independent thoughts on indie rock, alternative, and indie pop music
“I’d always been insecure about my high-pitched voice,” laughs Bryce Fox of his prepubescent choice of band over choir. The Los Angeles-based alt-pop powerhouse who began making beats and rapping in high school gained confidence to sing after his voice changed—a fun piece of Bryce Fox trivia at this point, because one listen to his... Continue Reading →
"By now I thought I'd have exactly what I wanted, but I don't remember what I wanted it for," sings Nashville-based songwriter Kiernan McMullan in "Want:Need," the new single from his forthcoming album Baggage. "'Want:Need' is about a moment of clarity," he explains. "It's about reprioritizing what's important in your life." The indie powerhouse, who released his first... Continue Reading →
“I’m not gonna sit and wait for life to come and find me on its own,” opines Cory Quintard of Nashville pop rock outfit Volunteer, in the band’s new single, “In The Unknown.” “‘In The Unknown’ is kind of a personal mantra for me,” reveals Quintard of the single. “The concept of living your life... Continue Reading →
Have you ever just wanted your friends? Marsicans, one of our favorite indie dance pop bands, has a whole song about it, appropriately titled "Friends," out now via LAB Records. The song is about how friendships evolve as youth turns into adulthood. It showcases Marsicans' trademark harmonies backed by a sometimes quirky, sometimes raucous groove.The fab... Continue Reading →
Charlotte-based duo Flagship, makers of fist-pumping indie rock anthems, will release their second full-length album, The Electric Man, on March 10th. The pair met years ago when Charlotte music scene regular Drake Margolnick filled in on bass for fellow scenester Michael Finster’s band. “We just connected, and this out of the ashes, Flagship arose,” Flagship... Continue Reading →
Increasingly, I find myself, a dyed-in-the wool alt-rock aficionado, lured into the realm of indie pop; while others have baited the hook and cast the line, Nashville-based songstress Trella has reeled me in, and I have fallen for her debut EP, Vapor, hook, line, and sinker. “I was living in the pretense...I’m standing up, I’m... Continue Reading →
Gabrielle Wortman and Jason Rosen, also known as Los Angeles-based electro-soul duo Smoke Season, want to tell a different story this Valentine’s Day. “There are two-person love stories being told all the time, we wanted to tell a one-person love story,” says Wortman. The pair chose to reimagine Lionel Richie’s 1984 classic hit “Hello,” and... Continue Reading →
“Take a chance with me, it will be alright,” sings Los Angeles-based Ryan Marshall Lawhon, a.k.a. Mating Ritual, in the title track of How You Gonna Stop It? Vol. 1, the first of two installments of his new album. The Phoenix-esque dance-tastic tune, in which Lawhon relays the ups and downs of the modern dating... Continue Reading →
Los Angeles-based indie rockers Trapdoor Social, makers of shimmering pop anthems, have released a heart-wrenching new video for "Never Stop Listening," a track from their self-titled full length record released last year. Filmed at the center of the Dakota Access Pipeline protests, the video beautifully captures the unquenchable spirit and united struggle of the water protectors... Continue Reading →
Bohemian indie pop outfit Crystal Fighters, reveling in the release of their acclaimed album Everything Is My Family, out last year, has released a whimsical new video for their anthemic single, "Lay Low." The band also announced their U.S. tour, dates can be found here: http://www.crystalfighters.com/live/ The band says that the song, while written in response... Continue Reading →
