Latest Posts

Found Space – “What’s Yours Is Mine”

November 12, 2023

Found Space jangled their way into our hearts with the dreamy goodness of new single, “What’s Yours is Mine.” Co-Produced by Day Wave (Jackson Phillips), you can really hear the bedroom-pop, well, pop, in this sparkly and washy new tune. Pulling from strong (and timeless) 80s and 90s influences, “What’s” nods respectfully to its forefathers without ever sounding dated or trite. Fans of The Pains of Being Pure at heart, The Radio Dept., or the aforementioned Day Wave are going to vibe on this immediately. You can find “What’s Yours Is Mine” on Spotify. Found Space · What’s Yours Is Mine

James Bannon – Heat Ghosts

November 7, 2023

James Bannon is a New Jersey-based act who just released the six-song EP Heat Ghosts (HG). Full of folksy strumming and plenty of 90s-era adult contemporary flavors, HG tells several poignant stories of love, loss, and human connections. Album opener “Kitchens Everywhere” was a lovely way for Bannon to kick things off. With the same warm energy as James Taylor or John Denver, “Kitchens” leans heavy on strong, narrative lyrics and Bannon’s vulnerable vocal presence. Of particular note here is a nimble bassline that undercuts the lovingly-strummed acoustic guitar, giving this drum-less song a bit of a rhythmic presence. “Kitchens” is a perfect summation of what you can expect from HG, as it warms you up to the heart-on-your-sleeve energies that can be found throughout the EP. Song two, “Dinner Party,” is a love story centered around the relationship of two queer high school girls. Hints of emo worm their way into the[...]

maxime. – “the life and death of a dog”

October 27, 2023

Montreal act maxime. is no stranger to the blog – check out our previous features here and here. They’re back with another heady jam, this time dipping into hyperpop territory with the sludgy bass groove of “the life and death of a dog.” Sounding utterly 2023-flavored (think Aries or Paris Texas) while paying homage to 90s-era acts like Prodigy and Fatboy Slim, “dog” slinks and slithers into your ears with its unabashed bombastic nature. It’s left-of-center, sure, but that’s what makes it so great… A genre-blending amalgam of all the things you love about music. “the life and death of a dog” is available now on Spotify. maxime. · the life and death of a dog

Playing With Fireworks – Runaway

October 22, 2023

Playing With Fireworks (PWF) is the moniker of Luke Underhill. The Chicago, IL native is here with a new sound, shedding his singer songwriter roots for something a bit more lush and expressive. The result of this new identity is a fresh, new EP, Runaway, a four-song offering layered full of synth explosions, powerful blasts of guitar, an epic drum presence, and Underhill’s passionately gravely vocal presence. The songs have a distinctive 1980s flair without ever sounding dated, taking the best aspect of that decade and injecting it into the contextual oeuvre of 2023’s indie rock. Here’s a bit about how the EP came to life from Luke himself: “This EP was conceived and written on long train rides in and out of the city. Watching the world fly by, waving at strangers when they board, it was a lot of time to think and write. I hope the music[...]

Vast Robot Armies – The What Gallery

October 21, 2023

Vast Robot Armies (VRA) has existed for the better part of a decade, an impressive feat for any band. VRA rose from the ashes of many respected projects, think The Life and Times; Sometimes Why; Shiner; Failure; and Sundiver – bandleader Jason Thomson used his veteran experience (with the help of bandmates Jon Agee & Joseph Wells and a few other talented friends) to create his latest offering, The What Gallery (TWG). Informed by the storied sounds of his past but never fully aping them, The What Gallery is a collection of eight songs of dark pop, sludgy indie rock, and a pounding percussive presence that demands attention. Before I dive into the music, I’d like to highlight an important underlying theme here – ego death. Jason and producer Jordon Zadorozny (Sam Roberts, Hole, Chris Cornell) set out to record an album with an unshakeable vision. It wasn’t until Thomson/Zadorozny took[...]

Sonny Falls – “Cemeteries”

October 20, 2023

Sonny Falls turns a normally somber locale into something palatable and pleasant here on “Cemeteries.” Granted, I love walking through “Cemeteries,” but the soundtrack to my visit isn’t typically a pleasant indie-pop track… Songwriter Ryan “Hoagie” Wesley Ensley seamlessly melds an acoustic guitar backbone with tasteful percussion, swimmy guitar work, and his omnipleasant voice. Ensley ends the song with a jam of sorts that reads as powerful and meaningful without ever dipping into overblown-for-the-sake-of-epicness territory. Fans of Bright Eyes, Spoon, or (deep cut here) An Angle will love what Sonny/Hoagie has to offer. You can find “Cemeteries” on Spotify and Apple Music.

Chris Portka – Trash Music (Vinyl)

October 15, 2023

A few months ago, we reviewed Chris Portka‘s Trash Music (you can read our original review here) – as a creative, challenging, and utterly unique work of art, Trash Music goes down, at least in our annals, as one of the most left-field recordings we’ve ever had the pleasure of diving in to… Needless to say, when the opportunity came to get our hands on a vinyl copy of Trash Music, we couldn’t say no. Here’s a bit about our experiences revisiting Trash Music in a different medium – via the warm, comforting wash of analog vinyl. First, there’s something to be said about receiving and unwrapping a vinyl – seeing the uniquely colored wax, enjoying the “case candy,” and experiencing the art in a physical sense before diving into the aural aspect of the album. My copy of Trash Music came in a surfy, mint green (a personal favorite hue). It also came with a[...]

Lila Dupont – “Dance and Smoke and Sing”

October 12, 2023

Once upon a time, NYC-based singer/songwriter Lila Dupont had a cold. Instead of laying in bed and being a loaf, she put pen to paper and wrote “Dance and Smoke and Sing,” her latest single. With it’s upbeat guitar-based backbone and overall breezy vibes, you might be surprised to learn that “Dance” is actually about trying to breakup with a significant other… But the song’s perceived happiness is actually the embodiment of how free Dupont imagined she’d feel after breaking those proverbial chains. Fans of Phoebe Bridgers, Maggie Rogers, or the almighty Clairo are going to find lots to love here. Check out the YouTube vid from Lila below, or, add it to your favorite Spotify playlist.

Chief Broom – Hidden in Plain Sight

September 30, 2023

The story of Chief Broom (CB) is sadly a tragic one. Centered around the songwriting of Shadrach Tuck, this revolving cast of Boise, Idaho natives create songs that focus on “the fragility, monotony, beauty and horrors of everyday life.” Crafted in the wake of the death of co-founder TJ Tuck (Shadrach’s brother), Hidden in Plain Sight (HIPS) is a continuation of his musical journey – a fitting, if closing chapter on the life of a man who touched the Boise music scene in profound ways. TJ’s presence is felt all throughout HIPS – Shadrach and his revolving cast of characters (including mainstays Will Cheeseman and Frankie Tillo) saw to it that TJ was immortalized through painstaking attention to detail. Both TJ’s drumming and artistic vision are integral to HIPS – recorded by band father Terre Tuck’s at his home studio, this album has the sincere feel of a homebrew creation with a grand[...]

BYLAND – “Monstera”

September 30, 2023

If you’re looking to feel emotionally crushed, we’ve got the perfect new jam for you. BYLAND (aka Alie Renee Byland) makes her triumphant return with the heartbreaking “Monstera,” ostensibly about losing a once treasured musician-to-musician relationship. With all the fervor of Big Thief, Belinda Carlisle, and even Manchester Orchestra, the crunchy guitars and impassioned vocals from Byland drive this one into goosebump-inducing territory. The song’s unique lyrical content might read like a love/breakup letter, but Byland explains otherwise: “… [‘Monstera’] isn’t quite a love letter, but it is not an apology… I wasn’t just changing my address – I was breaking a promise.” Be sure to check it out via the YouTube embed below before adding it to your Spotify and/or Apple Music playlists.

Brimheim – “Literally Everything”

September 27, 2023

Danish act Brimheim (aka Copenhagen-based musician Helena Heinesen Rebensdorff) gives into her “most pathetic impulses” on latest single, “Literally Everything.” We appreciate her candidness, because it has resulted in one hell of a song. The blasts of vintage synth are a highlight here, as they come in unexpectedly and buzz your eardrums in the most perfect way. All the while, the rest of the understated alt pop stays effortlessly low key, including Rebensdorff’s beautiful vocal performance. Fans of PJ Harvey, Caroline Polachek, and Weval will love this. Check out “Literally Everything” on Bandcamp, Spotify, and Apple Music.

Tamra – “Flood”

September 27, 2023

There’s something so familiar about the midwestern emo-tinged indie rock coming out of Tamra… Familiar in a good way, of course. “Flood” is their latest single, a two-minute meandering set off by a repeating rhythmic motif that will have you air drumming in no time. Guitars laden with a tasteful crunch carry the brunt of this track, while emotional-but-sincere vocals ride along top in a passionate (but not too passionate!) delivery. Its understated nature is what makes it so perfect – let the waves of nostalgia wash over you in that all too familiar way. Fans of Braid, Manchester Orchestra, and even City & Colour will enjoy what Tamra has to offer. The YouTube embed is located below, but “Flood” can also be found on Apple Music and Spotify as well.

Sonic Blume – “Falling Behind”

September 27, 2023

“I’m sleepyhead, I’m cheesy bread.” Within the first five words of “Falling Behind” by New Jersey-based act Sonic Blume, it feels like they’ve summed up the collective millennial/gen z experience. Sounding somewhere like the child of “Where Is My Mind?” by Pixies and modern day dream-pop emo (aka dream-o), “Behind” is as emotionally crushing as it is validating. Driven by its wry guitar lines and eclectic lyrics (seriously, there is some genuine wordsmithing going on here), this one struck a chord with us on multiple levels. You can find “Falling Behind” pretty much anywhere music can be consumed, including: Spotify, Apple Music, and Deezer.

Illiterate Light – “Always Always”

September 20, 2023

There’s just something fun about the latest single from Virginia-based duo Illiterate Light. Playful, ebullient, and generally upbeat, “Always Always” is built around an inescapable vocal hook that digs into your brain, latches on, and refuses to let go. With a sound that perfectly meshes southern-tinged indie rock (think My Morning Jacket, Band of Horses, or Fleet Foxes) with the synth-laced hooks of Foster The People or Passion Pit, we think “Always Always” is a shoe-in to refresh your tried-and-true playlists. You can find this fun little ditty on both Spotify and Apple Music.

Floyd Thursby – “Teenage Ladybug (feat. Mademoiselle)”

September 16, 2023

I am neither teenaged, nor a ladybug, but “Teenage Ladybug” by Floyd Thursby and collaborator Mademoiselle made me feel things. A simple song with a bluesy guitar backbone, “Ladybug” pairs Thursby’s wry songwriting with Mademoiselle’s matter-of-fact, hush-hush vocals. With lyrics about living in trees and smirking while perched upon a daisy, it’s tough to literally relate to “Ladybug…” But something about it feels real to me all the same. It’s very possible that this song is just a joke, but if you really think about it, teenage ladybugs really don’t get any respect. No respect at all. Probably. You can find “Ladybug” on YouTube (below), Bandcamp, Spotify, and Apple Music.