independent thoughts on indie rock, alternative, and indie pop music
Fantastic Cat return with the new single “Don’t Let Go,” a tongue-in-cheek indie rock track that pushes back against modern songwriting clichés. The song previews the band’s upcoming album Cat Out Of Hell, arriving April 10 via Missing Piece Records. Fantastic Cat will also bring their harmony-driven live show to Nashville on April 23 at Row One.
Nashville-based alt-pop artist Lauren Presley returns with her latest single, “Potential,” a guitar-driven track that examines the emotional tension between hope and reality in relationships.
Edgehill lean into a more immediate indie-rock groove on “Love To Go,” an early fan favorite tied to their debut album Ode To The Greyhouse.
Chicago’s Brigitte Calls Me Baby sharpen their focus on “Slumber Party,” a tightly paced single shaped by life on the road. Anchored by steady percussion, urgent guitar lines, and Wes Leavins’ controlled vocal delivery, the track dwells on isolation and rumination, carrying echoes of The Smiths’ emotional weight and the sharp immediacy of The Strokes, while reflecting the band’s instinct-first approach to writing ahead of their sophomore album, "Irreversible."
Sylvia Rose Novak’s “Want To Play” pairs distinctive vocals with a familiar mid-90s alternative rock undercurrent, giving the song a sense of recognition without leaning on nostalgia.
Charlie Abbott’s “See U Again” taps into straight-up rock urgency, pairing a furious opening riff with a loose, first-take recording approach that brings East of 8th’s playlist back to its local rock roots.
Texas indie-pop band Voxtrot returns with “Fighting Back,” the lead single from their upcoming album Dreamers in Exile, and will bring the new material to Nashville's The Basement East on April 15. The track revives the band’s melodic drive while introducing darker, synth-forward textures.
Autoheart’s recent show at EXIT/IN highlighted the full scope of the band’s sound and emotional depth. Touring behind "Heartlands," the trio moved through more than twenty songs, from bright pop moments to quieter, introspective turns while drawing the crowd with them at every turn.
Rocket’s Nashville debut at Drkmttr delivered a loud, guitar-driven set featuring their debut album R is for Rocket. In a small room with big sound, the Los Angeles quartet proved why they already feel built for bigger stages.
Our latest Fresh Finds From East of 8th roundup features six standout new releases spanning alt-pop, indie rock, and modern folk. Hear Arts Fishing Club’s electrifying “Some Kind of Dangerous,” Aubrie Sellers’ sharp-edged “Villain of the Week,” Ruby Jones’ cinematic “Bad Ideas,” Keni Titus’ introspective “off day,” Henry Thompson’s heartfelt “Already Gone,” and Mylo Bybee’s soaring “Time Machine.”
