Latest Posts

Scott Clay – Jade

May 29, 2024

Nashville-based singer/songwriter Scott Clay is on his sixth (!) LP. Jade is a collection of eleven “complex but uncomplicated” songs that offer a thorough exploration of the genre of Americana and all its intricacies. Driven mainly by acoustic guitar, these songs meander, float, and occasionally sizzle with flourishes of whistling organ; electric guitar crunch; pianos; harps; and anything else you can probably think of. Atop it all sits Clay’s down-home voice, baritone, twangy, and powerful in its delivery. The album kicks off with one of its best offerings, the slow stomp of “One For The Road.” A dirge-like tempo is offset by the sheer longing that can be heard in every chord strum – every swirling organ texture, mandolin pluck, and crunchy guitar chord feels completely intentional here. Scott’s soulful vocals paint a beautiful picture of a simpler, slower-paced life somewhere idyllic: Out here today driving again All the others speed[...]

wellthen – The demo EP

May 24, 2024

“Just a couple of Chicago dudes in their 40’s playing indie rock tunes while the world falls apart” Evidently, Chicago’s wellthen have been around the block a few times. Speaking to all the fellow musicians out there, being in a band is tough and thankless. As you grow older, interests change, children are born, spouses are married, and all of a sudden, you find half your band gone. Such is the case for this duo, who are making lemons out of lemonade and forging forward into new territory as a powerful two-piece. The two musicians, Aurelio Damiani and Christian Fields, have been playing together for two decades, and they’ve channeled their energies into a new, five-song EP, simply titled The demo EP. It’s informed strongly by 90s greats like REM, Pavement, and the Promise Ring – think jangly guitars, neurotic and shuffling drumbeats, and lots of oh-oh-oh melodies to sing[...]

Niamh Regan – “Music”

May 22, 2024

Niamh Regan has been cementing her place as one of the most captivating Irish songwriters around, clearly evident on latest single, “Music.” Bolstered by a shuffling drumbeat, plunking piano ambiance, and Niamh’s soulful vocals, “Music” is reminiscing of the mid-90s Lilith Fair crowd while still feeling distinctly 2024-flavored. The emotion here is palpable, enveloping you in a warm aether that refuses to let go. About the song, she says: “Music is one of my favourite songs on the record. I was listening to a lot of Wilco while making this record and this song is like a nod to that with regards to production. It’s the first song that I wrote where I thought this might be an ear worm, and just had lots of fun with the lyrics and melody and I hope that comes across in the recording now.” Check out the video for “Music” via the YouTube[...]

Kathy Katouzi – “AFTERPARTY!”

May 21, 2024

The spicy electropop from Kathy Katouzi will leave you itching for the dancefloor. “AFTERPARTY!” has a delicate and purposeful intro that still has a notable beefiness to it. A lyrical journey takes you back to that magical party moment where someone says something poignant that shakes you to your core. While you’re processing the rush of befuddling emotions, the chorus hits exactly how it should. Fans of MUNA and Benee will find lots to love here. Check out “AFTERPARTY!” via YouTube below.  

YUS – Hyperspiritual

May 6, 2024

YUS is the project of Belgium-born, Los Angeles-based Youceff Yunque Kabal. His latest offering is his fourth, the seven-song Hyperspiritual, a unique blend of synthesizer, driving beats, and auto-tuned vocals that are rooted in a unique source of inspiration. With such a conceptual origin, sometimes it’s better to let the artist themselves explain where they’re coming from – here’s a bit about Hyperspiritual from YUS: “The idea stemmed from a Facebook post from Darragh Nolan, who releases music as Sacred Animals, in which he evoked his belief that music comes from spirit, and returns us to spirit, our original, true form… The cover art is a thought form that represents “sympathy and love for all.” The design and album serves as a counterpart to YUS’s second album, Talisman.” Hyperspiritual kicks off with the archetypal “Kettle Beat,” a borderline industrial grind that simmers with menacing intensity. Pounding synth layers build atop one another[...]

Rosetta West – Labyrinth

May 2, 2024

Illinois blues-psych band Rosetta West originated in the 1990s and has spent the last three(!) decades building up a respectable fanbase around the world. With a bevy of independent releases under their belt, they’ve returned with Labyrinth, a fourteen(!) song magnum opus that blends elements of rock, blues, and psychedelia into the type of band you’d find playing in a sweaty dive bar at 2am. Certainly informed by the decade in which they formed, Rosetta West has unmistakably channeled their thirty years of experience into Labyrinth, sludging and slamming through these songs with a simmering fury and a touch of nirvana (pun partially intended). Album opener, “Red Rose Mary Bones,” is a perfect introduction to the album – its muddy bass backbone twisting and turning underneath lava-lamp guitar lines. Lyrics like “resurrecting my blood, images twisting through my mind, and in a blurry vision I can see every hidden side” embody the music[...]

Surtsey – Nothing Doing

April 27, 2024

Surtsey is a quartet from the US Midwest that’s been kicking around since the late aughts. They’ve just released their latest EP, the five-song Nothing Doing – recorded in St. Louis MO, their songwriting was strongly informed by their attendance at the School of Song, specifically under the instruction of Buck Meek (of both Big Thief and solo fame). The result is an interesting and beautiful collection of songs, rooted in country and folk sounds but with indie rock experimentation, thoughtful lyrical cadences, and sweet melodies peppered throughout. Opening song, “Stick” is a confident declaration of where Surtsey is as a songwriting unit. Right away, they hit you with the phrase “Buffalo nickel,” settling the scene with distinctly Midwestern imagery and honing in the vibes with a sense of vague, history-inspired nostalgia. They double down with a sighing steel guitar lead, woven seamlessly into the song like a ghostly presence.[...]

The Ballroom Thieves – Sundust

April 25, 2024

Maine-based duo The Ballroom Thieves are fresh off the release of their latest LP, the stunning and aptly-named Sundust. Composed of Callie Peters and Martin Earley, the two have crafted a deeply personal album full of gentle folk with a specialization in dazzling harmonies that circle around a central theme – “What if we were all just a little more tender?” In a world that is often unforgiving, cold, and ugly, Sundust stands as a bastion of human kindness – a heartwarming batch of ten songs that dares to look at the potential beauty buried deep inside of us all. To create Sundust, Martin Earley and Callie Peters, the two masterminds behind The Ballroom Thieves, holed up in their home studio somewhere in the boondocks of Maine. They challenged themselves with a conscientious decision to record outside of a typical studio – the result is an incredibly intimate collection of sounds,[...]

Little Lies – “Crazy”

April 20, 2024

Swedish act Little Lies combine shiny disco with a bit of The Cramps-esque psychobilly influence on their latest offering, “Crazy.” With a bubbling bass rhythm, sparkly keyboard features, and a lovely vocal feature, “Crazy” juxtaposes icy feelings with warm, inviting synthpop vibes. A unique lyrical pattern provides one of the biggest highlights here, rhyming words in a spitfire delivery that sounds intriguing and vague all at once. About the song, the duo says (cryptically, I might add): “When wanting something or someone, we often paint a picture inside our mind how wonderful it will be once having it. This song is about realizing that this time, it will not happen.” Check out “Crazy” via the YouTube embed below, or, visit their Spotify page.

Red’s Motel – Chapters End

April 17, 2024

Red’s Motel has spent the better part of the last year brewing up their debut album, Chapters End. The band, led by the enigmatic Red Hawes, is a three-piece indie/alternative rock act based in Maryland who have been making plenty of waves in their local scene, including some stints at Ram’s Head and Merriweather Post Pavilion. Their hard work and grinding has paid off; Chapters End is a stunning offering of riff-driven alternative rock with an emphasis on interesting compositions, nimble fingerwork, and endearing melody. The album opens with the epic and cinematic instrumental “The Curse I Bear.” Here, the band flexes some post-rock muscle, pairing ethereal guitar work, moaning swells, and chunky blasts of distortion to set the mood for the entire album. It acts as a wonderful crescendo, slowly building into something more and more epic before blending seamlessly into song two, “Amber Ashes.” On “Ashes”, the band truly[...]

Davis Gestiehr – I’m Always Lying… Make Me Famous

April 14, 2024

Twenty-three year old Davis Gestiehr is spring-loaded with youthful energy, evident on his latest release, I’m Always Lying… Make Me Famous (IALMMF). The four song EP finds the wunderkind exploring various sounds reminiscent of Arctic Monkeys, The Replacements, and The Black Keys. IALMMF blasts into your eardrums with the one-two punch of opener “CCTV.” Here we start hearing the hallmarks of Gestiehr’s sound – a jittery bass riff pounds out a jaunty rhythm while guitars chime out in frenzied unison. Drums sounded like they were recorded in the tiniest room possible hammer out a neurotic-but-apt beat here, complimenting the song’s ultra tight feel. Lyrical motifs also start to form here, as Gesteihr sings: “I used to think I was hot shit, got a degree so I could fuck around. My arteries are carotid, there’s only one way to get famous now – I want to be on CCTV” Whether Gestiehr[...]

Soft Mothers – Hysterical Love

April 12, 2024

San Antonio’s Soft Mothers (SM) were formed in 2016 by Luis Rocha. Since then, they’ve released a steady stream of alternative-rock flavored music full of angsty guitar energy, heavily inspired by mid/late ’90s and early 2000’s post-hardcore and grunge. Their latest offering is the quasi-full length release, Hysterical Love – an eight-song LP that has plenty in common with all of your favorite throwback acts with enough gritty, basement-show vigor to feel fresh. There’s lots to dive into here – you’ll hear hints of acts of various intensities, ranging all the way from At the Drive In through Citizen through Pedro the Lion. Hysterical Love opens with “Leave Me;” guitar chords ring out in a dirge-like pace, soaked in lovely shimmer effects. SM leans into this crawling tempo, allowing the song to breathe as it crescendos into a roiling bridge. Here, the drums pick up with jazzy snare hits and rolls around the[...]

Memorial – “Silver”

April 7, 2024

UK-based duo Memorial specialize in heartfelt indie folk songs like their latest single, “Silver.” A stunning showcase of the band’s ear for melody; beautiful harmonies; and a tried-and-true acoustic guitar backbone, “Silver” is beautiful and somber without ever dipping into true ennui territory. Fans of Pinegrove, Elliot Smith, and Big Thief will find lots to dig into here. About the song, Memorial says: “Silver is about betrayal within friendships. This centres around how some friendships, particularly working relationships, feel so important that there can be a heavy focus on protecting it, which can lead to isolation. Being within that involves sacrifice in other important aspects of life such as romantic relationships, pastimes and opinions.” ICYMI – here’s our writeup from a previous Memorial single, “Corduroy” Check out “Silver” below via the Spotify embed, or, check out other listening options via this Linktree link..

LB Beistad – “Dogma”

April 7, 2024

LB Beistad makes religious trauma sound stunning on the alt-pop of her latest single, “Dogma.” Having grown up in rural Tennessee, Beistad’s childhood was rather isolated. She discovered a world of beautiful music when her family purchased a computer at age 10 – the rest is history. With gauzy synths; chuggy guitar and bass; and Beistad’s soulful delivery, “Dogma” reckons with the stifling box that religion can often stuff us in… LB is thankful for the proverbial doors that computer opened, and now, so are we! You can find “Dogma” on Soundcloud (below), or, listen via Spotify. LB Beistad · Dogma_Mastered_unreleased.wav

Taxidermy – “Rot”

April 7, 2024

Copenhagen’s Taxidermy describe their new song, “Rot,” as “marked by an unrest, a journey through doubt.” Sometimes, a band just knows themselves best, and in the case of this unique act, they’ve described it perfectly. “Rot” is dark, post-punk at its finest, channeling Pile, Unwound, and Sonic Youth with its guitar-driven neuroses that threatens to dip into dissonance but always remain palatable. The song ultimately explodes into a distorted energy, a lovely juxtaposition against “Rot’s” icy and calculated intro. Check out the video for “Rot” below, or, check out this link for all the different streaming options.