independent thoughts on indie rock, alternative, and indie pop music
California-based rockers Plague Vendor unleashed their hotly-anticipated second album "BLOODSWEAT" on March 25th via crush-worthy label Epitaph Records. This record is their most powerful and menacing work--one that cements the band as the purveyors of dark post-punk in the current scene. Get a taste of "BLOODSWEAT" with the drawl-laden sleaze-blues of single "No Bounty". You'll definitely go back for... Continue Reading →
Scott McMicken,Toby Leaman, Zach Miller, Eric Slick, Frank McElroy, and Dimitri Manos took the darkened Ryman stage without fanfare, and began their set. I had seen them at almost a year ago to the day at the same venue in 2015, and as I pondered what to write about this performance, I realized that I... Continue Reading →
This year, Nashville-based alt-rock duo Bassh makes its first appearance at Austin mega-music festival SXSW; “I’m excited for the chaos,” says CJ Hardee. “It’s high stress going from show to show, loading in and loading out, doing interviews in between, it’s nonstop. It’s fun to do once a year though!” While it’s the band’s first... Continue Reading →
Y’ALL. I am so incredibly excited for the weekend ahead of me. “But Susan,” you ask, “why are you so stoked?” Well beloved readers, yours truly is headed to Savannah, Georgia to experience the 5th Annual Savannah Stopover Music Festival. I’ll be Tweeting (@eastof8thblog), Facebooking (www.facebook.com/eastof8thblog), and Instagramming (@eastof8th) from the festival this weekend, using... Continue Reading →
Jimmie Linville, front man of Nashville-by-way-of-Wisconsin indie rock outfit Canyon Spells, has an intensely strong aversion to social media: He: “If you don’t have a Facebook, it really affects how people perceive you today.” Me: “Like how?” He: “I don’t have a Facebook and people either think a) he’s weird, he’s not normal or b)... Continue Reading →
Gritty blues rock artist TRUETT provided opening support for blog favorite Rockicana artist Ron Pope and his band The Nighthawks at the Mercy Lounge recently; TRUETT began with a song called "Left In The Dark", and wasted no time showing us what he could do. His guitar-shredding prowess coupled with his band's consistently funky low-end support and... Continue Reading →
Los Angeles-based indie-rock band, Water District, has released their latest single, “Come Down.” Opening with a clean and full guitar lick reminiscent of The Strokes, “Come Down” jumps straight into an up-tempo swing, balancing riveting rock textures with the anguish of fading love. As the title suggests, “Come Down” depicts the phase of a relationship when... Continue Reading →
East Nashville-by-way-of Cape Girardeau, Missouri alt-rock trio Placeholders will release their debut LP, LIVED, on December 18th. The project was inspired by the move to Nashville, after frontman Jordan Thurman and singing drummer Sonya Thurman decided it was time for a change. "We'd gone through grad school, didn't have jobs or prospects, and had nothing to... Continue Reading →
Nashville alt-pop duo Apollo LTD (comprised of songwriting/producing/performer Svengalis Jordan Phillips and Adam Stark) is performing at Exit/In tomorrow evening, December 11th, with fellow Nashville pop-rockers Trenton and Lovedrug. Surrounded by the city of Nashville, the duo have, like most with their talent and positions, co-written and produced hundreds of compositions but have recently swivelled... Continue Reading →
I caught up recently with Nick Wold, frontman for indie rock band DREAMERS, on a rare day off. I last connected with the group in March of this year, the last time they played the Music City, and a lot has happened since then--they've toured with Stone Temple Pilots, Young Rising Sons and Hunter Hunted,... Continue Reading →
