Best new indie rock songs, indie news, best bands, reviews
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.
Spring is fretting, but we have indie rock spring songs for you. These are our original playlists for Vol. I and II of Indie Songs for Spring. Plz like if you do.
Yuck has members from locales such as New Jersey, London, Scotland, and Hiroshima.
The bands to watch in 2011 queue is already filling up fast, and it’s only the second week of February. Right now, we are in a weird push-and-pull situation, in which we’re trying to wrap up all of the ‘best of 2010’ music playlists as well as stay on top of highlighting the best new 2011 music that we are hearing. This is the first installment of IRC’s Bands to Watch in 2011 series.
We hope that you discover some bands that you dig but have never heard until now. Of course, we’ll be looking for your comments and tallying the songs that are played and downloaded the most from this post to see which make the Top Ten Songs list and which bands our readers like the most from this post and all the upcoming posts that will feature new bands. In fact, volume two of this series will be published this coming weekend. But first, we introduce you to Yuck, The Pass, Watch Out For Rockets, We Can’t Enjoy Ourselves, and Church of the Very Bright Lights.
Yuck is the appropriate title for this cover art, but the album inside is amazing
Yuck – Various Locations
Obviously not concerned with some marketing director’s advice to consider a different name, the indie band, Yuck, are defying their namesake. In recent months, Yuck have been building the vital blogger buzz, if you will, and are now getting noticed by mainstream music critics.
Yuck’s MySpace page lists the band’s “location” as New Jersey, Hiroshima, London, Scotland, and United Kingdom. Now that’s an eclectic mix of musicians almost sure to produce some interesting musical results. And so they have with the upcoming release of their debut, self-titled album. Yuck are talented, fun, daring and obviously influenced by different genres and eras of rock, including alternative rock and post punk. Spin this blazing pop rock song, “Holing Out” to get the engines fired up.
In a recent profile of the band in the U.K. Guardian, writer Dave Simpson described Yuck’s sound this way: “the sound a band of indie-loving kids who weren’t interested in dance music would have made 20 years ago: a cocktail of Dinosaur Jr noise, Lemonheads melody and Teenage Fanclub‘s wistfulness.” We can almost guarantee that you be hearing more about this band in 2011. If you thought rock was dead, Yuck is one example it’s here to stay.
Yuck are scheduled to perform a number of shows next month during Austin’s famous South by Southwest festival.
The Pass – Louisville, Kentucky
If we could go back and re-do it, we would have listed The Pass among the 50 break-through bands of 2010. The Louisville, Kentucky indie rock band have been stirring things up, by their packed live shows, blogger love and a growing fan base. However, The Pass are not as well known as other break-through bands of 2010 like Broken Bells or Local Natives. The first song we want you to hear from The Pass is the single that really got the ball rolling for the band on their debut album, Burst. Plus, check out a couple of songs from the band’s 2010 EP, Colors. Keep an ear out for The Pass this year.
“Trap of Mirrors” – The Pass from Burst – Sept. 21st
“Crosswalk Stereo” – The Pass from Colors EP – Feb. 23rd
“Colors” – The Pass from Colors EP
Watch Out for Rockets – Austin, Texas
Watch Out for Rockets are an Austin-based punk psychedelic pop band, who really are all of those things and more. One thing that you can’t do with this talented, but relatively unknown, band is to categorize their style. As the introduction indicates, they cover a wide range of genres and styles, literally from song to song. That’s a risky thing for a band to do, but WOFR pull it off impressively, on the free EP, Telepathic War Machine.The song that would probably connect with most people is the upbeat, almost 100% pure pop track, “Ghetto and Rye”.
The opening track, “Banshee on the Water”, is a low-fi psychedelic track that is creepy and catchy at the same time. It wouldn’t be a surprise to learn that the band are influenced by artists like Velvet Underground, Pink Floyd, Built to Spill, The Beatles and Janes Addiction. Those are the bands that popped into mind while listening to Telephatic War Machine. The title track is another stand out on the EP, with its psychedelic tinged pop song that sounds like it could have been a hit record on underground radio stations in 1969.
You can’t go wrong with this EP; afterall, it’s free. We’ll be watching out in 2011 for more from Watch Out For Rockets. And yes, they are also a band to watch in 2011.
We’re assuming that the band name for Brooklyn‘s twee pop trio, We Can’t Enjoy Ourselves, is intended to be ironic because the band seem to be enjoying themselves just fine. And, so are the folks who’ve been digging their tunes. In past couple of weeks, we’ve been enjoying their free BandCamp LP, most particularly the two songs featured here. Lead singer Giovanni Saldarriaga demonstrates great control and range, and has been compared to the likes of Colin Meloy (The Decemberists). Comprised of a bass, drums, and a guitar/singer, WCEO weaves simply structured, and incredibly catchy, pop songs.
“A Charming Man” – We Can’t Enjoy Ourselves from One Belongs Here More Than You
“Miss Maris Morris” – We Can’t Enjoy Ourselves from One Belongs Here More Than You
The Church of Very Bright Lights – Calgary-Montreal, Canada
Last fall, Montreal-via-Calgary indie rock band The Church of Very Bright Lights quietly released their terrifically warm and mellow debut album, Gang Crimes, on the web a few weeks ago. Along with Calgary musician James Cullen, two members of the popular Canadian indie band, Women – Chris Reimer (drums) and Matt Flegel (bass) – spent the past year writing and recording songs for the album, which is available as a free download.
“Words” – Church of the Very Bright Lights from Gang Crimes
“Bone/Muscle” – Church of the Very Bright Lights from Gang Crimes
Church of the Very Bright Lights Debut Album
Note:The next installment of 5 Bands to Watch will be published this coming weekend.
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In our on-going look back at our favorite songs from 2009, we are now on Vol. IV, highlighting singles we posted about in April 2009. To follow all of the installments of this series – there will be 12 in total – you can check out the landing page for Favorite Indie and Alternative Songs of 2009. Enjoy.
“Misfits & Mistakes” – Superchunk from Leaves in the Gutter EP “Sacred Trickster” – Sonic Youth from The Eternal
“Ithaca” – Deleted Scenes from Birdseed Shirt
“Chug Along” – Trainwreck Riders from The Perch
“Pale Bride” – The Von Bondies from Love, Hate and Then There’s You
“Unfold” – Julie Peel from Near The Sun
“Heard You Wanna Beat Me Up” – The Strange Boys from …And Girls Club
“Inagural Trams” – Super Fury Animals from Dark Days/Light Years
“New Love Grows on Trees” – Peter Doherty from Grace/Wastelands
Volume Three of ours and your favorite songs of 2009 continues with songs that came out or were featured on IRC during March 2009. Some songs that would otherwise be represented are not because their MP3 links expired, but still this is a playlist still full of great tracks.
“Middle Cyclone” – Neko Case from Middle Cyclone
“Forgot Love” – Public Radio from Sweet Child
“Dimmer” – Bishop Allen from Grrr…
“Strictly Game” – Harlem Shakes from Technicolor Health
“Lalita” – The Love Language from s/t debut
“The Letter” – The Veils from Sun Gangs
“A Balloon On A Broken String” – The Boy Least Likely To from The Law of the Playground
The fourth installment of In Dee Mail Special Year-End edition spills over into the new year with 2009 songs from noteworthy artists and bands (who sent their music to us in dee mail and unsolicited). There will be more of these songs featured in this series alone over the next few weeks, in addition to dozens and dozens of the best new 2010 songs off recent and upcoming releases.
First up is a band that sent in two tracks that have been on regular re-play in the past two months. Austin is a hard place for a band to break through nowadays due to the saturation of musicians who have flooded this southern music mecca during the past few years.
But the latest release from the band Tiny Tin Hearts is quite good. Sure the band doesn’t exactly have a ‘cool’ name, but dorkiness has become an asset for other bands, why not these guys? Tiny Tin Hearts deliver flourishing, sprawling pop rock embellished by trombones, violins, cellos and French horns.
The eclectic band actually came together as a result of ads placed on Craigslist by band leader Seth Osborn; his previous attempts to form a band in New Jersey did not pan out. Tiny Tin Hearts, now numbering eight members, definitely have a sound that is worth checking out, and they have started to build a following. Last March, they were selected as one of the top five best new bands at the Austin Music Awards.
“Small Catastrophe” – Tiny Tin Hearts from Last Flight of the Martyr Aviator (2009)
“The Aviator” – Tiny Tin Hearts from Last Flight of the Martyr Aviator (2009) Tiny Tin Hearts on MySpace
Columbus, Ohio band Flotation Walls mix choral, psych-folk, and orchestral music with a beautiful cinematic quality on their debut album, Nature. Next, Provo, Utah musical duo and couple Adam & Darcie craft soft folk pop songs with a revolving cast of musicians; this year they released their sophomore LP, California Trail.
Boston‘s unsigned band Sidewalk Driver offer up a powerful mix of power pop, glam and rock on their latest release, For All the Boys and Girls. The band’s music is high energy, highly-infectious and hook-driven. Lead singer Tad McKitterick‘s voice has power and clarity, is expressive, but forceful, without canceling out his vocals more subtle moments. The songs are delivered with unique oddity but are accessible enough to welcome you to join in the celebration like a carnival barker hyping a freak show.
“Jenny Don’t Really Like The Boys” – Sidewalk Driver from For All the Boys and Girls (2009)
The New Platz, New York progressive folk band Oryan – which could have easily been called something like ‘The Band of Ryands’ – formed in July of 2008 after co-workers Ryan Megan and Ryan Schoonmaker decided to do something about the “dismal state of the local music scene.”
Teaming up with bassist Ryan McCann and guitarist Adam Gosney, Oryan released their self-titled EP earlier this year, featuring music they tag as: “Tom Waits on a strong dose of acid.” The band has opened for Rusted Root, The Kin and The Rhodes.
“The Ride” – Oryan from s/t EP (2009)
Chicago‘s Americana indie rock/power pop band Twilight Revival (formed in 2006 via Craigslist) have won the praise of the city’s big daily newspapers, influential blogs and music lovers, often drawing comparisons to Wilco, REM and The Replacements.
Part raucous rebellion and part folk revival, Twilight Revival’s 2009 release, Parlour, alternately growls with rock and roll intensity and simmers in the more mellow aspects of folk rock, featuring tales of heroes and ghosts, loss and redemption, despair and salvation.
“Helicopter” – Twilight Revival from Parlour (2009)
You may not have heard many modern songs featuring the lute – afterall, it was an instrument that enjoyed its heyday centuries ago – but musician Rolf Lislevand excercises the power of the ancient instrument to a degree that a “guitar-slinging rocker” would be hard-pressed “not to be impressed by his fleet-fingered playing,” according to Unte.com.
“Satlarello” – Rolf Lislevand from Diminuito (2009)
Rolf Lislevand on Andante
Get more great songs from IRC’s popular In Dee Mail playlist series.
With a new album out and an eclectic and exciting discography behind them – albeit it’s only a few dozen songs over six years – IRC’s artist of the week is Minneapolis band Vicious Vicious. (photo above: the band looking really vicious.)
Originally a solo project and moniker of musician Erik Applewick, who recorded a set of songs on a four-track 2002 self released album titled Blood and Clover, Vicious Vicious sparked a passionate reaction from their hometown Minneapolis indie community, thanks to the additions of band members Darren Jackson, Alex Oa, and Martin Dosh, who helped provide the musical talent that made Applewick’s songs even more impossible to ignore.
Since then, Vicious Vicious, an unlikely name for a band that is about as vicious as a poodle, has released only two additional albums. Nevertheless, the wait paid off with each release demonstrating a maturing, exciting and eclectic mix of pop, funk, psychedelic and rock influences that essentially make the band’s sound stand out among so many other indie groups that are praised but really aren’t half as good as Vicious Vicious are.
Parade was released in September of 2007 to rave reviews – even making the 2007 best album lists of many popular blogs and music sites.
You can stream many of the songs from Parade, and their other releases, on the band’s official website. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself listening to the entire stream of songs more than once – they are just that good.
Vicious Vicious first caught the attention of the indie underground fan base and bloggers in a significant way with the release of their 2005 album Don’t Look So Surprised, which contains a number of memorable songs, not the least being the catchy, ‘play that again’ song “2 Much Time on My Hands” (not a cover of the 70’s band Styx’s song by the same name).
“2 Much Time on My Hands” – Vicious Vicious
Since the release of their latest album Parade in September 2007, songs like “Rain Parade”, “Ho Baby” and other well-produced indie pop songs have increased the band’s popularity.
According to Vicious Vicious’ official website, Applewick and the others are working on new material for yet another album to possibly be released in 2008. Let’s hope so, because these guys are on a serious roll.
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