Indie Pop

New album: The Memories || Watching Movies

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The Memories are a quirky band – playing lo-fi pop music since 2010 – that somehow manage to strike the right chord time and time again. Last summer, Banana, from their Beautiful Sunrise EP (2021), was one of the highlights of my holiday playlist, replacing It Was a Hot Afternoon (2014). With a larger audience, they scored an unexpected TikTok hit with the explicit one minute song Go Down On You (aka Don’t be surprised if one day I just…) from their Love Is The Law LP (2012). For their new album Watching Movies, Rikky Gage (Free Weed, White Fang ), Izak Arida (Boom!, Hip Hop Izak) and Chris Uehlein (Feather Headdress, Unkle Funkle) wrote eleven new songs about their everyday events, and they close the album with a cover of Randy Newman’s Strange Things (known from the Toy Story soundtrack). In the new work, the breezy garage rock of the past has slowly but surely transitioned into dreamy indie pop – still lo-fi and quirky, with memorable lyrics and hooks, but a little more mature. Where is this going to end?

Watching Movies is out now digitally through Gnar Tapes.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New EP: Air Devi || Rooting For You

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“I shaved my leg for you // I shaved my leg for you // Not just a one, but two.” These are the first words – in standout track Ashrita – you hear on Rooting For You, the new EP by indie four-piece Air Devi from Philadelphia. Singer-songwriter and sitarist Devi Majeske reflects on themes of connection, empowerment and hope, seemingly effortlessly bridging her roots in Indian classical music with an intrinsic punk ethos. The band, which also consists of Jacob Hershman (guitar, trumpet), Jay Fein (drums) and Seth Fein (bass), pours a stimulating pop/rock cocktail with tasteful musical ingredients that you don’t consume every day. The witty opening shows that Majeske knows how to attract attention, but the closing proves that she can also tell a beautiful story in a few phrases: “I know you’re out there, I know you’re out there // I’ m just not sure where // Or when I’ll get there // But I’m working everyday to get prepare” (from It’s Over). There’s also plenty of beauty in between.

Rooting For You is out now digitally and on cassette through Devil Town Tapes.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs

New EP: Evening Glass || Steady Motion

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Just like it never gets boring to watch the rippling sea at sunset, you can also put on the 6-track EP Steady Motion by Californian four-piece Evening Glass at any time.  Zachary Carroll (vocals, guitar), Thomas whose last name is unknown (bass, backing vocals), Chris Miller (guitar) and PJ Hakimi (drums) build on the sound of the Paisley Underground, but their playlist of influences just as easily refers to old pioneers as The Velvet Underground, Tom Waits and Richard Hell as well as to contemporary artists such as Good Morning, Hand Habits and The Umbrellas. Anyway, this is fine indie pop with pleasant vocals and wonderful melodies by jangly guitars. Float along for 20 minutes.

Steady Motion is out now digitally via Crazy, Ha! Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

Album premiere (w/ track by track commentary by the band): Cozy Slippers || Cozy Slippers

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Here’s another great premiere. Seattle indie trio Cozy Slippers previously released a 7″ single (A Million Pieces, 2019) and two EPs (Late Night In Summertime, 2017, and Postcards, 2018), which left us wanting more. This Friday the trio – Barbara Barrilleaux, Sarah Engel and Steven Skelton – will finally release their self-titled debut album (pre-order here). In anticipation of this, you can already stream the record in full below, and the band members will talk you through the record track by track.

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Album premiere (w/ track by track commentary by the band): Cozy Slippers || Cozy SlippersRead More »

New album: BLUEVALLEY || BLUEVALLEY

By / / Alternative Rock, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Jangle Pop / Leave a Comment

Last month, Kikumi Minatani dropped her self-titled debut record under the moniker BLUEVALLEY. Listening to BLUEVALLEY, I have to assume that the Japanese singer songwriter loves everything noisy and poppy about ’80s and 90’s music. BLUEVALLEY surely cover a lot of ground of that musical landscape on these 13 songs, some of which have been released previously as singles. If there is one common denominator though, it’s the lo-fi fuzzy charm – the lack of bass is noteworthy as well. Otherwise, BLUEVALLEY effortlessley switches between indie punk, noise pop, and jangle and everything in between.

Give BLUEVALLEY a spin if you are looking for something breezy, twinkly and energetic to start of your day. Songs like Summer, Seaside Story, Society and Signal are great points of departure. BLUEVALLEY is out now on KiliKiliVilla.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New EP: Aluminum || Windowpane EP

By / / Indie Pop, Indie Rock / 1 Comment

Like mushrooms, quality underground pop bands keep poppin’ up on the fertile grounds of the SF Bay area. Aluminum are the latest type. Or should I say hype, since the band’s sound surely will enthuse fans of classic bands like MBV, Go Betweens and The Feelies.

Aluminum are guitarist/vocalist Marc Leyda (Wild Moth), bassist/vocalist Ryann Gonsalves (Torrey), guitarist Austin Montanari (Nothing Natural), and drummer Chris Natividad (Marbled Eye). On the Windowpane EP, Aluminum aren’t afraid to press their guitar pedals and gaze at their shoes, but sound more clear eyed and welcoming than the average shoegaze band. That is particularly the case for the title track, which in a just world would be a major radio hit. The other songs are pretty great as well and suggest that Aluminum know exactly what they are doing and are only getting started.

If there is any knock on the Aluminum EP it’s that out of six songs two are short interludes. We need more songs, Aluminum! The Windowpane EP is out now through the increasingly great Dandy Boy Records.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Free Time || Jangle Jargon

By / / Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Jangle Pop / Leave a Comment

I have friends I seldom see. Years go by without talking to each other. But when we do meet, it’s like nothing changed. None of the connection or interest has faded, it all feels familiar and natural, we just continue where we left things. Jangle Jargon, the new Free Time offers a similar experience. It’s the band’s third LP following In Search of Free Time (2016) and Free Time (2013). Despite the infrequent outings of Free Time, Jangle Jargon is like an unexpected encounter with an old friend. A pleasant surprise that feels instantly familiar. That familiarity of course is strengthened by the other bands the Free Time crew has been involved in, a list that includes Twerps, Scott and Darlene’s Wedding, Titus Andronicus, Terrible Truths and Full Ugly. To call Free Time a jangle pop supergroup is superfluous.

The recording of Jangle Jargon actually started in 2017, but due to professional careers and babies took some time to finalize. Life events and changing circumstances did not hurt the creativity of Free Time though. The band sounds inspired and decidedly Australian even though they are a NY band by now. Jangle Jargon is the most consistently great and most fun Free Time record to date. How can you not fall for the strummy and jangly Half Measures with its laid back “hey haha lalalala” hook. Or the talksinging over breezy guitars in The Terrace? Long Centuries is another standout, driven by an ear worm piano riff and rounded out by tasteful horns. Album opener Never Your Turn is a slacker jangle rocker that makes you fall for this record in seconds.

Free Time have entered the race for jangle record of the year and somehow I see only happy faces among the competition. They are enjoying the heck out of Jangle Jargon, as do we. It is out now through Bedroom Suck Records.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Bedroom Suck

New EP: The Radio Field || Simple EP

By / / Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Jangle Pop / 1 Comment

With a world in shatters – or perhaps it only feels that way and we should not worry too much, I applaud any band that has “Jangle pop music will save the world” as a tagline. Particularly when the music lives up to the expectations. Leave that up to Lars From Subterfuge, a band that released an excellent full-length this Spring – read our post on that one here. The Radio Field is Lars’ new bedroom recording project where he takes parts of underground jangle pop and ’90s college rock, gives them a fair shake and it tastes sublime.

Helped out by his 10-year old (!) son and some friends, the four-song Simple EP is indeed a strong debut. Naturally, I am partial to the two upbeat jangly college poppers on the EP (Clover & Years Ago), but I’m don’t feel the need to skip the two slower more subdued and moody songs, of which Congratulations is actually a cover of a Strange Magic song. I’d never heard of that artist, but I do now. There is some excellent material in his back catalogue and he is currently working on a song-per-week release streak aiming for a 52 song 2022 – listen here. If you are a fan of Elvis Costello there is a good chance Strange Magic is right in your wheelhouse.

On topic: The Simple EP is excellent. It’s out now on CD through Subjangle.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

Dusted || The 10 Best Cover Songs Of September 2022

By / / Alternative Rock, Country & Folk, Garage Rock, Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Jangle Pop, Power Pop, Psych, Punk / Leave a Comment

Not all new music is really new, as many artists cover songs. Sometimes these are songs by their favorite artists, eg as a tribute to such a musical hero for a special reason, or they simply feel that a song deserves to be dusted and polished to reacquaint fans with great songs from the past. Other times, bands cover songs as a parody. Regardless of intent, some of those cover versions are so good or so much fun, we’d like to put a spotlight on them. Chosen from a wide range, here are – in random order – ten of our favorite covers from last month – links to the pages where you can add them to your wantlist included.

In September we heard Rita Wilson’s Now & Forever cover LP featuring duets with Willie Nelson, Smokey Robinson, Elvis Costello and other big names, Aquarium Drunkard’s Lagniappe SuperSession featuring 33 artists interpreting the music of James Toth (Wooden Wand), Geoff Palmer’s version of Dee Dee Ramone’s Standing In The Spotlight album, the 15-track Sea Creatures compilation as a homage to the songwriting of Jeffrey Lewis, a sponsored Old Man cover by Beck that Neil Young was unhappy with, and previously we wrote about releases from Herman Hitson, Hayley And The Crushers, Crocodile Tears, Dangüs Tarküs and The Manges with some successful cover versions. We actually saw too many other cover versions come along, most of which were slow and subdued – apparently fall has has caught up with music too. Below is a selection of songs that haven’t yet received the attention they deserve.

I Just Wanted To See You So Bad || Cover: Quivers || Original: Lucinda Williams
On the flip side of their new single If Only, Melbourne four-piece Quivers cover a hidden gem of Lucinda Williams’ 1989 self-titled LP, sung by Bella Quinlan: “It felt so good to have a bit of a shouted call and response.” Out on red colored vinyl 7″ through Ba Da Bing!.

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Dusted || The 10 Best Cover Songs Of September 2022Read More »

New album: 2nd Grade || Easy Listening

By / / Indie Pop, Indie Rock, Power Pop / 1 Comment

“Ringing from hi-fi headphones and blown-out boombox speakers alike comes the overloaded guitar genius of Easy Listening, a record of rock ‘n’ roll daydreams and terminal boredom,” so starts the press release of the latest 2nd Grade masterpiece.

The rock’n’roll romanticism and worship is present front and center on Easy Listening. Take a look at the song titles: Keith and Telecaster? Wouldn’t It Be Nice? Beat Of The Drum? The music speaks even more loudly. Just press play on opener Cover Of Rolling Stone and get swept away by the classic and super sweet melodic guitarpop/powerpop of 2nd Grade. I had absolutely no complaints about the band’s previous output – both made my AOTY lists and both have found a permanent home in my record collection. The same goes for Easy Listening, which indeed is very easy on the ears and highly enjoyable. And although the songs are uncomplicated and straightforward – something 2nd Grade utilizes as a strength rather than a limitation, you’ve got to be impressed by the sheer quality of this hit-after-hit fest.

But still, what I did not anticipate is that, rather than hit a ceiling, Peter Gill’s songwriting could reach another level.  On Easy Listening, effortlessness is a virtue and rock’n’roll music something to celebrate and pursue rather than proclaim dead.

Easy Listening is my favorite 2nd Grade record yet. It is out now on Double Double Whammy.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Double Double Whammy

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