Author: Rick Sosa

Graduate of the University of Michigan. Music is the language that unites us and helps us understand one another as well as share the amazing gifts that music, sounds, nature, and human experiences provide us. In my free time away from the regular day time, I write and participant in Climate Change activism because I want my children and grandchildren to have a fighting chance for the disasters that lie ahead. Another reason we need music.

Band to Watch: Ukrainian Indie Outfit Blake Maloka

Posted on by Rick Sosa

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We’re reviving our indie bands to watch series now for 2019, and into 2020 (such a sci-fi number), by popular demand and because we have many to share that you’ll probably hear nowhere else.

For a few months now, we’ve been listening to the compelling DIY indie rock of Ukranian five-piece band Blake Maloka.

The band hails from the capital city of Киев (Kyiv or formerly Kiev), established in Ukraine in 462 A.D. It is the most populous city in Ukraine.

The song that initially got us listening to the band is the unconventional slow pop-rock number, “The Party’s Over.”

It features suave melodies and the nasal vocals of founding member, and astrophysicist, Serge Kuskov (vocals, guitars, synths). He co-founded the band in 2013 with visual artist and bassist Artem Kaffelman.

The track is marked by uptempo bass lines, mood-changing piano parts, experimental guitar solos and a beat that is hard to resist. You can’t help but sense the astrophysical influences (aka, sci-fi or space rock) running through the song.

Another song, “Dazzle In The Dark,” is mysteriously, and paradoxically, comforting and strangely unsettling at the same time. And that’s always intriguing.

There’s a Beatlesque, circa 1967, effect to the song. The band succeeds nicely with an otherwise complex arrangement featuring angling guitars and bumping basslines. Both tracks are from the 2017 album, Blaker Than Black.

The other band members are Nina Antonyuk (bass); Yura Ivanov (backing vocals, guitars); Sergey Morev (drums) and Valery Paliarush (piano, synths).

More recently, Blake Maloka dropped a tiny three-song E.P., this time shifting gears again with a trio of chameleon-like songs starting with “Nikita”.

The track starts out as a lo-fi, sparse acoustic piece before transforming into a full-blown experimental indie track. It blooms with currents of reverb-heavy vocals; swirling guitars; wavy vocals, and a glimmering synth hook.

Next is the minimalistic, experimental and quirky new wave/pop track, “Moi et Mes Amis.” It may remind some of the old Dr. Demento radio show from years ago.

There are bits of sci-fi space rock on here as well. The short E.P. wraps up with the dark rock of “Naked,” that stews in a soup of sonic dystopia, and reminds some of Arctic Monkeys’ style.

The band’s sound leans heavily on guitars riffs of 60’s garage rock and late-20th century/early 21st-century indie rock, not to mention their socially critical lyrics that are rich with irony and sarcasm.

Their musical influences include The Strokes, Eels, Stereophonics, Temples, Beck, and Radiohead. These influences are represented in Blake Maloka’s sound – much more like nice recipes with bits of each to produce an original sound.

The astute listener may also detect elements of the Velvet Underground and the Cure on one of the band’s first singles: the semi-industrial grungey demo-like, “Propaganda,” which despite its stripped-down nature, is transfixing.

Then there’s the surprising experimental number, “Just A Wind,” in which the lyrics are much clearer and the instrumentation – along with Kuskov’s vocals – creates a breezy, almost jazzy summer afternoon vibe.

The more that one listens to the band’s songs, the more it becomes evident that the band does not have one sound or genre.

For some, that’s not an issue, while others – like some reviewers – may struggle with a need to pigeonhole the band.

It’s one of the things we, and others, love about indie rock: an artist is permitted, actually encouraged, to mix whatever sounds, genres, instruments, and so on as they please to come up with something fresh and original.

Amazing music that is free from commercial confines is so much better (for real) than the vast majority of the cookie-cutter, formatted, mass-marketed shit that comes out of Hollywood’s music factories and pollutes the airwaves every year.

There are places for bands like Blake Maloka to get plays and love for indie listeners – such as this blog.

The band also seeks to “build bridges between people of various nationalities and cultural backgrounds,” their official bio reads, continuing: “The band believes that borders are artificial constructs drawn by politicians. The injustice they create is one of the things they sing about.”

We like that they come across as unpretentious and sincere, which are just some of the traits that draw people to certain bands, in addition to the music itself.

Listen to more Blake Maloka on Bandcamp

Album Review: ‘The Best Day You Could Imagine’ by Charcoal Burners

Posted on by Rick Sosa

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The new album, The Best Day You Could Imagine, is New Zealand post-punk/alt. rock band Charcoal Burners’ third album in a matter of two years. The band is located in the small countryside town of Dunedin, located on the southern region of the island nation.

TCB’s latest album, The Best Day You Could Imagine, is the final recording in a trilogy of albums written and performed by Andrew Spittle (vocals, guitar) with bassist and vocalist Sally Lonie, and a drummer simply known as ‘Finn.’

The L.P. kicks off with the fuzzy alt. rocker, “Winged Bird,” sporting a distinct melody hook, which is immediately followed by the dark, slow-burning rocker, “Battlescarred.”

For “Battlescared,” Spittle says, the lyrics needed some finishing touches so his teenage daughter helped out. “She did a great job,” Spittle writes. “I never write with other people; I just can’t emotionally own their lyrics, but these ones I can.” Right away the mood for the album is set by the two opening tracks.

The first official single from the album, “Days Behind,” is a mesmerizing track with interesting psych-rock guitar playing (almost sounds Middle Eastern) featuring a fairly long outro compiled of elements that include a solid rhythm and reverb-heavy melodies.

But it’s the transformative layers of guitar work that really takes hold here – and throughout the entire album. There are notable influences of 60’s psychedelia; 90’s alt. rock revival with elements of grunge.

The extended instrumental reverb-laden melodies offer a unique sense of rhythmic catharsis which is not commonplace in much of today’s rock music. The soft harmonic vocals fade in and out effortlessly to complete the effect.

Spittle says it’s an abstract recording of “how plastic bags that are trash can become birds.”

“If the electro dark-folk of Charcoal Burners (2017) was earth, and the glacial soundscapes of Orders From the House (2018) water, The Best Day You Could Imagine is fire,” he says.

The “Days Behind” single is artistic in a number of ways; there’s even Shakespearean tragedy within, featuring lines like ‘Have you no letters from the priest?’

In this case, Spittle says, the concept comes from Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet, wherein Shakespeare wrote:

“Eyes, look your last!
Arms, take your last embrace!
And, lips, oh you the doors of breath,
seal with a righteous kiss a dateless bargain to engrossing death!”

The brooding post-punk rocker with an alt. edge, “Deadass Sea” is reminiscent of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road with the nuclear winter that features a ‘dead ass sea.’ This is one of the top tracks on the album, and one could safely say also sports some 90’s Britpop influences.

Following is the upbeat, hazy pop-rocker, “Rings Run Circles,” with up swinging hooks and a tinge of Dinosaur Jr.

Despite this observation, the track, says Spittle, is a story of the summer of 1990 when he and friends were “listening to Zen Arcade and New Day Rising on a Walkmen, and falling in love for the first time.”

Regarding the agreeable slacker rock vibe of “Trailer Tragedies,” Spittle says: “There is an implied sense of character arc and backstory here, together with some niggly questions: ‘What have you done? What price have you paid? Was it worth it?'” What we hear is a solid smoky rocker of 80’s post-punk blended with unmistakable alt./grunge rock influences. The same is true on the standout track, “Reticent.”

The gloomy, almost haunting, song, “Darkroom,” has very much a Cure influence, complete with the angular, repetition guitar notes and slow brooding of the bass lines and drums.

According to the band, the song is apparently the strange tale of someone developing photos in a darkroom of another person at the same moment that same person unexpectedly and mysteriously appears at the other side of the darkroom’s door.

“I never write with other people; I just can’t emotionally own their lyrics, but these ones I can.”

“When I Whisper” is a tale of an anorexic teenage girl who doesn’t believe her father loves her, Spittle says. The track hums along with a bit more optimism and melodic hooks than other songs on the L.P., which is arguably ironic.

Next, with a sound completely relatable to bands like the Buzzcocks, “Tell You What I Could Do” bumps along on heavy guitar chords, bumbling bass lines, and nicely-timed drumming, while “Blind You” might remind some post-punk aficionados of Husker Du; and it is also one of the lighter, less grungey songs on the L.P.

The album closes with the wavy, unfocused, “Robbed and Beaten,” featuring a mean little riff and chord changes.

All in all, this is a solid album and a nice completion to Spittle’s trilogy. Post-punk and alt. rock/grunge fans are definitely the target audience here.

Basically, if you like dark, brooding, fuzzy guitar rock with a Dinosaur Jr. verve and the introspective, emo-like elements of bands like the Cure, you’re probably going to dig this album.

The album was produced by Thomas Bell (David Kilgour and the Heavy Eights, The Shifting Sands) and recorded at the iconic Chicks Recording Studio in Port Chalmers, Dunedin.

Fans of bands like the Cure, Joy Division, Husker Du, Echo and the Bunnymen, and Slowdive are main candidates to absorb TCB’s fantastic shoe-gaze post-punk sound. There is also a strong alt. rock vein that runs throughout the recording as well.

Charcoal Burners weave together rich shoegaze/post-punk tapestries with repetitive and fuzzy guitars, heavy reverb, grainy melodies, brooding bass lines and menacing, bleak, whispery vocals that altogether form a strong and cohesive recording and an album that is worth the time to listen to for fans of such music.

Spittle has previously opened for artists like Mark Kozelek (Sun Kil Moon; Red House Painters). His main influences are primarily Husker Du, My Bloody Valentine, and Red House Painters.

Another way to think of the band’s music is “to consider My Bloody Valentine covering Husker Du at the Overlook Hotel,” Spittle concludes.

Listen to the full album on Bandcamp

New Indie Songs from Waley Brown, Saneit, The Astronots, Revolvers, The Age of Colored Lizards

Posted on by Rick Sosa

Now that summer has unofficially started, it’s time for another eclectic mix of singles from DIY artist and bands that we’ve been listening to lately. A full playlist of all of the tracks appears at the end of the post. Chances are you won’t hear this much fine ‘under the radar’ music anywhere else.

Waley Brown – Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Saneit – Washington D.C.
The Astronots – Los Angeles, California
Revolvers – London, England
The Age of Colored Lizards – Oslo, Norway

Waley Brown – According to the prolific, self-taught Milwaukee DIY musician Aaron Mustas, his music, which he releases as Waley Brown, is “a manifestation of material human sludge, cosmic love, and sadness.”

This is perhaps no better demonstrated than on songs like “A Valentine’s Day” – which is by no means a sweet and cuddly song. It’s gloomy and dark like others that he’s been dropping all year on this Bandcamp. “A Valentine’s Day,” he says, is a tale about “the profound emotions and sadness one can feel” on that day.

A more recent track, “Will You Dance With Me,” is decidedly upbeat, which one supposes would make sense even for a ‘dark’ artist. He is also a multi-instrumentalist, playing all of the instruments on his songs, as well as mixing and mastering.

Now that’s bad-ass DIY. Mustas is also not a newbie to the music world; he has opened for bands like Slightly Stoopid and Twenty One Pilots. The track is from his May album release, SILK.

Writing songs since he was 14 years old, he says, Mustas has been recording for the past decade, amassing over 500 personal recordings, and greatly encouraged by musical influences that include Leonard Cohen, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Nirvana, Joy Division, The Smiths, and David Bowie.

Saneit – This Washington D.C. vocalist and musician’s electro R&B pop sound – which veers more towards ccommercial than indie – by Saneit Monet is usually not what we listen to here in the cafe, but this track really deserves kudos, especially for the fact that she is a relatively unknown ‘bedroom’ artist.

Afterall, she sparked a mini indie hit on Soundcloud with th slick R&B-drive single, “Sprung,” from the new EP Crush. It’s always reassuring when an artist can produce this level of recording totally DIY-style. Keep eyes and ears out for this D.C. artist.

The Astronots – The new single, “Settle Down,” from L.A. indie garage band The Astronots narrates “the feeling of anxiety and being trapped inside yourself,” according to the band. The song nicely presents resonating guitars, throbbing basslines and eerie layered vocals.

Founding members are Niko Giaimo (vocals, guitar) and Allee Futterer (vocals, bass) combine elements of a “quintessential Los Angeles upbringing, classic rock, and west-coast cool.” The trio was completed with the addition of guitarist Eddie Campbell.

The Astronots polished garage sound has lent itself to placements on tv and film as well as curated playlists and blogs. The Astronots’ song, “Black Milk” – from the 2017 E.P. Strange Terrain – was featured on the CBS hit television show Life in Pieces.

Revolvers – The London indie rock band is a four-piece outfit inspired by the “classic rock of the 60s and 70s and modern indie.”

The band has gigged all across the city for the past few years and built up a following. Last year they released a well-received debut EP and started recording at Kore Studios for their follow up EP.

The sophomore EP is being unveiled by the release of a series of singles, with the first being “True Love.” We dig the track. Arctic Monkeys, QOTSA, Oasis, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, and Foals are among Revolvers’ biggest musical influences.

The Age of Colored Lizards – Norwegian noise-pop trio TAOCL been dropping a number of slick singles in recent months, including the memorable “I’ll Be Waiting.”

The band was formed in 2016 by guitarist and vocalist Christian Dam upon the release of the debut single, “It’s All Gone.”

Following band changes and the release of two EPs, Cockroach Clan drummer Cato Holmen and lo-fi musician and bassist Fredrik Ness Sevendal joined the band to release the debut album, Daydreamer.

The Age of Colored Lizards has been compared to bands like Dinosaur Jr. and Jesus and Mary Chain.

DIY Indie Playlist Mix with The Directionals, The Symphny, Attic Light, , Superocean, Paint Me Naked, Yukon Territory, Sarah Zuniga

Posted on by Rick Sosa

Here is an indie playlist mix of DIY songs from the following artists and bands across a number of genres and locations across the globe. Please like and share if you like this playlist. A full playlist you can stream uninterrupted appears at the end of this post.

The Directionals – Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Virginia Leaves – Squamish, British Columbia
The Symphny – Johannesburg, South Africa
Attic Light – Kansas City, Missouri
Superocean – Portland, Oregon
Paint Me Naked – Cologne, Germany
Yukon Territory – Dallas, Texas
Sarah Zuniga – Athens, Georgia

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The Directionals – This Milwaukee-based rock duo formed in 2011, back when IRC first featured them. The duo’s latest single, “Oracle Friends,” is booming with energy, featuring Mark Poe’s fine vocal and guitar work backed by drummer Bob Schabb’s uptempo back beat.

Since starting out, The Directionals has released two full-length records, an EP and a handful of singles. They’ve also toured the U.S. and are heavily influenced by The Cure, Green Day, The Raconteurs, and Pinback.

Virginia Leaves – A veteran indie rock band from Vancouver, Canada; the trio’s newest track, “Cover Song,” is one of the catchiest DIY tracks from Canada that we’ve heard so far this year.

Formed initially as an acoustic duo consisting of longtime friends Mike West (guitar/vocals) and Mike “Strides” Brown (guitar), Glenn Kelly (bass/vocals) and Brian Michals (percussion) joined to broaden the band’s sound. VL’s influences include DeerTick, Nirvana, Beatles, Lucero, and The National.

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The Symphny – Born in the Kingdom of Swaziland and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa, TheSymphny is the work of teenager Sitsandziwe Nkosi, who has been writing, recording and producing music since the age of 12.

Nkosi’s single is one of the smoothest, chilled R&B/soul DIY love songs we’ve heard all year. And we’ve been playing it over and over again for weeks.

While he refuses to name a single genre the style of his music, it is undeniably soulful. His musical influences include Boys to Men, Stevie Wonder, and D’Angelo.

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Attic Light – This band is known for its vigorous and eccentric live performances throughout the Midwest and we’re going to bet that the band’s followers are going to dig the band’s latest emotional indie track, “Wasted,” which has some elements of 90s soft rock, if you will.

AT has opened for artists like alt J and Sunpilots and is influenced mainly by Prince, Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, and Muse.

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Superocean – This Oregonian DIY band has found a cozy niche within Portland’s historic dream-pop scene, blending pop influences, jangly riffs, and a touch of 1960’s psychedelia.

Formerly known as CASTLES, the band has adopted its new name with enthusiasm. Their musical direction has also changed with a move towards more classical song structures and heightened pop sensibilities.

The new single, and accompanying music video, “Animal Caller,” was released last month along with the band’s latest EP. Superocean’s musical influences include Flaming Lips, Animal Collective, Tame Impala, Sparklehorse, and Deerhunter.

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Paint Me Naked – Cologne, Germany-based band formed in 2017 when old schoolmates Jannik Nitz and Mads Leander decided to record together again. The band’s dark, mysterious track, “Fantasy,” is driven by synchronized beats and synths.

Nitz and Leander wrote songs inspired by some of their favorite indie rock artists. The duo then added singer Alina Baur who helped guide the band’s sound to include more influence from 1980s new wave and dream pop. Smart move.

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Yukon Territory – Dallas-based one-man band and multi-instrumentalist Marshall Stubbs’ recent debut album, Saint Elias, has been spawning a number of singles, including the most recent number, “Flight 6/26,” complete with it’s totally lo-fi DIY defiance.

“I believe this song makes sense as a stand-alone track,” he said. “Whereas my other songs are better in the context of the album. I used dirty acoustic guitar sound in the beginning of this song to contrast the clean tone I resolve to at the end.”

Stubbs musical influences include Neutral Milk Hotel, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Jane’s Addiction, and Jack White.

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Sarah Zuniga – Athens, Georgia guitarist and vocalists Sarah Zuniga’s latest single, “Heart of Mine”, explores the toll anxiety takes on “our thoughts, love, and behavior.” Overall the track’s musical expression is contemplative, warm and hopeful despite the lyrical content.

Zuniga continues: “I wrote this song to help me accept it, but also express the frustrations of the inconsistencies of that very acceptance. Then there’s a cool funky- dance part to represent my light-hearted nature despite it all.”

The track also features Adam Smith on bass and electric guitar and Jason Parnell on drums.

New Indie Songs from La Palma, Para Lia, Natural History, Sleeptape, Jarod Grice, Asila

Posted on by Rick Sosa

Our latest indie music songs playlist, or ‘fresh tracks,’ features the following bands. If you like any of these artists, show your love! You can also stream all songs uninterrupted at the end of the post. Enjoy.

La Palma – Philadelphia-via-Washington D.C.
Para Lia – Cottbus, Germany
Natural History – Salt Lake City, Utah
Sleeptape – Brighton, England
Jarod Grice – Denton, Texas
Asila – Los Angeles, California

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La Palma – “One Foot In”

La Palma is a musical duo of Chris Walker and Tim Gibbon, based out of Washington D.C. and Philadelphia, respectively. Their self-titled 2019 debut album weaves together kaleidoscopic layers of melodies and rhythms.

Working between two cities, the duo’s self-produced and self-released debut album was created correspondence-style, sharing recordings back and forth “to build textured compositions that glean from everyday sounds and experiences, steeped in beachy psych-pop and indie folk. ”

The first single from the release is the discordant, industrial-mocking and theatrical, “One Foot In,” which also has of course a macabre connotation. Oddly, for those who are familiar with the Hare Krishna ‘theme song,’ the latter part of the track sounds like but totally on acid. Very interesting, even at little more than 90 seconds. In fact, the release is very interesting and what we like to hear as far as bands being experimental and taking chances.

The two multi-instrumentalists and vocalists originally met years prior in D.C.’s music scene, while members in the bands Kittyhawk and Let’s French.

Para Lia – “The Man Who Went Away”

The release Soap Bubble Dreams is the electrifying debut album from the German indie/alt rock duo Para Lia. Based in Cottbus near Berlin, Para Lia’s release last week has been greeted with rave reviews across the web and with singles like the tantalizing love song, “Romancero,” and alt. rock wonders of “The Man Who Went Away” gaining radio rotations in the U.S., U.K., Europe and Australia.

All ten songs on the album come together to culminate in a recording brimming with towering, melodic guitars; colorful analog synths; textured, driving percussions, and a distinctive lead guitar sound that flows seamlessly from song to song. On top of all of that are the symbiotic vocals of husband-and-wife duo Rene Methner and Cindy Methner.

Soap Bubble Dreams celebrates the indie/alternative rock sound of the 1990’s along with the stylistic elements of 1980’s darkwave and psychedelic prog rock. Particular comparisons can be made to bands like The Cure, Dinosaur Jr., and New Order.

The guitar work and vocals are the trademarks of the duo’s songs; René Methner’s vocals stand forefront, enhanced by the near-ethereal vocals of Cindy Methner’s on songs like the new wave-heavy “Beautiful Delay” and “Over It,” to name just a couple.

Buoyed by such well-paired vocals, the album bubbles with melodic-atmospherics, ringing guitars, dark retro sounds and accomplished originality.

The other standout songs include the industrial-like murkiness of “Leaves of Grey”; the driving pulse of “Wait”; and the banging title track, which chugs along with a New Order-like tempo and haunting vocals and synth effects.

As with so many of the tracks, the lightning guitar riffs are just strong enough to be in the forefront, but smartly, the engineering is such that they don’t ever over-power the other song elements.

The standout closer, “Who Gets Fooled Again,” received a bunch of plays, likes, follows and positive comments via Soundcloud alone. Additionally, the wonderful “The Man Who Went Away” and “Why Higher and Away” have received play on indie rock radio stations worldwide.

Stream Soap Bubble Dreams on Bandcamp.

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Natural History – “It’s A Start”

Formed in Salt Lake City last year, the indie trio Natural History has just dropped a pair of enthralling new singles from the debut album, The Long Mountain.

These include “We’re In Trouble” the indie folk of “Words and Verse” – which breaks into a full band effort in the second half of the track. Perhaps the most upbeat and accessible track on the album is, “It’s a Start.” Overall, the recording is tight, folksy and full of acoustics and piano.

The songs were recorded in a secluded winter cabin in the wilderness of Oakley, Utah. To get to the cabin, the band members had to haul their equipment up a ‘long’ mountain in a sled hitched to an ATV’ just to get to the cabin where they subsequently set up a temporary studio.

“We worked 14 hour days, stopping only for meals and the occasional ATV excursion to feel the cold mountain air and re-calibrate our minds,” says vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Austin Archer.

The other band members are drummer Whit Hertford and producer Chris Bjornn (Us Thieves, BOSS TV). Over the years, Archer and Bjornn have recorded albums together and played in other bands.

They describe their sound as a “rich folk sound drenched in Americana with a focus on driving beats, soaring anthemic melodies, and tight harmonic undertones.”

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Sleeptape – “Midnight”

Brighton band SleepTape’s new single, “Midnight,” is an edgy, taunting blaze of rock guitars, tempting percussions, and snarly, dark vocals with stops and starts of exhilarating ferociousness.

And yet the choruses are a different matter, with soaring guitar lines, huge atmospheres and creeping close to anthemic proportions.

Bassist Elliot Johnson says the band’s new single is “about looking for self-validation or self-gratification through going out drinking and enabling the darker sides of a persona, projecting a false over-confident version of yourself.”

The band members – which also include Jonathan Lott (vocals, guitar); Luke Rogers (guitar) and Dan Butterworth (drums) – are heavily influenced by Biffy Clyro, Lower Than Atlantis, and early era Foals.

Last year the band made waves in the northeast UK with their debut single, “Benefit” and the follow-up “Nadir,” with rotation on BBC Introducing. That helped fuel a string of sold-out shows which continues into 2019 with the release of this track and last month’s exciting, “Run.”

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Jarod Grice – “Signal”

Singer-songwriter Jarod Grice from Denton, Texas (outside of Dallas) has established himself among other artists like Norah Jones, Pearl Earl and Brave Combo.

Grice has just released his first single, “Signal,” with 6:4 Records – also based in Denton.

The song has a soft sadness about it expressed with slight acoustic contributions and quietly soaring synths until it builds into a more melodic and hopeful composition.

As the song blossoms, the obvious influences of folk, Americana, rock – and some soul and R&B – are etched in the strings, piano, bass and vocal expressions of “Signal” from start to finish.

It’s not surprising then that one of Grice’s influences is Gregory Alan Isakov, as well as Wilco, The Beatles, and Allen Stone.

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Asila – “Paranormal”

Originally from Johannesburg, South Africa, the female-fronted alt. rock band Asila, now based in Los Angeles, California, is making noise with their new and punchy single, “Paranormal.”

The song is full of blazing guitars, booming drums and bass and the raucous vocals of lead singer Hana Mutfic. The band plays with plenty of grit, heart, and soul. The production quality is also solid.

After recording a debut album under the band name Revery in 2016, the band felt a name change was due to reflects their change in sound and direction.

In March of last year, Asila released their first music video and single ‘Resistance’ and are in the processes of finishing up their debut album, Acid Rain.

The band members, all solid players, include, in addition to Mutfic, Richard Globisch (guitar); Adrian Patterson (bass) and Taryn Young (drums). They are fans of Halestorm, Evanescence, Incubus, Iron Maiden, Muse, and many other artists and bands.

Indie Rock Solo Albums You’ve Gotta Hear – Panda Bear, J. Mascis, Jeff Tweedy, Kurt Vile, Sharon Van Etten & Bob Mould

Posted on by Rick Sosa

During the past few months, and including this past week, there have been a number of must-hear solo album drops for indie and alt rock fans – just in case you missed them – from J. Mascis (Dinosaur Jr.); Jeff Tweedy (Wilco); Kurt Vile (The War On Drugs), Panda Bear (Animal Collective), Sharon Van Etten and Bob Mould (Husker Du).

Other solo albums we are watching and waiting to be released include new material from Andrew Bird, Ty Segall, Stephen Malkmus (Sonic Youth), and perhaps Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes) and Sufjan Stevens.

Panda Bear – Buoys

Animal Collective co-founder and indie music darling Noah Lennox’s (aka Panda Bear), new solo album is not disappointing, even if it is not ground-breaking like some of his earlier efforts. It’s a change in direction and style, but in nuanced ways.

It’s too bad the album’s cover art is so crappy.

Here’s what some of the other reviews online say:

Q Magazine: “Even when the centre spins out, Lennox’s naive melodies make his indulgence sound strangely inviting.”

Pitchfork: “Buoys is a sad and wistful album, though in a non-specific way.”

Uncut: “It’s a new direction, one stretched fairly thin across nine similar tracks, but at least he’s escaped that old echo chamber.”

J. Mascis – Elastic Days

Even though it’s a bit dated for those up on the current, the recent solo LP drop from Dinosaur Jr. legendary founder J. Mascis, Elastic Days, continues to sound fresh and worthy of additional spins, even months later.

Elastic Days is almost a monumental album and it’s no wonder that it has won high praise from critics and fans alike since its November release.

This album as a complete work only solidifies what each of these terrific solo albums prove: aging alt. and indie rock musicians are putting out some of the best new alt. and indie music we’ve heard in maybe years.

This is also clear in the fact that IRC listener’s voted – by the number of streams and clicks – the smooth, dreamy title track as the No. 1 song for October 2018. (If you haven’t seen the video, it’s a hoot)

How the long, white-haired middle-aged rocker Dad keeps dropping, successively and over three decades, better and better material as he ages is something to behold.

Mojo Magazine: “Even at 52, this Dinosaur senior is a miracle of ongoing evolution.”

Drowned in Sound: “If you’re a Dinosaur Jr fan and you can live without a couple of Lou Barlow tracks per album then it would be well worth checking out Elastic Days and hearing J do what he does best in a slightly different setting.”

DIY Magazine: “The last couple of Dinosaur Jr. records, in particular, are from all angles for their consistency, but J Mascis is continuing to fire out hidden gems under his own name, too.”

Kurt Vile – Bottle It In

While it released over four months ago, the recent solo album, Bottle It In, from former War on Drugs’ guitarist Kurt Vile is worth listening to for any of those that missed it.

Like the other great solo albums featured in this post, Vile’s release does not get boring to listen to again and again.

It’s almost, shall we say, essential listening for fans of the alt./indie rock genre(s). It’s fresh, creative, fun and just fine music, especially for a seventh solo release.

Under The Radar: “He is one of the most dependable artists working in indie rock, rehashing old sounds while always pushing the envelope, constantly expanding his artistic approach while never losing his footing.”

The UK Guardian: “Vile ultimately has such an instinctive facility for melodic logic that behind the shaggy locks and purple haze, there’s a clear-headed, big-hearted songwriter at work.”

The Boston Globe: “More than just another tapestry of gorgeous guitar-scapes to get lost in, it’s the fullest portrait yet of the human behind that Cheshire Cat grin.”

Jeff Tweedy – WARM

Longtime Wilco founder and musician Jeff Tweedy dropped his debut solo album, WARM, in November, and ever since, like Mascis and Vile, we’ve spun it over and over. That’s how good the longtime-coming solo album is that Tweedy has woven together over the years.

It’s an album about addiction, family life, fatherhood and changes, exquisitely written, recorded and produced. The album, an accompanying work to his new book, “Let’s Go (So We Can Get Back),” reveals a stunning album of songs, that are touching, expertly crafted and insightful, including the rehab-themed “Bombs Away” and the compassionate “Don’t Forget.”

The recent death of his father looms over the mood and lyrical content. In fact, death and dying are a recurring theme. In the song, “From Far Away,” Tweedy demands: “If I die/Don’t bury me/Rattle me down like an old machine.”

WARM is an epic album of autobiographical origin, whether one is a Wilco/Tweedy fan or not. From the book to the album’s concurrent themes and how Tweedy married them so wonderfully, never has Tweedy revealed so much nor have fans learned so much about a man who has lived the rock and roll lifestyle and come out on the other side – not to preach but instead to reveal.

Musically, the album is significant as well with Tweedy’s son joining in on the making of music that lasts and matters.

Clash Music: “This record comes on like the voice of a friend, confessional and familiar – full of small, important reassurances.”

Paste Magazine: “Is the exchange of restless turmoil for quietly focused introspection a worthwhile trade? Depends. For Wilco fans who never really got over the big hooks and sonic clamor of Summerteeth, probably not. For listeners who have taken pleasure in Tweedy’s continuing evolution, WARM is akin to a gift.”

Sharon Van Etten – Remind Me Tomorrow

For those of you who have followed Sharon Van Etten’s career and music, you are probably aware that she consistently puts out good music. The freshly-released Remind Me Tomorrow is definitely one of the best of her five full-length releases during the past decade-plus; and it is also her most daring release in some regards.

Variety: “While it sounds different from anything Van Etten has ever done, it also never sounds like anyone but her: Her big, sweeping choruses and singer-songwritery melodies adapt surprisingly well to their new context, with heavy, synthetic basslines and sparkling electronic embellishments accenting her echo-laden, multi-tracked vocals.”

New Musical Express (NME): “[The album] serves not so much as a nudge, but a forceful and playful shove to remind listeners just how special Van Etten’s talent is on both a lyrical and musical level. Don’t call it a comeback, but it may well be her most intoxicating and impressive work to date.”

Mojo Magazine: “Remind Me Tomorrow feels full to the brim, flooded to the top with experimental colour and texture, drones and drums and synthesizers.

Bob Mould – Sunshine Rock

Veteran rocker Bob Mould – arguably an early influence of indie rock as the frontman of Husker Du and Sugar – just dropped his 13th solo album. Here’s what some of the pubs have posted:

DIY Magazine: “Sunshine Rock does exactly what it says on the tin. A rock album that sparkles; a taut collection of Bob Mould cuts that fits timelessly into his ever-expanding legacy.”

The 405: “While not everything here measures up to the album’s highlights, this is still an enjoyable and mostly solid effort that doesn’t stray too far from what Mould has done best over the last few decades.”

AllMusic: “Sunshine Rock is the fourth installment in one of the most satisfying chapters of Bob Mould’s career–no small statement considering his legacy–and the tender ferocity of these songs is something no one else could do quite this well.”

Conor Oberst Drops Two New Tracks on Bandcamp

Posted on by Rick Sosa

Indie rock musician Conor Oberst dropped two fresh, while somber, tracks on Bandcamp this week;  the melancholy of “No One Changes” and “The Rockaways”.

In typical Oberst style, on the latter track, a gloomy, introspective piano piece is peppered by lyrics like: “a goddam shit show.”

On the melancholic “No One Changes,” Oberst reflects on a breakup from the heart. The tracks are available now digitally and will drop as a double A side 7″ single in February 2019.


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New Indie Rock Songs Playlist with Wax Statues, James Waves, Telamor, Daniel Doorman, Joel Strauss

Posted on by Rick Sosa

Here’s another batch of 2018 indie rock songs from talented DIY artists and bands, including:

Wax Statues – San Francisco, California
James Waves – Chicago, Illinois
Telamor – Boston, Massachusetts
Daniel Doorman – Toronto, Ontario
Joel Strauss – Kelowna, British Columbia

 

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Wax Statues – “It Was All A Dream”

The San Francisco multi-genre-wielding indie rock band, Wax Statues, is set to drop its self-titled debut album on October 19 with a release party performance at Amnesia in San Francisco.

The band’s first single, “It Was All A Dream,” from its debut, is a dreamy psych-pop track that might just get you tapping your feet or getting up to dance. There is also a music video as well.

Wax Statues rose from the ashes of the dissolution of the band The Singing Limbs.

 

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James Waves – Chicago, Illinois

The prolific Chicago indie musician James Waves got our attention a couple of years ago thanks to his studious songwriting and mainly acoustic songs and covers. We’ve been fans since the start.

Waves’ latest single, “This Is Love,” is a departure from his earlier singer-songwriter releases. In fact it’s a radical departure. Waves took a risk and plunged into a totally different genre.

His latest release is a suave mix of funky electro-pop disco that is indelibly energetic and memorable.

 

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Telamor – “Rockin’ In The Free World”

One of our favorite Boston-area musicians, the notoriously reclusive rock veteran Tom Hauck, has been dropping singles and albums left and right since forming his moniker Telamor back in 2014. Since then, he’s gained numerous radio rotations for his singles and also received some blog love.

Telamor’s latest single drop, “Rockin’ In The Free World,” is a uniquely individualistic cover of the famous Neil Young original. The guitars are ringing and Hauck is pouring his heart into this compelling cover with respect for Mr. Young in the process.

Last week, Telamor also released the original song, “Go With The Flow” and man does it flow.

The cover was produced Hauck and Warren Babson – the latter who also mixed and recorded at Bang-A-Song studios. The newest Telamor effort was mastered by Ryan Smith at Sterling Sound studios in Nashville.

 

 

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Daniel Doorman – “A Better Man”

Musician Daniel Doorman is a Toronto based singer/songwriter with a brooding, but uplifting indie folk sound. His songs are lyrically motivated by stories that are introspective, hopeful and heartfelt.

Such is the case with his newest single, “A Better Man,” a memorable song that is not the average track you’d hear at a coffee house performance (and that’s not putting down coffee house musicians at all). Doorman has a true and lasting emotional effect with his music. This song captures his best attributes perfectly.

His debut album, Contrition, he says “is a reflection on the human condition” that draws “wisdom from diverse sources” and themes of “despair; a desire for truth; a longing for home, and a need for personal redemption.” The album was produced and engineered by Brandon Pero at Inception Sound Studios in Toronto.

Doorman’s biggest influences include Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, David Ramirez, Noah Gundersen, Matthew Mayfield, Corey Kilgannon and Julien Baker. He performs on the regular and captivates audiences wherever he performs. His emotional and interactive performances are highlighted by his tenor vocals and folksy melodies.

 

 

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Joel Strauss – “Crossing The Desert”

IRC first featured the talented young Canadian DIY musician Joel Strauss a few years ago following the release of his debut album, Don’t Lose That Feeling, featuring standout singles like the title track and “The New City.”

Strauss latest release, “Cross The Desert,” demonstrates a maturation of his songwriting and musical abilities and yet another confirmation of an artist who is under the radar. The track is from his upcoming album to be released this fall.

“The song is about going through all the stages of breaking through addiction,” Strauss says, “including boredom and self-loathing. There is a line at the end: ‘If something could be enough/I’d be alright’ that is sung repeatedly of someone crying out for help.”

MP3: “Cross The Desert” – Joel Strauss

 

Artist To Watch – PATHS

Posted on by Rick Sosa

During the past few weeks since her 2017 debut single, “Neoprene,” new Belfast electronic alt. pop artist Jule Shawe, aka, PATHS, has garnered a good amount of press coverage and fans in Ireland, the UK and abroad.

The single, with it’s interlacing and twinkling synth keys, set over a constant treble-clattering beat and soothed by Shawe’s whispery, sexy vocals, has been making the rounds on the blogs recently, and was featured on the BBC, the artist of the week in Q Magazine, and as a Nialler9 Song of the Week in the The Irish Times.

Her latest effort is the split single, “Right Beside You” – highlighted by looping grooves, sparkling synths and booming beats – and “Last One Standing” a more subdued and melancholic electronic pop tapestry, should make 2017 an exciting year for PATHS and her growing fan base.

“I wanted to get three tracks out in a short timeframe to give listeners a full taste of my sound and felt that a single followed quickly by an A/B was the best route,” Shawe says. “[The singles] were written and produced in close succession and although different in sound, are all a lyrical reflection of relationship challenges.”

Her talents for assembling and manipulating diverse and multi-cultural samples that match to East-Asian instruments were partially realized by producer and post-rock front man Rory Friers, who has a new moniker – Thrash Hat. PATHS biggest musical influences include Jamie XX, St Vincent, HAIM, Feist, Shura, Miike Snow and Foals.

MP3: “Right Beside You” – PATHS

PATHS on Facebook

Best Indie Rock DIY Debuts of 2016, Vol. III – Fire to the Stars, CrashDive, Paper Monsters, The Falling Birds, Cave Wars

Posted on by Rick Sosa

The first two installments of the Best Indie Rock DIY Debuts of 2016 (That You Probably Didn’t Hear), Vol. I and Volume II, were so popular, that we decided to do one more; even though, by now, it seems kind of late to highlight more 2016 debuts. Nonetheless, there are some great bands to watch here with notable 2016 DIY debuts.

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Fire to the Stars – Melbourne, Australia
CrashDive – Chicago, Illinois
Paper Monsters – Manchester, England
The Falling Birds – New York, New York
Cave Wars – Burntwood, England

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Fire to the Stars – Keep You Safe

The gloomy melancholy sounds and moods on Fire to the Stars‘ single, “Rote Learning,” are convincing as ambient textures, and the sad and beautiful vocals draw you in, highlighting the orchestral instrumentation and flowing melodies against the darker undertones. The song has a soothing spirit that’s also haunting at the same time while it’s slow burn pace generates anxieties filled with mystery and intrigue.

MP3: “Rote Learning“ – Fire to the Stars from Keep You Safe

The rising Melbourne band’s 2016 debut EP, Keep You Safe, sets a somber mood, as exemplified on melodic, emotive, piano-heavy tracks like “Wholesale Slaughter.” The guitar, keys, bass and drum jams at the closing of the track are all in unison and bleak. If you’re depressed, you’ll probably find some comfort in these songs.

The band’s EP has received many honors as one of the top albums of the year via many underground blogs, zines and playlists. The EP was recorded with U.S. producer Casey Rice (Liz Phair, Tortoise, the Dirty Three). Last fall, the band’s track, “Stay Down,” (and follow-up video) was featured in the award-winning film, Driven To Death.

Fire to the Stars on Facebook

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CrashDive – Rock21

Chicago has a long tradition of rock and roll and one of the Windy City’s newest rock bands rattling the cages is the hard rock outfit CrashDive.

The band is inspired by rock music from the 1960s through the 1980s, which is delightfully evident on the debut EP, Rock21, featuring the lead single, the hot, smoking rocker, “Me Gusta.” Another track from the EP, the mellow pop ballad, “Look Around,” might make you wonder if it’s the same band that recorded both songs.

According to the band, “Instead of being another ‘throwback’ band trying to relive a past time that has come and gone, CrashDive strives to create a new sound” that the band likes to call “21st century rock.” CrashDive took its name from an emergency dive maneuver that submarines make to avoid attack.

MP3: “Me Gusta“ – CrashDive from Rock21

CrashDive Official Website

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Paper Monsters – With Riddles

The young lads of the Manchester UK indie rock/Americana band Paper Monsters dropped their debut album, With Riddles, last May, featuring tracks like “Riddles,” with its light and airy guitar rock jam, uptempo rhythms and beats, and splashy lead guitar licks that fall somewhere between alt. rock and modern pop rock.

According to band founder, songwriter and guitarist Matt Blanchette, Paper Monsters was created to make songs that take “modern sounds like large drums and crushing guitars and blend them with rhythmic acoustics and catchy vocal melodies.” Mission accomplished. The band’s musical influences include PVRIS, Kings of Leon, Fall Out Boy, and Lydia.

MP3: “Riddles“ – Paper Monsters from With Riddles

Paper Monsters on Facebook

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The Falling Birds – Til We All Fall Down

Brooklyn genre-bending duo The Falling Birds comprises musicians Stephen Artemis (guitar, vocals, harp) and Dave Alan (drums, keys) who follow a simple concept: write songs with foundations in blues and folk, then throttle them with punk rock snarl and grit.

The result is a gritty bluesy rock sound on the band’s 2016 debut EP, Til We All Fall Down, featuring tracks like the hard-hitting single, “Sweet Things That Kill.” The band describes their sound and style as “one half careful musicianship and the other wild indifference.”

The video and track for “My Girl” are definitely worth checking out.

MP3: “Sweet Things That Kill“ – The Falling Birds from Til We All Fall Down EP

Listen to the full Til We All Fall Down EP on Bandcamp

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Cave Wars – Cave Wars

Cave Wars are a indie rock duo formed in Burntwood, England in 2015 out of the ashes of two bands that called it quits. Musicians Rich Giblin (guitar, bass, keys) and Matt Toothill (vocals, guitar) met and began crafting remarkably intricate compositions on songs like the lazy, dreamy, minimalistic and experimental psych track, “Origami,” and the more upbeat track, “Skymen,” by weaving together elements of post punk, rock, new wave, electro-pop, dream pop and psych rock.

The duo recorded its self-titled debut album entirely on an 8-tape recorder – a rare type of recording in this new century, and which many contend produces a more dynamic sound. It’s no surprise that Giblin’s and Toothill’s major influences include David Bowie, Roxy Music, Devo, Scott Walker, Moon Duo, and Beach House.

MP3: “Skymen“ – Cave Wars from Cave Wars

Cave Wars on Facebook

Best Indie Rock DIY Debuts of 2016, Vol. I – Buttness, Small Culture, Them Coulee Boys, Marvelous Mint, Nervouschain

Posted on by Rick Sosa

It’s amazing how quickly everyone gets back to the day-to-day right after the end of the winter holidays. And especially this year – many people want to forget 2016, and some are terrified of what’s to come. But let’s not let go of the past year of our lives too quickly.

There are still some 2016 releases you need to hear, including this batch of fine debuts from a range of indie rock, folk, pop, and other genre and mixed-genre DIY artists and bands from across the United States, and Down Under.

In This Installment:

Buttness – Shymkent, Kazakhistan
Small Culture – San Diego, California
Marvelous Mint – Bellingham, Washington
Them Coulee Boys – Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Nervouschain – Sydney, Australia

Don’t miss great songs and bands in series like the Best New DIY/Indie Releases of 2016; In Dee Mail; Fresh Tracks; Bands That Rock, and make sure to follow us on RSS; Facebook; Twitter and Instagram.

Check out IRC’s mega playlists on Spotify – like the ambitious, ever-evolving Best Fking Songs Ever or the gritty and odd playlist titled, Soundtracks for Films Quentin Tarrantino Will Never Make and Around The World – awesome indie/alt. rock songs about places on the world map.

Buttness – All Holes Are Black

At little moments on Kazakhistan indie rock band Buttness‘ single, “All Holes Are Black,” the title track of the band’s wonderful debut album, die-hard fans of The Cure will hear the undeniable influences of the Cure. But at the same time, and moreover, the song is totally unique, and alluring, as are many of Buttness’ songs.

All Holes Are Black is brimming with ringing pop rock guitars, grooving bass lines and perhaps more melodic hooks than we’ve heard from a DIY band in all of 2016.

Born in the city of Shymkent in 2010, the duo is made up of vocalist and guitarist Yeldos Zarpullayev and bassist Yerlan Akhmetov, both big fans of Radiohead and The Cure, which is evident on the superb, under-the-radar debut album released last summer.

Out of the gate is the slow-burning draw of the wonderfully strange lo-fi title track, highlighting Zarpullayev’s endearingly odd, and completely different, vocal styles, as well as deep melodic guitar hooks backed by Akhmetov’s terrific bass playing, and drum work from session drummers Ian Cronan and Calum Sneddon.

The next track the band wished to highlight from the melodic guitar-heavy 12-song release is the nicely inspiring, warm spring day-like instrumental, “You Are Fire,” complete with more heavy melodies and deep, brooding percussion. Other guitar-dominant instrumentals include the lazy “Flight”.

Other take-away tracks from the album include the airy guitars and upbeat grooves of “Let Me Join In Your Art”; the meandering guitars of “I Love Film”; the irresistible pop rock jamming of “So I Love You Heavens Now,” which turns out to be one track from the album that doesn’t sound like the rest in as far as Zarpullayev’s vocals.

Bonus Track: “You Are Fire” – Buttness from All Holes Are Black

From track to track, the album is enjoyable in a totally alt. way. There are tracks like the semi sing-along standout track, “Tonight,” featuring more heavy power pop chords. The same is true on tracks like the playful “My Shadow,” featuring guitar hooks that remind us of The Byrds. Others like “Apparent Time To Shine,” shines through with its undeniably upbeat allure.

This album proves that these guys really love melodies with bright, 60s-influenced guitars and Zarpullayev’s memorable and endearing, vocal styles. The duo’s hometown, Shymkent, was known as Chimkent until 1993 when Kazakhistan declared its independence from the former Soviet Union. This must-hear album was recorded at The Green Door Studio in Glasgow.

Buttness on Soundcloud

Small Culture – Small Culture

Earlier this year, we featured some of the fresh music of San Diego-via-Hawai’i bedroom musician and one-man band Jerik Centeno, aka, Small Culture. In the past year, he has been making a name for himself in the San Diego indie scene thanks to his increasing number of gigs and new tracks like the joyous, party song, “It’s Too Late,” complete with horns and piano and the electronic dance-influenced “Apartime.”

MP3: “Apartime“ – Small Culture from Small Culture

According to Centeno, “Small Culture is a kaleidoscope pop rock band from San Diego California.” Centeo played all of the instruments – guitars, bass, synths, keyboards and drums – and mixed and produced Small Culture’s self-titled debut EP, dropped this past summer.

The SM moniker is used to describe the intimate culture of his home state of Hawai’i. Small Culture was formed as a result of a project started by his college classmate, Jose Escoto, who offered to mix some of Centeno’s songs.

Bonus Track: “Too Late“ – Small Culture from Small Culture

Small Culture on Facebook

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Them Coulee Boys – Dancing In The Dim Light

Founded at a Bible camp, the Eau Claire, Wisconsin band Them Coulee Boys wonderfully craft a brand of Americana that blends bluegrass, folk, rock and roll, and even pop; mixing guitars, banjos, mandolins, and even a kick drum. The lead vocals of Soren Staff (guitar, piano) are some of the finest folksy lead vocals we’ve heard from a new DIY band this year.

Songs from Them Coulee Boys’ album, Dancing In The Dim Light, include the down-home folk and Americana heavy single, “I Won‘t Be Defined,” which shows off Staff’s remarkable vocals.

Other tracks, like “Mask,” completely switch things up. The first half of the song is a boozy, folksy spaghetti-western influenced track featuring Staff’s emotive vocals, and a stellar, and rocking, guitar, and banjo jam, from Beau Janke, along with Jens Staff on mandolin and Michael Aschbacher on bass and kick drum – good ‘ole story-telling and organic music from the salt of the earth.

According to Staff, “we seek to start a dialogue with their show. The songs are reflections duality of life.”

In addition to Staff, the band members include Beau Janke (banjo, piano, harmonica, vocals); Jens Staff, (mandolin, vocals), and Michael Aschbacher on bass and kick drum.

The band has opened for artists like Pert Near Sandstone, Dead Man Winter, and Charlie Parr, and consider their major musical influences to include Neil Young, The Avett Brothers, Neutral Milk Hotel, The Flaming Lips, and Dawes.

MP3: “I Won‘t Be Defined“ – Them Coulee Boys from Dancing In The Dim Light

Them Coulee Boys official website

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Marvelous Mint – Behind The Times

Ranging from stripped-down guitar ballads to dense baroque electronic rock, Marvelous Mint features the writing and performances of Bellingham, Washington musician Willie Womack.

The idea for his one-man band and its colorful instrumentation and introspective lyrics came from, he says, “playing retro games with limited yet vibrant color palettes.”

MM’s sound is ever-shifting, yet at the heart of the songs remains the ‘signature style’ that Womack hopes to become better known for. Clearly his dreamy notes and beats on the unforgettable DIY single, “Your New Lifestyle,” are a direct and indirect results of Womack’s musical influences that include artists like Elliott Smith, Shiina Ringo, Tokyo Jihen, and Yasunori Mitsuda.

MP3: “Your New Lifestyle“ – Marvelous Mint from Behind The Times.

The single, and some of his other tracks, like the enthralling, “When You See Me Next,” coincidentally or not, remind us a lot of the indie acoustic pop band Matt Pond PA, who are one of our long-time favorite indie bands, and who appear in many of our playlists published during the past eight years.

Both tracks are from the debut LP, Behind The Times. Womack writes and records all of his own songs using guitar, keyboards, drums, bass and vocals.

Marvelous Mint on Facebook

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Nervouschain – Weekdays

Musician, guitarist, keyboardist and electronic music enthusiast alike, Oleg Chernykh, who uses the moniker Nervouschain hails out of Sydney, Australia.

When not working his “rat race job,” as he says, he spends his time in his studio apartment creating electronic-heavy tracks that traverse sonic landscapes mostly in the realm of deephouse, house and chill.

MP3: “Friday” – Nervouschain from Weekdays

The everyday work world is the focus of his debut EP, Weekdays; Chernykh’s five-track release features a different track for each work day of the week, with track titles predictably ranging from “Monday,” the opening frenetic track, through to “Friday,” the final, ready-to-party closer.

There are some really sweet grooves and grinds that are inspiring and well produced for NC’s first outing.

Bandcamp: Listen to more on NC’s Bandcamp page