independent thoughts on indie rock, alternative, and indie pop music
First impressions are important. This is especially true in the disjointed music landscape in the United States at present. At the age of 9, I was introduced to the Blues Brothers, an initial early formative foray into popular music for me. Hearing Jake, Elwood, and the boys tearing it up on Briefcase Full of Blues is a... Continue Reading →
Even though he's called New York home for over a decade, you don’t have to rifle too far into Ron Pope’s music to determine that the man has copious amounts of southern heritage running through his veins. With a classic outlaw-country sound embedded in the anti-Nashville scene in the 1960 and 1970s, Pope sticks to the common... Continue Reading →
Music is a universal language; it can convey the highest highs and the deepest depths of human emotion, it triggers memories, it defines historical eras, it unites. Music communicates to each listener in different ways; sometimes it speaks to us, and then sometimes, it SPEAKS to us. That’s how I felt the first time I... Continue Reading →
“It’s been almost seven years since I moved to the States, and all of my Canadian is almost gone," says Nashville-by-way-of Winnipeg alt-rocker Brandy Zdan.  "I feel like there’s a certain reserved quality that a lot of Canadians have, they don’t ask for things, my observation. I find that Americans ask for things, and I’ve... Continue Reading →
Murfreesboro, Tennessee-based indie rock outfit Mountains Like Wax, comprised of Mitchell Taylor (vocals, guitar), Samuel Katz (guitar), and Preston Vaughn (drums), will self-release their phenomenal debut EP, Tetraology, on November 6th.  The first single from the four-song record, "Contingency Theory", features Taylor's emotive tenor against the backdrop of Katz's searing guitar work and Vaughn's rhythmic anchor behind... Continue Reading →
Minneapolis-based indie pop four-piece, Little Fevers, will release their debut full-length album Field Trip on October 9th. Members Lucy Michelle (vocals/guitar), Eamonn McLain (bass), Geoff Freeman (drums/guitar), and Ashley Boman (synth), all extremely talented musicians, have turned their years-long friendship into an art project.  "Geoff, our drummer, is an amazing songwriter. He does all kinds of arranging and has really good melodic ideas.  Eamonn is... Continue Reading →
Texas-raised, Nashville-based singer/songwriter Charlie Oxford creates his own blend of modern soul on his self-titled debut due for release this Friday, September 25th.  It's been a long road for Oxford and this album, which almost never saw the light of day; "It was a classic situation of artist signs with record label, things don't pan out... Continue Reading →
In 2013, The Mynabirds' Laura Burhenn was on tour with The Postal Service, was on the heels of touring for Generals, her last record, and having an insane amount of fun riding a wave of feeling great about life; "Generals was all about feeling empowered and self-assured, and then I went out with The Postal Service,... Continue Reading →
San Francisco-based surf-inspired garage rock four-piece Hot Flash Heat Wave is making a big splash in the Bay area; the band, comprised of Adam Abildgaard on vocals, Ted Davis on bass, Nathaniel Blüm on lead guitar, and Nick Duffy on drums, is self-releasing their debut album Neapolitan on September 11th.  Adam and Ted took a break... Continue Reading →
Upon listening to Urth, the debut album of British indie rockers Kagoule, I was instantly transported back to my teenage years, to the 90s, when my musical tastes were forming and were forever shaped by the greats of grunge: The Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam, Dinosaur, Jr., and Stone Temple Pilots, to name a few.  I had to... Continue Reading →
