crafted a wonderful selection of authentic sounds, featuring an eclectic and heady mix of 1970’s and 80’s pop-rock styles, on his new album, Newspeak.

The opening track, “She’s A Good Damn Girl” (or ‘damn good girl’?) has influences of Tom Petty, and more recently, Kurt Vile.

“It’s [“She’s A Good Damn Girl”] a song I have written in dedication to Avril Lavigne when I was still in high school and she had her heydays.”

The next track, the energy-driven, 80’s-influenced, “Slowly to Sink,” is another memorable song off the album, with Goedecke’s ringing guitar and his raspy vocals conjuring up influences like The Black Keys and Jack White here.

In contrast to its predecessor, track three, “Like a Child,” features a harmonica and emotive vocals mixed with an array of musical atmospherics.

One of the highlight tracks – perhaps our favorite – on the album is “Alessai Di Castellabate” – starts out with seagull sound effects and twangy keys before launching into full-blown percussive measures take over and a folksy pop-rock vibe hooks the listener in.

With a track this strong, one that could be an indie hit on the right playlist somewhere, Goedecke knows to runs away with it; and somehow combining elements of rock, blues, folk, country and pop into one track.

The song, Goedecke explains, “is about a barmaid I met at a beach booth called Geco Beach in Castellebate de Santa Maria, Italy, along with the Amalfi Coast.”

The more we listen to it, the more we like it and appreciate his skills as a musician.

Other tracks include the Steve Earle-tinged indie rock of “Behind the Sun,” and the huge 80’s-infused, “Meant to Be,” that also stands out among the album’s 10 tracks.

Keep an eye out for Max Goedecke and defintely spin this album at his Bandcamp page.

Moonshifter – “Dirty Mind”

Shifting gears now.

Headbangers reunite. Moonshifter, the heavy, hard rockers from Down Under recently dropped the debut album, Love Lust Fire Dust. Love that album name.

Combining the power of 1970’s and 80’s metal rock riffs with a 21st-century vigor, the band’s 11-track debut album is a relentless powerhouse of energy and hard-hitting rock.

Tracks like the standout single, “Dirty Mind,” and amp-blazing, “Leave You Baby,” will leave you buzzing, as it does the crowds whenever the band plays in Melbourne and beyond.

Moonshifter’s fast-charging, in-your-face old-school hard rock does not sound ‘old’ at all. The band’s loud, burning sound is delivered by rock veterans Lachlan Cross on vocals; guitarists Mark Cambruzzi and Wayne Elkin; bassist Andy Baker and drummer Mike Cato.

The band members have a storied history in the classic rock and metal realms as professional, veteran musicians with influences like Van Halen, AC/DC, Kiss and The Rolling Stones.

FM Band – “Two of A Kind”

The Nashville indie duo, FM Band, consists of two seasoned musicians, vocalist Allie Farris and multi-instrumentalist Cheyenne Medders.

Over the past couple of years, their collaboration has produced songs, like the new single, “Two of A Kind,” steeped in a bygone era of classic pop and rock, when artists like America, Tom Petty, Fleetwood Mac dominated the radio waves.

They are currently working on a debut album. Stay tuned.

The Sleeping Tongues – “Strawberry Kisses”

Brooklyn indie project, The Sleeping Tongues, recently dropped the 80’s new wave-influenced indie single, “Strawberry Kisses,” an indelibly catchy song that recalls themes of
“youth and awkward lust; substance abuse and addiction; anxiety and humor.”

TST is the project of multi-instrumentalist Craig Kepen, originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Raised in a family of pilots, Kepen was also surrounded by all styles of music from soul to country to rock and pop, leading to a rich and eclectic mix of influences and styles that allowed Kepen to inform his songwriting and musical preference for enjoyable and high energy pop-rock.

Kepen wasn’t totally solo on this project; he received help from other pros like Alex Chung on drums with Gabe MG lending his mixing skills and Joe Lambert providing the master.

“I played and overdubbed the other instrumental parts one at a time,” Kepen says. “There’s a whole lot of fuzz and slide guitars on the song, which is fun and different from our previous songs. ”

Kepen says that the track is “generally about being a young, awkward, horny individual looking for relief wherever you can find it – drugs, sex, booze etc.”

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RIP: Frightened Rabbit’s Scott Hutchison (1981 – 2018)

Posted on 05/11/201812/18/2019 by Max Hammer

Update (5/11/18): Police have confirmed the identity of a man’s body found Thursday as that of Frightened Rabbit lead singer Scott Hutchison. This is just too sad. RIP.

Original story:

THURSDAY, MAY 10 – At this hour, family and friends, police and even fans, are desperately searching for Frightened Rabbit lead singer Scott Hutchison.

The 36-year-old Hutchison was last seen around 1 am Wednesday leaving the Dakota Hotel in the town of South Queensferry, Scotland, just outside of the capital Edinburgh.

By Thursday, concern for Hutchison’s safety was growing. His brother, and bandmate, drummer Grant Hutchison, tweeted Thursday morning:

“We have no news to report on Scott’s whereabouts this morning. Your support so far has been incredible and all we ask is you keep him in your thoughts, keep an eye out and keep sharing his picture online. Thanks for everything. Your kindness and positivity is [sic] keeping us going.”

Earlier on Wednesday, May 9th, just hours after learning of his brother’s disappearance, Hutchison posted the following heartfelt message on his Instagram:

“Has anyone seen my brother/bandmate/best friend? He’s in a very fragile state and has been missing since last night and we’re all incredibly worried.
“He was in a hotel in South Queensferry and hasn’t been seen or heard from since 1 a.m. Please repost and share and get in touch if you have any info. His phone is with the police.”
“If somehow you are reading this Scott then can you just let someone know you’re safe, please? We love you very much.”

The band also posted on their Twitter account on Wednesday morning the following message:

“We are worried about Scott, who has been missing for a little while now.”
“He may be in a fragile state and may not be making the best decisions for himself right now. Please, could Scott or anyone with any information on his whereabouts please contact Police Scotland.”

His brother also reported on Thursday that he left the hotel without his cellphone.

On Tuesday, the singer wrote and sent a pair of “worrying” tweets via his official Twitter account:

“Be so good to everyone you love. It’s not a given. I’m so annoyed that it’s not. I didn’t live by that standard and it kills me. Please, hug your loved ones.”

The last tweet from Hutchison was on Wednesday: “I’m away now. Thanks.”

Please report any sightings of Scott Hutchison to the Scotland Police at +44 1786 289070.

Over the years, we have really enjoyed Hutchison’s and the band’s work and we can obviously only hope the best for Scott Hutchison, his family, friends, and fans.

Of course, we look forward to hearing the good news that Scott is safe.

Reference: Indie Rock Cafe’s Frightened Rabbit Archives back to 2008

2018 Band to Watch – Austin Indie Rockers Arrows to Fire

Posted on 04/03/201801/01/2019 by Max Hammer

Sailing on the exhilarating wave and fan love of being a 2018 SXSW Official Selection, Austin DIY band Arrows to Fire are rising in the alt./indie rock scene.

In fact, last summer their cover of Golden Earring’s “Radar Love,” was selected for rotation on Amazon’s Open Road playlist, which of course opened the band up to a huge new audience.

It’s not a usual thing for a band to saddle up that quickly into the indie DIY spotlight. Thousands of bands – many that are good, some that are great (and yet undiscovered – we feature them all the time) – have been vying for years to get even just a little slice of that light. Life is fucking unfair.

But here’s a band that deserves it. Their latest album, Here We Go, is an alt. rock lover’s collection of solid, heartfelt, blazing tracks. In addition to the title track, there are songs on this album that are made for alternative rock radio and college radio.

One of the standout tracks that we feel in particular is already queued up for a hit song, the emotional, slow-burning 90s meets 2010s and gotta-play-that-again rocker, “Long Way Down.”

Besides have a killer new album, these guys are doing something even bigger in that they have made a splash in less than two years, and in the insanely competitive town of Austin.

And yet when you listen to songs like “Long Way Down,” among others, it’s evident that Arrows To Fire have thrown down their own sound which is driven by the sheer power and magnificence of their melodies and the energy and brilliance of the performances from the guitarist Chris Lavigne, Steve Bernal, drummer Brian Mendes and the impressive vocal abilities of John Joyo.

No wonder these guys are on the rise. Solid fucking band. Dope album. See them live if you get the chance.

The band formed in 2016 when Austinite singer-songwriter John Joyo and French-American composer Chris Lavigne, who share a passion for bands like Foo Fighters, The Black Keys, Pearl Jam, started writing songs together. Before long, they had a band and a couple handfuls of good songs.

The album was recorded at the legendary Arlyn Studios (The Strokes, Coldplay, Lucinda Williams) in Austin and co-produced by Jacob Sciba (Gary Clark, Willie Nelson) and mastered by Howie Weinberg (The Ramones, Sonic Youth, Metallica, Beastie Boys), and it shows.

The band has been performing and selling out shows at legendary venues and festivals such as Antone’s and Austin City Limits. The band has also had over half of a million views on YouTube.

Notable Indie Rock Debut Albums, Vol. I – Nopes, CapCapCap, Seed of Freedom, Shirt/Pants and Umbrella Cult

Posted on 10/06/201707/22/2021 by Max Hammer

This new series of notable indie rock debuts highlights standout first releases from DIY artists and bands that few underground listeners have heard (yet).

As part of this series, there is no time-stamp requirement; meaning the debuts we feature range from those dropped recently to a few years ago. What matters is the music. Always. And what has also always mattered -in a big way – to IRC and its audience is unveiling and promoting of talented indie artists and bands that cross our radar screens.

In this latest edition, you’ll find bands from close and faraway places like California, The Netherlands, Russia, Washington DC and Florida.

We’ve chosen some of the top singles from each of the debuts featured in this post playlist. If you like what you hear, please show your love for the artists and IRC by sharing it with friends.

If you have music that needs to be heard, submit to Indie Rock Cafe. Keep independent music alive and out of reach of the corporate henchmen.

In This Installment:

Nopes – Oakland, California
CapCapCap – Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Seed of Freedom – Moscow, Russia
Shirt/Pants – Washington, DC
Umbrella Cult – Sarasota, Florida

Nopes – Oakland, California

San Francisco Bay Area band Nopes bangs out noisy bubblegum punk music that juxtaposes two otherwise polar opposite genres and smashes them together into a swirl of manic noise pop.

“Generally, we love pop melodies just as much as we love dissonance and noise,” says bassist Kevin Quijivix. “So on any given Nopes’ song, those two elements battle out and harmonize in sync.”

This is evident on standout songs like “Matinee at Market” and “Jingle Berries” from the Oakland band’s fantastic debut EP, Nectar of the Dogs, originally dropped in June 2015, and which received a solid amount of support on Bandcamp.

In reply to ‘what is indie rock’: “Calling your music indie rock has absolutely no meaning,” Quijivix asserts. “In the 1980s and 90s, however, indie rock was the direct alternative to mainstream media, more in line with punk music than guitar pop in terms of DIY ethos.”

The band’s BC page lays it out like this is:

Stereo-fed on the blood and sweat of early Californian punk history, a period which barfed forth influential pre-hardcore/pro-punk provocateurs like The Germs, Angry Samoans and The Dead Kennedys, Oakland’s Nopes spring from similar Suburbian dungeons, hearts burning with the fun and fury of being young, gifted and ultimately unaccountable.

Nopes has opened for bands like Diesel Dudes, Slothes, Toy Guitar, Sexless, Mall Walk, and Toner, and counts among their major influences artists like Guided By Voices, Dead Kennedys, R.E.M., Husker Du, and Pissed Jeans.

The EP was recorded by Jack Shirley (Deafheavan, Boss-De-Nage) at the Atomic Garden Recording Studio in East Palo Alto, California and mastered by Will Killingsworth (Orchid, Ampere, Bucket Full of Teeth).

Nopes on Facebook

CapCapCap – Sonder

We don’t know much about the interestingly-named indie band, CapCapCap, stationed in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, but we do know that they craft gloomy, simmering indie rock with elements of alt. rock on the debut LP, Sonder.

CapCapCap’s music, as heard on top tracks like the ethereal, “Kerozan,” and the experimental, “Heads,” is soaked in dark, wavy synthesizers, looping guitar effects, electronic drums, and computer samples. The vocals of guitarist Lydia Roos are familiar yet still her own; her vocals fit the music nicely and are kind of spooky and comforting at the same time. Think Beach House meets Portishead.

The band’s dark post-rock sound has more vocals and less instrumentation than most post-rock bands, but then again, we wouldn’t say that CapCapCap is necessarily post-rock per se.

According to the band, they are genre-blenders, bringing together elements of 80’s new wave, rock, post rock, and trip-hop. On songs like “Heads,” dark synths, driving drums repetitive guitar lines and layered vocals drive it forward.

Lead guitarist Job Huberts explains the album and the album title this way: “The days become darker, people start huddling together, each and every one of them living their own lives, passing you by, being a part of your life for just this tiny moment in time.”

The other band members that make up the quartet are bassist Thijs Meulendijks and drummer and sample master Thijs Brok.

CapCapCap have opened for bands like Interpol, Gosto, the Horn the Hunt, and Mmoths. The band’s top influences include Portishead, The Sound, Warpaint, Viet Cong, and Sonic Youth.

CapCapCap on Facebook

Seed of Freedom – Revolt

It’s not often that a band from Russia sounds as western as does Moscow‘s indie band Seed of Freedom on their under-the-radar debut EP, Revolt, released in October of 2015.

The five-track EP is brimming with dreamy tracks that are too good to ignore, including the glimmering lo-fi psych rock of the unforgettable, “Time Machine,” and the twinkling dream pop and angling guitars of “Put The Gold In My Bag.”

These are just two of the memorable tracks from this notable indie debut out of western Russia. Why more indie/DIY music lovers didn’t hear this EP is a mystery other than to say the band (as happens to so many great bands) just didn’t have the publicity and promotion they needed behind it.

The band members are three brothers – Benjamin Ivanov (vocals, guitar); Jackob Ivanov (guitar) and Philipp Ivanov (drums), plus Marco Boccamazzo (bass, keys).

SoF’s polished sound is clearly influenced by some of their top musical influences such as Foals, Tame Impala and Arctic Monkeys, but even more so by their love of retro dream pop that has been prevalent in Europe for decades.

MP3: “Put The Gold In My Bag“ – Seed of Freedom from Revolt

Seed of Freedom on Facebook

Shirt/Pants – Save Your Lungs For Cigarettes

When Washington, DC noise/garage rock punk surf band Shirt/Pants first debuted in 2015 with the EP, Save Your Lungs For Cigarettes, we took notice. The teens/early 20-somethings had been rocking venues up and down the east coast with their gritty, lo-fi, genre-blending tracks like the anthemic “Knockoff”; the spaghetti-western-inspired, “Haze & Ginger”; and the punk fueled track, “Slacker.”

Other times, such as on the track, “Nadsat,” the band incorporates indie pop cloaked in wonderful, lo-fi noise. Shirt/Pants has opened for bands like Twin Peaks, Frontiers, Dolly Spartans, Two Inch Astronaut, and count their biggest musical influences as Together Pangea, Ty Segall, Arctic Monkeys, The Orwells, and King Krule.

MP3: “Knockoff“ – Shirt/Pants from Save Your Lungs For Cigarettes

Shirt/Pants on Facebook

Umbrella Cult – Apocalove

Back in 2012, Sarasota, Florida DIY band Umbrella Cult released an impressive debut album Apocalove, featuring a collection of standout tracks, including the indie rock tracks, “Another One Goes,” “Take Us Home” and “New Mistakes,” among others.

In 2011 and 2012, the band’s gritty, lo-fi production style and high energy concerts quickly garnered a strong and loyal fan base in their hometown and the surrounding region.

It was during this time that the band soon began work on an entirely self-produced album in the foreclosed childhood home of one of the band members and started calling themselves ‘Umbrella Cult’ and the sessions the “Foreclosed Sessions,” resulting in the recording of more than 30 songs – 14 of which made it on the album. The album is a trip through sonic landscapes, unlike many debuts we’ve heard recently.

UC purposely embraces the “raw and reverb-y production of the 60’s and 70’s,” to create a sound that is balanced by modern and vintages aesthetics while retaining a retro rock edge.

Their songs range from indie radio hits (“New Mistakes”), and songs which are yearning pop (“Take Us Home”), oddly cinematic (“Theme From Apocalove”), and ethereal ballads (“Jane”) to snotty trash rock (“Sue Aside”), lo-fi dream states (“Letter to the Unaddressed”) and a prevalent nostalgic, heavily vintage sound (“Blue & Green”) of the 1960s and ‘70s.

Umbrella Cult on Spotify

Fresh Tracks with The Giving Moon, Griffin Robillard, Distant Creatures, Sky Chefs, Telamor and Spencer Roberts

Posted on 09/24/201712/18/2019 by Max Hammer

The latest edition of Fresh Tracks, just in time for the start of autumn, features artists from New England to the west coast and from the deep south to the mid-Atlantic.

The Giving Moon – New Orleans, Louisiana
Griffin Robillard – Boston, Massachusetts
Distant Creatures – Washington, DC
Sky Chefs – Los Angeles, Califronia
Telamor – Gloucester, Massachusetts
Spencer Roberts – Lynchburg, Virginia

Midnight at the Drive Thru Window

As Days Go By

The Giving Moon – “Natives”

It may seem a little late to roll out a summer-themed track, but the indie pop single, “Summertime” by the New Orleans DIY band The Giving Moon caught our attention. The song features shimmering guitars, reverb-heavy, smoky vocals, and a fantastically catching beat and rhythm.

And that lead us to listen to more tracks from the band’s recent album release, Forever Awake, like the more funky, R&B rocker, “Natives,” sporting a danceable rhythm, soothing vocal work, atmospheric guitars and a post-rock mixed with alt. rock element that runs throughout many of the band’s songs, including the title track, “Friction,” and “Folded Thoughts” among others.

The band’s 2015 EP, The Wild, garnered a good bit of love online, thanks to impossibly addictive tracks like the upbeat, driving pop rock of “Making Chemicals” and the glimmering guitars and melodic shifts of “Hills.”

The Giving Moon are one of those rare bands that come along who sound like they’ve already been playing together for a decade or more, but in fact, it has been half of that time. Guitarist, vocalist and front man Sean Seales, bassist Adam Suto and drummer Nate Melville were all high school friends in Chicago and in short order were traveling coast to coast to play shows for a growing fan base.

TGM has opened for an impressive array of artists and bands, including Eddie Money, Edgar Winter, Tommy & the High Pilots, and Welshly Arms. Their biggest musical influences include The Beatles, Young The Giant, Coldplay, Foster The People and Radiohead.

Griffin Robillard – “Cracks In The Ceiling”

Boston-resident-Minneapolis-born indie folk rock musician Griffin Robillard new debut album, Cracks in The Ceiling, fashions folk-tinged indie rock with introspective lyrics and a unique vocal palette on tracks like the title song

The twenty-two year-old’s debut pays homage to the Americana tradition, casting a wide net of what it means to reinterpret guitar music in the present while drawing from influences as wide-ranging as Bryan Ferry’s nervy croon to Wilco’s early raw energy, having been compared as ‘Rufus Wainwright meets Neil Diamond.

Raised on his musician father’s record collection of Jackson Browne, CSNY, and many other singer-songwriter and folk rock trailblazers, Robillard began writing songs as a child. As a high school student in Salt Lake City, he started to experiment with recording, playing everything from folk to grunge in various bands. When he relocated to Boston to attend college, Rolbillard became very serious about writing.

“For a long time it was something I did in my spare time,” he says. “A poem or song here and there. I went into college pursuing a biology degree. I failed spectacularly,” explains Robillard. Discouraged, he decided to go back to basics and was encouraged by encouraging professors. “Writing fiction and poetry was an itch that I could never satisfy and because what I was writing was just so bad, it just made it more frustrating.”

Written over a year while living in Copenhagen, Denmark, Cracks in the Ceiling chronicles a time of profound change for the young songwriter. “I had a fresh start, getting to know myself again after a really rough two years,” Robillard says. “In hindsight it was probably a form of depression, but the fog lifted and I also met my now girlfriend there. It was pretty overwhelming. I was writing as fast as I could.”

The title track begins with a lone drum-loop as an array of acoustic and electric guitars slowly swell into a balladic chorus. “The first song is all about how love between two people can double your view of the world, but just because you see more– through aging, experience, or the love itself– doesn’t mean we can escape a lot of the half-truths we tell ourselves.” And the song “Ghost” is bound to be a crowd pleaser – the musicianship and overall production, as with the entire album, are impressive.

Robillard teamed up with producer Jon Niess, who assembled an all-star ensemble of Austin musicians at his studio, Austin Signal. With studio wizard Charlie Kramsky (Paul McCartney, Tony Bennett, Elvis Costello) on the board, the album was laid down in just four days and put in the hands of Erik Wofford (My Morning Jacket, Explosions in the Sky, Bill Callahan) for final mastering.

Griffin Robillard Homepage

Sky Chefs – “Aquarians”

In the urban sprawl of Los Angeles, there’s a cluttered garage recording studio lovingly dubbed the Whack Ark. Inside, surrounded by wobbly tape machines, Craigslist castoffs, and an old iMac named Gozer, Dale Nicholls writes and records music as Sky Chefs.

Since 2015, Sky Chefs has dropped three LPs, three EPs, a lethargic Pavement cover, some funky videos, and one scuzzy lil’ single. The band is made up of Cherry Glazerr, Chris Cohen, and Psychic Temple.

Sky Chefs will officially drop their new album on September 29th – and their second album of 2017 alone. Aquarians, made up of “depression naps in dogpound doorways; sunburnt ballads and pockmarked pop songs, and the saints of bruised fruit and bloodshot eyes” and featuring standout tracks like the dreamy, piano-twinkling, sonic-shifting title track. The album officially drops on September 29th.

Distant Creatures – “A Friend’s Halo”

The new album, Snares in Safe Harbors, from indie band Distant Creatures is a thrilling trip through the realm of shoegaze and dream pop, hitting it off right from the start with the unforgettable opener, “A Friend’s Halo,” and followed by other notable songs, including the sunny “In Real Life” and the expansive and shimmering, “Night Flowers” and “Unsure.”

The band, based in Washington, DC, formed in 2015 when musicians Dane DiPierro (guitars & synths); Mina Karimi (vocals); Chris Mathews (guitars & vocals); Ben Silvernail (drums), and Mike Lewis (bass). The band has opened for artists like You’ll Never Get to Heaven, Blue Heaven, and Cheshi, and consider their top influences The Smiths, Slowdive, The Sundays, Exlovers, and Pale Saints.

Distant Creatures formed after Mathews and DiPierro, who shared a love for British indie and post punk bands of the 80s, began playing guitars together and soon recruited Karimi and the rhythm section of Silvernail and Lewis. The album was recorded in rural Virginia and is out now; listen to it on Spotify.

Telamor – “Midnight at the Drive-thru Window”

Massachusetts musician Tom Hauck, otherwise known as Telamor, just dropped a compilation called Playlist, featuring 12 of his top tracks from his first four CDs.

The leadoff track, “Flash,” has received college radio action over the summer and into the fall. It’s built on a guitar riff nicked from the Rolling Stones “2,000 Light Years From Home.” It’s a plea for global unity.

Other tracks include the smooth and funky, “Trippin’ – influenced by The Weeknd’s “I Can’t Feel My Face” – and “Lonelyhearts” is a remake of the 1980 track by Boston pop/punk band The Atlantics.

A college radio track, “Midnight at the Drive-Thru Window,” features lyrics that include only actual words found on a McDonald’s menu, and is “the story of a stoner who can’t stop ordering more junk food. The music is influenced by George Clinton.”

The songs were all recorded at Bang A Song recording studio in Gloucester; written and instruments played by Hauck and musicians Tony Goddess (guitar), John Lynch (drums), and Warren Babson (bass).

Playlist was produced by Hauck and Grammy-nominated audio engineer and mixer Warren Babson. Babson has worked with artists including Black Eyed Peas, Mark Foster (of Foster The People), Wyclef Jean, and Diplo, among others.

Hauck and remixed and remastered at Bang A Song, and to some we added new piano tracks to beef up the rhythm section. We were going for a big full-band sound, not unlike Oasis. Most of the songs have five or six guitar tracks, piano/keys, and percussion, plus the usual drums and bass.

Spencer Roberts – “As Days Go By”

Musician Spencer Roberts based in the mountains of Lynchburg, Virginia, began writing and recording songs just a couple of years ago and already has been featured on Spotify Fresh Finds and its’ Viral US Top 50.

“I am a solo multi-instrumentalist who aim to make laid-back music, a blend of mountains and surf rock – that I believe is an honest look at life,” he says.

“I began writing and recording in my attic in 2015 and have released an EP and played several small shows in Lynchburg. My music is a blend of influences from the mountains and a slightly surf rock sound.”

The result is his recent album, Home Tape, featuring songs like the captivating dreamy acoustic track, “As Days Go By.” Some of his favorite artists include Beach Fossils, Mac Demarco, Allah-Las, and King Krule.

New Indie Rock Songs from MOSAICS, The Penthouse, Amber Lamps, Jordan Sleed, Matt Squires, Brett Weller and The Congregation

Posted on 06/27/201707/22/2021 by Max Hammer

The latest edition of Fresh Tracks traverses the continental United States from California to New York and Texas to Wisconsin.

MOSAICS – San Francisco, California
The Penthouse – New York, New York
Amber Lamps – Queens, New York
Jordan Sleed – San Antonio, Texas
Band of Dust – Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Brett Weller and The Congregation – New Orleans, Louisiana
Matt Squires – Austin, Texas
…plus Striving Artists and Woven Green

MOSAICS – “Secrets”

Returning with a fresh new track, “Secrets,” San Francisco indie trio MOSAICS turn up the heat just in time for summer with a simmering and provocative new scorcher. Drawing from the remarkable and pensive instrumentation work of Devon Kelts and Tyler Hill, lead vocalist Maryam Sadeghian delivers a sultry and booming performance on vocals.

The mechanical, lashing beat, perhaps one of the signatures of MOSAICS’ evolving sound in the past year to 18 months, is hypnotic paired with keys, guitars and Sadeghian’s mood-setting voice.

The band performs regularly in San Francisco proper and the Bay Area. They plan to release a series of singles throughout the year. Top musical influences include Radiohead, FourTet, Apparet, and many others.

Listen to “Secrets” on Spotify and follow/share MOSAICS.

MOSAICS’ Official Website

The Penthouse – “City Lights”

Straddling between two cities – Boston and New York, DIY band The Penthouse are finding themselves settling more in NYC where the gigs are, and are regularly booked for this up-and-coming band who are sounding better on each new track. The evidence of that is on the upbeat indie pop track, “City Lights” just dropped last week by the band.

The Penthouse has been on our radar for about a year now and we think they could be a popular NYC band within the next couple of years as they improve and grow their audience and followers.

Thee band members include Patrick Minogue (vocals; guitar); Kyle Raney (bass); Jesse Mason (guitar); Eric Derwallis (drums) Jacob Arias (guitar). The band’s top musical influences include Foster the People, Two Door Cinema Club, Young The Giant, and The 1975.

Newly based out of the Astoria section of Queens, New York, the pop punk DIY band Amber Lamps burn it up on the new single, “Bitter Ride” from the band’s recent album drop, Plaidypuss.

Some listeners might hear a likeness to Green Day and The Kinks, but there is one thing for sure – they will rock your party and are professional musicians who are not messin around. The band’s top musical influences include Green Day, Weezer, and Blink-182.

Yet another solid, summertime party track is the pumping energy and fast-changing melodies of “Between The Lines.” The band originally formed back in 2009 as a one-off high school graduation party cover band and evolved over the years into a punk-punk-loving trio who dig “catchy hooks, aggressive guitars and killer bass.”

Jordan Sleed – “Drift Apart”

At the young age of just 19 years old, San Antonio singer/songwriter and musician Jordan Sleed has already released a sleuth of interesting, and in some cases, unforgettable, tracks over the past couple of years, on various social media platforms.

Tracks like the beautiful and inspiring love song “Drift Apart” are at the heart of Sleed’s sound – one that he has been developing for many years.

“At 13, I picked up the ukulele and have since then used it to discover a passion for music and songwriting,” Sleed says. “I write in an innovative way, being driven by the ukulele/guitar and my voice.”

“The music speaks for itself, showing influence from great soulful musicians” that he says include John Mayer, Stevie Wonder, The Beach Boys, James Taylor, and Jake Shimabukuro.

Sleed has been performing regularly around the San Antonio area for years, at times for audiences of nearly 3,000 people.

Other songs like “Words,” with its soul and R&B influences coupled with acoustic guitar, and Sleed’s sensual, versatile and soulful vocals. We hear a lot of DIY music and most of the time it is the vocals that don’t work.

In Sleed’s case, that is not a problem. His vocals and amazingly mature songwriting on track after track, whether it’s a cover song of influences like John Mayer, or one of his original songs, Sleed hits it again and again.

MP3: “A Fool’s Game“ – Jordan Sleed from Jordan Sleed

Jordan Sleed on Facebook

The rambunctious folk rock single, “Blue Flame,” from the Milwaukee indie band, Band of Dust, is the two-year old band’s debut single from their recommended debut album, Whispers Are Roars.

Combining fast strumming of jangly pop-driven acoustic and electric guitars, hard driving, stick-heavy percussions, harmonicas and the raspy, Tom Petty/Conor Oberst-like vocals of frontman Dustin Mayer, the unforgettable single, “Blue Flame,” is almost irresistible.

After living in the family house in upper Wisconsin following the death of his father, Mayer returned to Milwaukee with 22 songs, of which a dozen made it on the album – a stunning, deep and heartfelt album – an American sonic journey where each turn is something special and each spin is familiar yet new.

Band of Dust on Facebook

Brett Weller and The Congregation – “Running Man”

The new album, Chances, from New Orleans indie rock/acoustic folk band Brett Weller and The Congregation, is full of tracks that move and rock, taking in concepts from influences like Damien Rice, Mumford and Sons, and The Black Keys.

Appropriately coined previously as a band with a “gumbo of sounds,” Brett Weller and The Congregation’s funky, bluesy, acoustic folk gumbo springs from a fountain of musical influences of Weller and his band members, as demonstrated on the lead track, “Running Man,” from Chances.

Formed in 2014, the duo – featuring Brett Weller on acoustic guitar and vocals and Anna Weller on violin, keys, and vocals – have been working on the songs for their newly released debut album for a couple of years along with musicians Jacob Jordan, Ryan Brown, and Andrew Gordon.

Brett Weller and The Congregation on Facebook

Matthew Squires – “Debt Song”

East Texas musician Matthew Squires spent two years and his life savings to record his most recent album, the indie pop rocking Tambaleo, featuring songs like the quirky, experimental psych rock, “Shape of Your Heart,” which reminds us of The Kinks (circa 1965) mixed with some Bowie and Flaming Lips.

The track has accumulated more 120,000 plays and 1,400 likes on Soundcloud alone, in part thanks to being featured in Stereogum.

The newest song to be released as a single, “Debt Song,” carries over some of the same early Kinks-like sound and wit, complete with a strangely appealing chorus, and lo-fi elements that give Squires’ tracks more authenticity.

Not many artists can pull off genre-shifting within songs and albums as Squires has proven time and again over the years that the indie pop rock world is where he is most comfortable, as long as he allows himself – which he does – to be experimental, introspective and witty.

Throughout the album, Squires interlaces references to the Bible with Eastern philosophies. The track, “Bird Song,” touches themes of death, failure, and again, religion, singing: When we spot her/we’ll feel so very small/But the arms of grace/Which we’ll embrace/Will not be so small apparently in reference to an angel.

There are repeating themes in Squires’ music, including – it goes without saying – religion and enlightenment, but also soul searching, love, family and friends, with pop references sprinkled throughout.

Matthew Squires on Facebook

Striving Artists and Woven Green

As a director of a group of artists, called Striving Artists, that engage in theatre, arts and music, writer and musician Gregory Luzitano assembled an entire group of singers and musicians to record a full cover version, you could say, of the play Jesus Christ Superstar soundtrack. Here is one of the tracks from the album.

In 2006, he formed the Striving Artists Theatre Company with his sister Mary Luzitano. The album, featuring dozens of tracks, is a trip back in time for any of those who enjoy ‘hippie’ and religious soundtracks.

Based in the small town of Sterling, Virginia, husband and wife musical duo, Jim and Ashley Cash, aka, Woven Green, recently released a new album, Into Bloom, an indie rock, acoustic folk/new age release, featuring songs like the lead single,”Breaking Free.”

In November of 2009, Woven Green dropped an EP that was featured in Relix Magazine, and which helped prompt the band’s nomination for a 2009 Wammy (Washington Area Music Association) award in the pop/rock category. The Cashs’ describe their sound as ‘world rock funk acoustic.’

MP3: “Breaking Free“ – Woven Green from Into Bloom

Woven Green on Facebook

New Indie Rock Songs from doubleVee, Innocent Persona, The Sleeping Tongues, Evan Mix, Jack Kotz, Layla Frankel, Liz and the Lovelies

Posted on 05/24/201707/22/2021 by Max Hammer

With summer just around the corner, the releases are coming in at a mad pace, and there are plenty of great indie and DIY tracks you’ll likely only hear on IRC. Also, thank you all for your patience as we move the site to totally SSL (secure) and while we continue to work out the kinks with some of the site’s features – all in the name of progress.

doubleVee – Norman, Oklahoma
Innocent Persona – New York, New York
The Sleeping Tongues – Brooklyn, New York
Evan Mix – Floyd’s Knob, Indiana
Jack Kotz – New York, New York
Layla Frankel – Chicago, Illinois
Liz and the Lovelies – Chicago, Illinois

Plus, Quick Picks from around the world…

[zbplayer]

doubleVee – “Frucus Minus (The Flycatcher)”

Indie rock enthusiasts may remember the indie pop band The Starlight Mints who met with considerable fanfare within the sub-cultures of the indie pop movement back in the 1990s. In fact, they were one of the first bands, along with The Nixons and Chainsaw Kittens – and of course The Flaming Lips (who were OK City/Norman locals) – to put Norman, Oklahoma, solidly on the indie music map.

While The Starlight Mints may not have achieved the mainstream-style success that The Flaming Lips have enjoyed, the band made significant contributions to the indie genre. One of the Mints’ founding members, and original founder, Allan Vest, has been working on a new project called doubleVee, with his wife and fellow musician Barb Hendrickson Vest, who married in 2015.

The husband-wife duo recently released doubleVee’s wonderful debut album, The Moonlit Fables of Jack the Rider, garnering positive reviews online and in social.

The first video single from the album, “Frucus Minus (The Flycatcher),” is a quirky and entertaining video with a hypnotic bass and drum hook throughout, and a zany, melodic stomp.

“We had a blast writing this song,” says Allan Vest. “We actually had too many ideas and got carried away before settling on the arrangement and final lyrics…once we had the line ‘you’re just a flycatcher’ at the end of the chorus, we knew the direction the rest of the song was going to take. If doubleVee had a theme song, this would be it.“

Among the various interesting and fun aspects that make up the video is the incorporation of a vintage North American T-6 Texan airplane made famous in World War II and a 1969 Buick Sport Wagon 400 along with some Wes Anderson-like characters.

The duo is influenced by artists like Legendary Pink Dots, Stereolab, Ennio Morricone, The Cardiacs, Os Mutantes, Philip Glass, Harry Nilsson, Jon Brion, and Bernard Herrmann, along with countless other artists. In 2015, Allan and Barb married.

doubleVee on Facebook

Innocent Persona – “Happy Ever After”

With driving melodic hooks, ringing guitars, booming percussions and somber lyrics, New York City indie pop rock band Innocent Persona‘s new single, “Happy Ever After,” is the latest track from the band, which was formed back in 2015 by founding member, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Ittai Stern.

“I wrote it with the intention of creating a ‘fun stupid love song,'” Stern says. “I was actually influenced by Carly Rae Jepsen’s ‘Call Me Maybe,’ a song about a girl who mets someone and falls in love immediately.” Stern said the song’s sonics are influenced by a range of artists like Blink-182, Boys Like Girls, Green Day, Fall Out Boy, and Simple Plan.

“The band takes a lot of pride,” Stern says, “in our eclectic style, ranging from pop to alt-rock to EDM.” The band’s latest track is definitely more pop/rock oriented that is a perfect track for driving around on a sunny late spring afternoon.

It’s clear that the band would not be as solid as it is, and progressing with each track, if not for the other talented band members, like guitarist/saxophonist Jose Alonso; guitarist/bassist Charlie Freeman; bassist Shalom Bondar and drummer Mike Landolfi.

Not long after forming the band, Stern met with Doug Staiman, another Los Angeles producer, who was formally the front man for the Queens punk rock band The Groggers.

Together, Stern and Staiman composed “Destiny,” a 60’s-influenced song, and the anti-war themed, “Celestial” from the band’s self-titled debut EP dropped last summer. In recent months, the band’s Facebook following has been growing, now up to more than 20,000.

Innocent Persona on Soundcloud

The Sleeping Tongues – “Waiting Room”

After success with past singles such as the romping single, “Bullet Train,” Brooklyn indie band The Sleeping Tongues‘ new track, “Waiting Room,” recently dropped and it’s a pleaser for the band’s fans, with ringing electric guitars, acoustic and Spanish guitars, plus synths peppered throughout; a Wurlitzer running the length of the track while a horn section featuring sax, trumpet, bass trombone and baritone sax jump into the mix, adding even more intrigue and brass to the song.

“The drums are mainly electronic and programmed,” says frontman Craig Kepen, “There are live shakers, tambourines and claps mixed with programmed Timbales…the horns were played via keyboard from Native Instruments Kontakt, with the exception of a live take of my brother playing trumpet on top. Everything was recorded with an SM57 and CAD M9 condenser microphone.”

The results speak for themselves. Over the course of time that we have been listening to the band, we have seen the advancement in their work and creativity. If you are in Brooklyn, catch a show from TST some night – they’re not the standard fare.

Evan Mix – “We’ll Listen To Something Else”

Based out of a small town in Indiana, avante garde/experimental bedroom recording artist and multi-instrumentalist Evan Mix, has dropped a number of singles over the years, and his latest, the colorful and unforgettable, “We’ll Listen To Something Else,” is quite a treat.

The track is a fascinating, multiplexed mosaic of artistic, even mathematical, instrumentation, sound effects, mixes, piano keys and dry vocals.

Mix also recently recorded the flashy, avante garde track, “Do Fun Wrong,” which reminds us a little of some early They Might Be Giants demo, if you were listening to it on acid.

And that’s just part of the allure of Mix; he doesn’t play by anyone’s rules. He could care less about – in fact mocks – commercial appeal.

Mix creates his own world and happily invites people into his playhouse of sounds to listen to his fun, sometimes tone-deaf, unconventional and truly original sounds.

MP3: “We’ll Listen To Something Else“ – Evan Mix with Jack Kotz

Layla Frankel – “Creature of Habit”

Blurring and overlapping genre lines with forays into acoustic folk, jazz, R&B, blues and soul, Chicago songwriter, vocalist and musician Layla Frankel had been writing and recording the songs for her new debut EP, Tame The Fox, for more than two years.

The EP is in some ways a musical extravaganza; the first single, “Creature of Habit,” is a upbeat pop-leaning track with a country edge; on the opening country-folk single, with it’s blues-heavy guitar, ”To Disregard,” Frankel’s vocals seem to be greatly influenced by one of her musical proteges, Bonnie Raitt. Other songs like “Tenderly” has a jazzy allure; and an nicely done acoustic cover of The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven.”

Frankel’s other musical influences include Sheryl Crow, Etta James, Joan Osborne, Joni Mitchell and Fleetwood Mac, and she has also opened for artists like B. Forrest, Cole Degenova, Heazza Official, and Sunny Side Up. The musicians supporting Frankel include Dave Hiltebrand (guitars, bass); Eddie Ganet (keyboards, organ); and Robert Rashid (drums, percussion).

Jack Kotz – “For The Stars (Under A Roof)”

New York City-via-North-Carolina musician Jack Kotz, who we’ve featured on IRC a number of times over the past couple of years, joins Mix at the end of the track for some vocal contributions.

His newest EP, KOTZ!, features tracks like the funky space rock of “For The Stars (Under A Roof)” and the frenetic piano game of the misleadingly-named “Acoustic Gesture #2.” That’s part of the charm of Kotz’s music – nothing is usual or unoriginal about his work.

Kotz is endlessly experimenting with eclectic recordings and has dropped two LPs and two EPs in just the past couple of years.

Liz and the Lovelies – “What You’re Told”

In the winter of 2013, Virginia native and singer/songwriter Liz Chidester set out by train for the big, windy city of Chicago. Soon after, she was making gains as a songwriter, guitarist and ukulele player, gaining recognition from outlets like NPR.

The following year, Chidester’s new band Liz and the Lovelies debuted with the release of People Pumping Pedals and the intimate EP Otter Hill in 2015. Twice she has been featured on NPR for her music.

The band’s newest release, Progress Into Simplicity, is an exploration of acoustic folk mixed with indie pop and electronic elements, drawing inspiration from musical influences like Regina Spektor, Norah Jones, Andrew Bird, Sufjan Stevens, and Father John Misty.

The lead single, “What You’re Told,” is a gypsy, waltzing-like acoustic number with fusions of mandolin, cello and percussions with a mystic accent throughout. Other band members include Alex Chidester (mandolin); Lewis Rawlinson (cello); Ivan Pyzow (trumpet, synth, keys); Mike Fletcher (bass) and Zach Finch (drums).

MP3: “What You’re Told“ – Liz and the Lovelies from Progress Into Simplicity

Liz and The Lovelies on Facebook

Quick Picks: New Indie Songs from DIY Bands Worldwide

[zbplayer]

Glasgow, Scotland: “Everything (Is You)“ – Bobo and The Demeraras from Utopia Eurotica

Nashville, Tennessee: “South“ – Zach Cannella from Jephthah

Stockholm, Sweden: “Great Expectations“ – POKAL from Great Expectations

Astoria, New York: “Between The Lines“ – Amber Lamps from Plaidypuss

Skelmersdale, England: “Two Apart“ – Mosley Bar from Royalties

Cleveland, Ohio: “Say It Now“ – The Shadow Division from The Shadow Division

Berlin, Germany: “Döda flickan rädda rösten“ – Fagelle from Döda Flickan Rädda Rösten

Top Ten Songs for March 2017 – Ender & Valentine, Chase Emery Davis, TGT, OFF ORBIT, Abby K, LAST GIANT, Matt Hutson, KINKY

Posted on 05/04/201705/05/2017 by Max Hammer

April shot by so fast that we hardly had time to put together the Top 10 Songs for March playlist. So, since this Top 10 is late, we won’t delay anymore. These are the Top 10 Songs for March on IRC based on listeners plays, downloads and likes.

Living In Photographs

Heart Shaped Rock

Te Vas

Pop Music Of The Future

This Old Dog

Gone Before Sunrise

No. 1 – Ender & Valentine – “Howl”

Brooklyn, musical duo Ender & Valentine, scored the No.1 track for March with the single, “Howl,” a sparkling, upbeat, inspiring and irresistible bedroom dance pop track.

No. 2 – Chase Emery Davis – “Little Locked Up”

The London musician Chase Emery Davis is a British/American songwriter, vocalist and composer whose new album, Waiting For Her, offers the heartbreaking, genre-bending single, “Little Locked Up,” which listeners made the No. 2 track for March.

Chase blends indie rock, pop and soul genres into lush, emotive songs about love and hope, highlighting his accomplished, haunting and powerful baritone vocals.

No. 3 – The Gods Themselves – “Cool”

The Seattle genre-blending trio The Gods Themselves have been producing edgy tracks that incorporate swaggering, punk-influenced guitar riffs and wha-wha pedals, sexy grooves and disco-wave beats on tracks like the No. 3 song for March, “Cool.”

No. 4 – OFF ORBIT – “Lil B”

Founded by brothers Moises (vocals, bass, keys, harmonica) and Marcos Jimenez (lead guitar), Miami band OFF ORBIT craft bluesy psych, funk and rock mixed with hypnotizing percussions, key jams and blazing guitars on the uptempo, funky, groove-heavy track “Lil B,” the No. 4 song for March.

No. 5 – LAST GIANT – “Living in Photographs”

The Portland band LAST GIANT dropped its sophomore album recently, featuring what they describe as “an inwardly-drawn collection of 11 electrifying tracks.”

A fusion of deep and nuanced 1970’s rock arena verve and prog rock embellishments on notable tracks like, “Living In Photographs,” demonstrates a tighter, more uniformed sound on the No. 5 song for March.

No. 6 – Abby K – “Heart Shaped Rock”

Another Seattle artist, Abby K, who draws influences from her Kentucky roots, but she is not country, not folk nor pop, as she likes to point out. Most notably is Abby’s wonderful songwriting, vocals and instrumentation on her new release – her sophomore album, Heart-Shaped Rock, features standout songs like the title track, which Abby K explains is a song about a journey and “not merely a new path” while “having the courage to follow it and pursue it.”

No. 7 – Matt Hutson – “Pop Music of the Future”

With a love for bands like Big Star and early 1990’s alternative rock and pop, Columbus, Indiana songwriter musician Matt Hutson produces jangly and riff-heavy guitar-drive rock and songs like the mellow, more folksy track, “Pop Music From The Future,” from his sophomore album, TV Star, which scored at No. 7.

“I wrote it late at night, burning the midnight oil. I was thinking of how people seem to crave the next and greatest thing, and worship whomever delivers it,” he says. “I’m also kind of scorning social media and how consumed with it my generation seems to be. The song has a genuine emotion, but there are a few jabs hidden in there.”

No. 8 – Mac DeMarco – “This Old Dog”

During the past few years, the name of Brooklyn-via-Canada singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Mac DeMarco, keeps popping up as a musical influence for other artists and bands from around the world that we feature on IRC.

Mixing lo-fi sounds, out-of-tune acoustic guitars, rudimentary percussions, groovy, driving folk-rock like rhythms with Sonic Youth and Lou Reed influences on his new single, “This Old Dog” – the title track from DeMarco’s fifth release.

No. 9 – KINKY – “Te Vas”

The Monterrey, Mexico five-member alt. rock band, Kinky, which initially made a splash in the United States nearly two decades ago with their second single release, “Mas,” have released a pair a new singles in the past year, including the newest Latin-dance and electro-driven “Te Vas,” and the more experimental and world music-leaning, “Desaparecer.”

No. 10 – Jeff Beadle – “Gone Before Sunrise”

Canadian folk singer/songwriter Jeff Beadle is the every man’s basement recording artist. After a day of working on cleaning pools for the rich, Beadle shifts gears and writes deeply emotive songs with lyrics of love, loss and longing like the wonderful single, “Gone Before Sunset,” coming in at No. 10.