independent thoughts on indie rock, alternative, and indie pop music
Nashville pop-rock artist-on-the-rise Kelsey Waters has been performing since age 14 but has saved her best work for her reimagined solo career, rolling her life story into a batch of dark, guitar-fueled songs inspired by electric rock n’ roll and pop noire. She makes raw, guitar-driven music, heavily rooted in the sound of '90s female rockers-... Continue Reading →
Thanks to modern-day inventions like Valentine's Day, the Hallmark channel, and Lifetime movies, we've been programmed to think there's something wrong in our love lives if we're aren't always swooning, filled with butterflies, and brimming with lust. We forget that love is a choice and a lot of times, it ain't pretty. Des Moines-based outfit... Continue Reading →
Loneliness--it's something we all experience, and interestingly, in this age of constant digital connection, people are lonelier than ever. Losing someone you love, and who you thought loved you back, is never easy, but sometimes the pain ignites action, and in the case of Nashville's Widespell, it inspired a song. "Why Am I Alone," the... Continue Reading →
Some have said that rock n' roll is dead. If you’ve ever voiced that particular complaint, you should know that you’re wrong. On their new album Don’t Go Out Tonight, Atlanta trio Bad Spell gives you all the proof you need. You hear it right from the opening notes of “Gotta Put You Down,” a... Continue Reading →
We never know truly what others deal with on a daily basis; undetectable pain behind a smile, buried shame in a spirit, a heart burdened by unbearable sadness. And, when wounds are hidden, they fester. It's only when we overcome our fears and talk about our experiences and struggles that the hurt can begin... Continue Reading →
Some might say that we live in dark and troubled times, and, maybe those people are right. While a good funk-soul album may not cure all the world's ills, it certainly can boost the mood for even the gloomiest of the doomy types--especially if it's a live album like the latest from eight-piece British funk... Continue Reading →
Remember when you were in school and you had a crush on someone? You found yourself exhilarated whenever you were in the presence of that person. Well, crushes don’t have to be of the romantic variety. Musical crushes are a real thing, and with her new album The Gumption, Toronto-based R&B artist Tanika Charles just... Continue Reading →
“I think anytime you get to connect with other people, it’s pretty cool,” says Roy English of recently performing in Portland, his first live show as alt-pop band Jagwar Twin. “Connecting with all the band members, but also everyone in the audience, giving and taking and circulating energy around the room. It was awesome. So... Continue Reading →
Nashville may be famous for country, but it's really a melting pot for artists from every corner of the world who make music of all configurations. You can't eat at one of our renowned restaurants, drink crafted caffeine at one of our beautiful coffee shops, or really, even cross the street without encountering someone... Continue Reading →
It’s been said that trends come and go, but that style is eternal. Los Angeles-based chanteuse Haley Reinhart has style in spades, which is beautifully showcased on her forthcoming release Lo-Fi Soul. With the album’s shimmering introductory notes, a veil is lifted and the listener is drawn into the experience like Homerian sailors unable to... Continue Reading →
