Latest Posts

Foot Ox – “Bleached Yellow”

Missing your dose of indie folk this week like my buddy Ronald? Look no further! Foot Ox brings us their latest track “Bleached Yellow” released in anticipation of their August 11 album A Lighthouse with Silver Dog Eyes.   Teague Cullen is the brains behind Foot Ox, but in the spirit of folk/country, there is a load of different musicians who step in makes for a very wholesome vibe. Written and inspired by/about Cullen’s travels through the American West, Foot Ox clearly plays with themes of nostalgia, playing around with multiple genres without ever pigeonholing themselves into one. The front loaded guitar will fill your soul proper while the nails from the drum and bass will keep things pinned solidly in place.   You can hear “Bleached Yellow” below from Bandcamp and of course on Spotify! You can find the new album, A Lighthouse with Silver Dog Eyes, in those[...]

Doter Sweetly – “sundown”

“sundown” is the latest single from Doter Sweetly, based out of Memphis. Writing under the name of Elijah Poston, to avoid any confusion with his non-human persona, Doter Sweetly/Poston have crafted a soothing jazzy infused lil number.   Somehow simultaneously slapping harder than most but not melting our eardrums with their awesomeness, the combination of perfectly picked guitar and offbeat drums really make you get into a *groove*. This is a perfect bath and cannabis track and I triple dog dare you to prove me wrong.   You can hear “sundown” below from Doter Sweetly’s YouTube as well as Apple Music and Spotify. I’m no meteorologist, but two singles after an almost ten year hiatus are hopefully a harbinger of things to come. Stayed tuned for more and all hail our new musical overlord Doter Sweetly.  

SWOLL – “The Wind At Night”

Baltimore based Matthew Dowling is the brains behind SWOLL and “The Wind At Night” is their latest single… and WOW does it leave it all on the turntable. The heavy bass layered breakdowns give a prog rock vibe, but don’t let that scare you away, as this is a track that defies any attempt at pigeonholing. You can feel some electronica, shoegaze, and post-punk vibes throughout, as well as good ole fashioned rock ‘n roll. I personally enjoyed the the high falsetto/synth/whatever the HECK was going on in the choruses (you can hear around 1:45 mark). It reminded me of something I couldn’t quite put my finger on, but I liked it.   The music video (with lyrics) is available on YouTube embedded below or over on Spotify. Fans of bands like Death From Above 1979 would find a lot to enjoy here, especially with the layers and layers of[...]

Lynz – “just wanna be yours”

LA based act Lynz gets to leave Buffalo, but there’s a secret agreement where we have to mention if an artist originally hails from here (sorry if you’re trying to fly under the radar). Her latest single, “just wanna be yours” is her second (the first being “Fallin’), and it’s a nicely layered indie pop track (more cake than onion).   Lynz starts off with gentle acoustic guitar that gives way to a reaaaaally groovin’ bass beat that meshes with drums and other effects. If it doesn’t have you bobbing your head or swaying your hips, we’d encourage you to get checked out for something… Anything really. Once it gets to the proto-disco beat please please please turn up the volume and tell me you don’t feel something.   “just wanna be yours” is available in the usual gamut of of streaming: Soundcloud, Apple Music, and Spotify. You can hear[...]

Altalune – “Dead Weight”

“Dead Weight” is Altalune‘s latest track and the second one we’ve covered this year (with “Fragments” being the last we covered back in April). This hefty, almost proggish (not a word but it is now) track is *beautifully* composed and leans heavily into melodic guitar riffs and steady bass riffs that just… friggin’ gel! Emo and screamo aficionados will find a lot to enjoy here, as well as the prog… heads? Prog heads. Here’s a little snippet from the band about what the song means to them:   “This song is about recognizing that we all have our part to play in all aspects of a relationship. We’re all quick to point the finger at someone else but it’s much harder to reflect on what you’ve done wrong… I’m getting over myself, meaning I’m putting away the flawed perceptions I might have of myself and accepting my own impact, but[...]

Caleb L’Etoile – “Fireball”

“Fireball” can mean a lot of things. It’s the go-to sorcery spell in D&D for mass destruction, the go-to alcoholic beverage for lovers of cinnamon destruction, and the latest track from Caleb L’Etoile. Written as a tip of the cap and a tongue of the cheek to the sock hop anthems of yesteryear, it is impossibly catchy and if you still have your shoes on and aren’t boppin’ along – please get your ears checked.   My mother always spoke fondly of sock hops and desperately wanted to us to relive that dream for her – whether her own idealized version of what they were or from actual experience, I’ll never know (I was like 8). I’ll probably just ask her tomorrow, but in the meantime, you can live Babs’ fever dream of sock hoppin’ in the safety of your own living room right now.   You can hear “Fireball”[...]

Mikey Demilio – “Explain”

Mikey Demilio is exactly what you’d expect to get from a Jersey boy with an album titled Billionaire’s Club and a single called “Explain.” Really fun, controlled chaos-pop-rock that will assuredly find easy access through your ear canal to get stuck in your brain. I couldn’t find too much of a bio about Mikey, but a strong tip of the hat to anyone who can put together a cohesive 13-track album in this day and age of singles and soundbites. *shakes fist at cloud*   You can hear “Explain” below from YouTube or over on Spotify. Be sure to check out the rest of the album, Billionaire’s Club, in particular the title track – which I found an interesting juxtaposition to “Explain” and gives a better idea of Demilio’s depth. The rest of the album is also worth a listen to if you’ve liked what you’ve heard.  

Chris Combs – “Can’t Stop”

Tulsa based Chris Combs, other than obviously being a real cool guy based on name alone (check the by-line), is a man of many talents enmeshed in a smorgasbord of (excellent) sounds. His latest, “Can’t Stop” is a romp of a track that has a 90’s grunge/post grunge/Gregorian chant vibe that fits together beautifully. You might wonder how Gregorian chant fits into contemporary indie rock so well? Ask your nerdy music friend to explain time signatures or scales or keys… Or just listen to the track and judge for yourself.   You can hear “Can’t Stop” below from Soundcloud, or add it to your trippy playlist on Spotify or Apple Music. If you’re looking for even more proof of Combs’ depth of talent, give the other half of the single, “Historicity” a gander too.   Chris Combs · Can’t Stop

Ginger Winn – “Socrates”

“Socrates” is the latest track from Ginger Winn off of her latest album Freeze Frame. Amusingly, her Spotify bio reads “people tell me I have a haunting voice.” This proves accurate, as she manages to pull that off in spades, with the added vocal effects probably unnecessary but certainly rachets up the haunting… ness? The track itself is a poignant-feeling vocal-forward track where Winn gracefully allows guitar, synth and bass to accompany her. Speaking to the track, Winn had this to say:   “Socrates is about the unknown legacy we all leave behind. The song is inspired by this idea about philosophy and planting seeds for a future we’ll never see…”   You can watch the music video on YouTube below or throw it on your Spotify playlist regular rotation. The rest of the album is worth a listen to, especially “Hyperallergic,” as I felt this also showcased her vocal[...]

Cerrone x Christine and the Queens – “Last One”

Who said disco was dead? Evidently not Cerrone nor Christine and the Queens! “Last One” is the pop disco collab between the two French artists – an amalgamation of Cerrone (who has been around the block a few times but still very much in the game) and Christine and the Queens -the pseudonym of Rahim Claude Redcar.  You won’t be disappointed in the lyrics, bass lines, synth, or any aspect of this track. Just listen, are you even actually working right now?   You can hear the track below from YouTube as well as over on Spotify. You will need to call your otolaryngologist if you aren’t bopping your head to this track. I’m not saying you have to like everything you listen to, it’s a free country (sort of), but if you aren’t at least bopping a little bit you’re probably need to get that checked out.  

Big Society – “Guarantee”

Big Society‘s new track “Guarantee” brings an intro that, while purposeful or not, gave me a JRPG soundtrack vibe. Intro included, the British trio, music students the lot of them, have crafted a delightful pop track that is on the surface a whimsical pop song but… just listen (spoiler alert, the lyrics take a turn within the first minute). Nestled into those twee guitars and synth you’ll find quite the gem.   You can hear the track below on YouTube (for free) or over on Spotify and Apple Music. Be sure to add it to your “more than the sum of its parts and a little dark” pop playlist. Their debut album will be out… sometime. In the meantime, listen to the other two tracks “Foolish” and “Every Stage of a Genuine Heartbreak” for a better idea of what to look forward to (and even some folk tinged action too).[...]

The Kerosene Hours – “Who’s That in My Room?”

“Who’s That in My Room?” can either be a frightening or exciting experience, but in this case it’s the latest track from The Kerosene Hours – much closer to exciting rather than frightening.   Aaron Silverstein (no relation) is the brains behind this act and brings a bass-soaked post-punk vibe with sampling and synth mixed in. It had a goth rock mouthfeel that feels fresh – a line that Silverstein walks quite confidently.   The song itself delves into disassociating as we change, living in the times we live in (check the news) and coming to terms with it. Silverstein’s vocals feel appropriately haunting and bring a spunky energy that is sometimes difficult to conjure when you’re singing about the dreariness of this life we live in.   You can hear the track below from Soundcloud or over on Spotify and Apple Music. The Kerosene Hours · Who’s That in[...]

Channo – “The Interview”

Channo‘s latest single, “The Interview,” is fresh off of their LP Shades of the Midnight Sun. The brainchild of Australia-based Luciano Mercieca, “The Interview” is a sublime slice of sounds carefully layered with a healthy dose of acoustic guitar. Mercieca’s vocals sound like they’re bubbling up from a dark pool in the best way possible; haunting, yet inviting.   No audio track sounds out of place and this could fit in well with a chill wave study track or the music for the second zone in a JRPG game.   The track is available below from YouTube, as well as Spotify. As of press time, the track had been removed from Soundcloud, but you can find the rest of Channo’s work there in the meantime. Be sure to check out the rest of the album if you’re diggin’ this, you won’t be disappointed.              

Club 8 – “Stay Together”

Club 8 is one of our perennial favorites who refuse to stop putting out bangers. Their first album (as far as I can find) came out in 19 NINETY friggin’ 8. Two people, Swedish, look both chill and unapproachably awesome looking, just refusing to stop it with the bangers! We’ve covered them more than once here and instead of linking individual tracks, I just linked their tag.   The track, “Stay Together,” has the funkiest bass underpinning the dulcet guitar vibes and Karolina Komstedt’s vocals. It veers into a dream pop-esque feel… So a funky dreampop track… yes. Final answer. Give it a listen, let us know what you think!   You can hear “Stay Together” below from Bandcamp as well as Spotify and Apple Music. Their entire catalogue is numerous and varied, so give it a spin (anywhere will do, with such a broad spectrum).   Stay Together by[...]

Mainland Break – “I Give In”

Mainland Break gives in to their obsessions and compulsions (listen to the song, it makes more sense), which also seems to include making infectious indie pop ear worms. Guitar-driven with a healthy dose of bass (stop underestimating us), “I Give In” is mostly a clean, guitar-forward affair that keeps multiple threads going to keep things *really* fun and interesting. Speaking to the track, the band had this to say:   “I Give In” is about experiencing warring emotions and feeling unable to change the process or eventual outcome. It’s about taking the path of least resistance and losing an internal struggle. The wave crashes over you, but also propels you. You love, but you hold yourself back from loving.”   “I Give In” is available wherever you stream music (probably) but we’ve included the embed below for Soundcloud, as well as Spotify and Apple Music.   Mainland Break · I[...]