Top 10 Indie Rock Songs for October is a little late. (Sorry). The dog ate the first draft.
But really it’s mostly because of the holidays and a bunch of posts we are preparing to drop in coming days and weeks, including our Best Indie of 2018 posts and playlists. (You might want to start with September’s Top Ten Songs playlist).
And while it’s late, we think it’s a moot point once you listen to the songs and watch the videos below, featuring the No. 1 track for October from Mumford & Sons, followed by Phosphorescent; Cat Power; Beirut; Kurt Vile; Boy Pablo; Kero Kero Bonito; Thom Yorke; 1975 and The Struts.
Of all of the singles dropped by the more well-known, even ‘mainstream indie’, artists and bands, it was a fight for the No. 1 position. The victor of that duel turns out to be none other than Mumford & Sons.
#1: Mumford & Sons – “Guiding Light”
While some people can make a really good argument that Mumford & Sons are not really ‘indie’ anymore, we can say, that in a sense of style, and an authenticity to their roots, the band members haven’t lost their way through all of the fame and glory.
M&S just have a great indie folk rock sound that is hard to call commercial or mainstream, even though in some measures, we understand, and agree with, those facts. It’s a magnificent job of branding, but the music, the dedication to their craft and a sense of humility that all help to make this band endlessly enjoyable.
The single, “Guiding Light,” has a hit record presence about it from the first soft beats to the full-on, at times even joyous, chorus that draws the listener right in. “Guiding Light,” from the band’s new album, Delta is yet another standout track for the growing Mumford & Sons discography.
#2: Phosphorescent – “New Birth in New England”
While it was officially released a few months ago, the buoyant lead single, “New Birth in New England,” remains one of the standout tracks – along with – on indie band Phosphorescent’s latest album, C’est La Vie. , which did drop officially in October. This track competed head-to-head with Mumford & Sons’ “Guiding Light” for the No. 1 spot.
Frontman Matthew Houck and the gang deliver instrumental prowess on the track and an impossibly joyous chorus. The band performed the song last week on The Late Late Show With James Corden
#3: Cat Power – “Woman”
IRC was a fan of indie artist Chan Marshall, aka Cat Power, from the very first time we featured her back in 2008. Since then, it has been a meteoric rise from DIY obscurity to becoming one of the most important female solo artists in the indie realm.
Now, fans can finally hear Cat Power’s first album, Wanderer, in six years, featuring the single, and music video, “Woman,” with a guest appearance by Lana Del Rey — an artist who’s drawn inspiration from Marshall’s work over the years. Together, they forge a keenly mixed combo of ice-cold lyrics and instrumental prowess.
#4: Beirut – “Gallipoli”
We were on to the long-running indie band Beirut going back to 2006; man do the years fly by. The band’s unique musical sound and innovations, the heavy use of horns, and building of big, flourishing songs, along with a fascination with geography, have all contributed to our long-lasting appreciation of their work.
So, it should be no surprise that Beirut’s newest single, “Gallipoli,” the title track from the band’s forthcoming new album, and dropped in October, is new and refreshing, sweeping and celebratory, just like the old Beirut we feel in love with years ago with just a tad bit more crooning and pop blended in than relevance mostly on brass. Looking forward to this album.
#5: Kurt Vile – “Bassackwards”
For many years, indie musician Kurt Vile has been doing his own thing and making inventive, fresh and interesting music.
In such time, he has garnered the praise of the press, appeared at major festivals and built himself and his band a solid following.
In his latest video for the experimental, compelling track, “Bassackwards, Vile proves once again that such praise is well deserved. The song is off of Vile’s latest album, Bottle It In.
#6: Boy Pablo – “Losing You”
After a huge indie success of Boy Pablo’s debut EP, the band has returned with the follow-up, Soy Pablo which officially dropped on October 12th.
One of the standout single, “Feeling Lonely,” is probably one of the most upbeat songs about feeling lonely that we’ve heard all year. The song is ironically bright and upbeat, engaging, and impeccably produced with a catchy, repetitive guitar riff and bass and drums that add a bit of the funky to the otherwise gushing indie pop.
The track is the latest single from the seven-track sophomore EP. Another single, “Losing You,” from the EP was released earlier this year and became something of a summer indie hit.
In 2017, the band broke through with its debut album, featuring songs like “Everytime” that garnered over 16 million plays on YouTube alone. The band, the creation of 18-year-old Pablo Munoz in 2016, has played festivals and performed for the king and queen of Norway.
#7: Kero Kero Bonito – “Swimming”
London indie trio Kero Kero Bonito‘s new release, Time N Place, is a departure from its debut album, featuring the soft, girlish vocals of Sarah Bonito who grew up on an island in Japan.
The band members all faced personal tragedies in 2017 which has informed the lyrics and sounds of the band’s sophomore effort.
#8: Thom Yorke – “Suspiria”
Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke continues his side solo projects in 2018, writing and performing the majority of the soundtrack for the film, Suspiria.
The title track, supported by the official video displayed above, to the film is interesting because it is familiar yet not so much for any Yorke/Radiohead fans. And the setting, with Yorke solo on the piano, is perfect.
In contrast to the recently released anxiety-filled instrumental “Volk,” the title track to the film is mellow and inviting.
#9: The 1975 – “It’s Not Living (If It’s Not With You)”
The 1975 has catapulted from DIY status into the limelight of the indie world and now into the mainstream, one could say (especially after appearing on SNL).
But the band seems to have endless songs up their sleeve, having already dropped five charting singles, and three music videos, from their upcoming new album, including the latest drop, “It’s Not Living (If It’s Not With You).
#10: The Struts – “Bulletproof Baby”
The Struts are back with a smoking new album, Young & Dangerous, and a number of new singles, including the roaring title track and this attitude-driven, Queen-invoking track, “Bulletproof Baby.”
And this concludes The Top Ten for October 2018.
November Top 10 Songs is in production right now. Please like and share!
Note:
October’s Top 10 Songs is actually the start of a new format. Due to the demand for our Top Ten Songs playlists, IRC is featuring two different Top Ten Songs playlists each month now – one for more ‘mainstream’ and label-sponsored indie artists and bands, and another for the talented DIY artists and bands profiled on the blog and our socials.
The Top 10 Indie Rock Songs may sometimes have some cross-over where a DIY track performed so well that it competed (for the month) with songs from the more well-known and popular indie artists and bands.
