independent thoughts on indie rock, alternative, and indie pop music
I’m going to level with you—I don’t necessarily equate pop music with depth in the lyrics department. “But Susan,” you may be asking, “What do you mean?” Well, beloved readers, put your kickstands down, and slide over here for a hot minute. Pop-rock outift Young The Giant defies any and all preconceived notions I may... Continue Reading →
“Hometown goes wherever you go”, sings alt-rocker Haley Bonar in the reverb-laden opening track of her brand new album Impossible Dream, out August 5th via GNDwire Records. It’s true, you know, no matter how much distance you try to put between yourself and your roots, you always carry at least a little of it with... Continue Reading →
On July 22nd, Los Angeles-based band Wilderado (formerly Bird Dog) will release Latigo, their brand new four-song EP via IAMSOUND Records that was mixed and recorded in the band’s own studio, set up in a dilapidated house in Latigo Canyon in Malibu, California—a location that had a palpable and obvious influence on the sonic landscape of the the aptly-named record.... Continue Reading →
Anonymously-fronted emerging pop band Republican Hair makes 80s-tinged tunes with a playful smirk; rumor has it that the band’s voice and fearless leader is Luke Dick, a highly sought-after songwriter in my neck of the woods who is the mastermind behind popular cuts on albums by Eric Church, Charlie Worsham, and Dierks Bentley, to name a... Continue Reading →
Until a month or so ago, Nashville underground rock outfit Ranch Ghost had two songs out in the digisphere, that they had posted in 2012. Devotees, and believe me, there are a multitude of us, had to be satisfied with “New News” and “The Water” on repeat. You do what you have to. I met... Continue Reading →
Teeming with the masses and implicitly alive via bustle and noise, big cities have so much to offer; unfortunately, this offering can also include soul-crushing loneliness and isolation. Devlin McCluskey, frontman for California rock outfit The Dead Ships, was moved by the idea that individuals who commit suicide by jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge... Continue Reading →
Brooklyn-based modern folk maestro Anthony D’Amato’s new album, Cold Snap, out today via New West Records, showcases the amazing songwriting we expect from D’Amato, with an adventurous take on folk rock that crosses into new territories; he explores every realm of musicality and songwriting within his reach, at a speed that doesn’t slow at any... Continue Reading →
Kaleo, the four-piece powerhouse from Iceland, brings some serious heat with their debut album, A/B, out June 10th via Elektra/Atlantic Records. Listening to this album from cover to cover is like going to a decorative dessert buffet with only a toothpick…you have to keep going back for more. Actually, “smorgasbord” would be a better way... Continue Reading →
Everybody has one…that collection of favorites situated on one record that rides shotgun as you're driving down by the beach, through the city, or in the wide-open country—the soundtrack to your summer that blares through the rattling speakers of your car stereo. Maybe you thought you had already found that record and placed it firmly... Continue Reading →
The Lumineers have returned to the spotlight bringing with them a resplendent sophomore effort, Cleopatra, due out April 8th via Dualtone Records. This band holds a special place in my heart, as their self-titled 2012 blockbuster of a debut album was the soundtrack to, well, my life at that time. Their folktastic style of song arrangement, elegantly... Continue Reading →
