Indie Pop

New album: The Submissives || Live at Value Sound Studios

A raw, hypnotic, and effortlessly strange LP from Montreal

As Left Of The Dial fest in Rotterdam kicks off tonight (we are both attending), here’s a band that would have been a perfect addition to the line-up: The Submissives from Montreal, led by Deb Edison. They’ve just released their first full band record, and it’s already generating plenty of buzz—and for good reason. Live at Value Sound Studios has a raw, disaffected, and almost naive quality, giving the songs a pure, captivating feel. It’s easy to see why other reviewers have drawn comparisons to The Shaggs and Daniel Johnston. The monotony and repetition, instead of being off-putting, become hypnotic, adding to the band’s culty vibe. With all members performing in red dresses, that eerie vibe is amplified.

Am I a little scared of this band? Yes! The effect of listening to Live at Value Sound Studios is unpredictable, and becoming obsessed with it seems entirely plausible. If you believe that music has become too bland, The Submissives are here to shake things up, while making it all seem effortless.

LP out now via Celluloid Lunch. Read more about the record in this insightful interview at Evan Minsker’s See Saw Fun.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Celluloid Lunch

New album: Anna Erhard || Botanical Garden

Rated 5/5

Have you got rising Swiss-born Berlin-based singer-songwriter Anna Erhard on your radar yet? The bewitching tones and extraordinary stories of the nine idiosyncratic chamber psych songs on her third full-length Botanical Garden blow me away.

If I were a DJ, I would give Hot Family a central place in my set. If I were a music teacher, I would dedicate a lesson to Botanical Garden to show that any topic can lead to a hit. If I had a roller rink, I would add 170 to its playlist. If I were a fashion designer, Spa would be blaring from the speakers on the catwalk. Or if I were a director, I would want Not Rick on the soundtrack of my next film. But hey, I’m just a attic blogger, so I’m simply sharing this unique release here. Because this is what cool sounds like.




Botanical Garden, recorded, mixed and produced by Pola Roy, is out digitally and on vinyl LP through Radicalis Music.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs || Anna Erhard

New EP: Slack Times || Gone Things

A bright, warm and jangly guitar pop return with

Slack Times’ Carried Away, which compiled the band’s first three EPs, quickly became one of my favorite purchases of the year when it dropped. Its staying power has been impressive, so naturally, I was eager to dive into their fourth EP, Gone Things, which just dropped last Friday. The new songs, delivered with a refreshed lineup, do not disappoint—they only deepen my love for the band.

If there’s one complaint, it’s that I wish Slack Times would release music more frequently. Gone Things has only four tracks, but each one is a quality gem, radiating brightness and warmth. While they all fall under the umbrella of guitar pop, they span different shades — jangle, garage, and power. Slack Times evoke the shimmering sound of labelmates Stephen’s Shore, but also nod to US garage pop bands like Harlem and Jaill. Songs like the title track and the concise In My Way tracks offer the perfect melodic waves to ride.

Gone Things is out now on Cassette via Meritorio Records, who have even more good stuff on the way — check back this Friday to see what’s next!


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Meritorio

New album: Early Riser || Big Life

Brooklyn quartet hit new heights on powerful and heartfelt third album

Brooklyn quartet Early Riser release their third album Big Life today, which follows their delightful 2021 LP Vocations. The band sounds more confident than ever, both in songwriting and execution. The ten tracks are energetic and powerful, thanks to producer John Agnello (Sonic Youth, The Hold Steady, Waxahatchee), though it’s easy to imagine these songs working beautifully in a stripped-down, acoustic format too.

What sets Big Life apart is the communal spirit that has become one of Early Riser’s trademarks. You can’t help but sing along to standout track Strays, with its heartwarming chorus: “We’re all a bunch of strays // Just looking for our home // We’re all a bunch of strays // But now we’re finally home.” Uplifting yet often tinged with bittersweet emotion, the album maintains a careful balance.

Drawing comparisons to indie punk bands like Martha, Early Riser have an unique edge in their sound by incorporating cello. With Kiri Oliver (vocals/guitar), Heidi Vanderlee (cello/vocals), Nicole Nussbaum (bass/vocals), and Mikey Erg (drums/vocals) at the helm, Big Life is a superb collection of songs that would shine on any live stage — I would love to see this band on a bill with Bad Moves!

Big Life is out now on Asbestos Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Asbestos

New album: Healees || Coin de l’oeil

An emotional, atmospheric guitar pop debut

Healees, a multinational band based in Paris with members hailing from the U.S., Sweden, Belgium, and France, are back with their debut full-length album Coin de l’oeil. Following their impressive 2022 self-titled EP, the band continues to show their mastery of dreamy, pedal-driven guitar pop, blending new wave and shoegaze influences.

On Coin de l’oeil, punchy drumming, ringing guitars, and earnest vocals create a beautifully cohesive sound that balances dreaminess with melancholic undertones. Each track feels polished yet emotionally raw, revealing a band that’s deepening its craft while keeping its signature atmospheric vibe intact.

Coin de l’oeil is out now through Hidden Bay Records, Safe Suburban Home Records, and Indie or Die.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New EP: The Happy Somethings || Love Songs

Bright poetry about life

“I wrote a song for you but this isn’t it – the one I wrote for you was shit.” We’ve known for a while that British twee-pop trio The Happy Somethings write great, quirky lyrics, and the opening line of their new track Bed Friend underlines that. It’s one of three tunes on their Love Songs EP, which follows up last summer’s Caught in the Web EP, which we didn’t include for some reason, even though it’s worth listening to (Smitten in particular should be a big indie hit).

Anyway, as always, their most recent music has something naive about it, which only adds to its charm, and yet it’s so appealing and smart that it’s another triumph. I can’t get enough of these kinds of poetic insights: “A song needs to have a hook, like a story like a book // It needs a beginning, a middle and an end // Unless we split and bring an end to it.”

The Love Songs EP is out now digitally, for free (self-released). Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

PS  Subjangle will release Caught in the Web on Compact Disc soon.

PS PS  The Love Songs EP has been expanded from three to six tracks and is also available to pre-order as a CD from Subjangle.

New album: Grapes of Grain || Painted Windows

Lush arrangements and a timeless sound

Dutch indie pop/alt-country outfit Grapes of Grain went on hiatus in 2009, a few albums to their name, but during the inevitable lockdown songwriter Alexis Vos and multi-instrumentalist Berend Jan Ike could not resist the lure of making music again. Fifteen years wiser, they came up with twelve new songs about alienation, brought together on the Painted Windows LP. Despite a fairly extensive instrumentation, this record still sounds intimate and never overcrowded, which alone is a major achievement. The tunes are atmospheric and melancholic – timeless – with melodic sophistication and captivating vocals. Bonus points for the nod to Jonathan Richman in Hey There, Jonathan, but there are plenty of other reasons to press the Play button.



Painted Windows, produced by Berend Jan Ike & Stefan Breuer, is out now digitally and on CD via Drag Days Records. Featuring Alexis Vos (vocals, guitar, bass) and Berend Jan Ike (guitar, vocals, drums, bass, piano), with Stefan Breuer (guitar, keys, drums, bass, vocals), Arno Breuer (drums, percussion, bouzouki), Harm van Sleen (pedal steel, dobro, violin), Niels van Heumen (trumpet, synthesizer), David Decraene (sax), Amber Sawyer (vocals), Lara Taska (vocals) and Kirsti Blow (vocals).

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New EP: Cindy || Swan Lake

Swan Lake pulls you into the enchanting world of Bay Area fog pop

In a recent review of The Gabys’ second self-titled EP, our guest contributor Ray used the term “Fog Pop,” coined by Glenn Donaldson (The Reds, Pinks & Purples) to describe bands like April Magazine, Flowertown, and Cindy. It’s music with the “feeling of listening to Galaxie 500 or Mazzy Star through the floorboards” — introspective, lo-fi, sparse, and dreamy, “not necessarily designed to attract tons of listeners, just the correct ones.”

Cindy perfectly fits this fog pop mold – see our review on their wonderful 2023 album here, and their new EP Swan Lake is another hidden gem from the Bay Area. Songs like All Weekend and Consolation’s Test slow everything down, make you stop staring at your phone and feel all the feels, while Party In The Atelier offers an accessible gateway to the fog pop magic.

The Swan Lake EP is out now on 12″ vinyl at Tough Love Records.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Being Dead || EELS

A quirky and timeless ride through garage pop and beyond

After last year’s strong debut, Texas duo Juli Keller and Cody Dosier (aka Falcon Bitch & Shmoofy) return with their sophomore LP, EELS – and are joined by Nicole Roman-Johnston. The record is highly enjoyable, largely thanks to the band’s fearless experimentation with different sounds and vibes while still making the whole album feel like a cohesive collection of timeless pop songs.

I’d categorize this as garage pop, but it’s a delight for fans of surf, psych, and sunshine pop too. Plus, if you’re into boy-girl harmonies, EELS delivers some of the finest and sweetest in recent memory. Tracks like Blanket of My Bone and Big Bovine are standout examples. But there is much more to like. Nightvision starts with a dreamy, choir-like 50-second intro before exploding into an indie pop banger. Then there’s Rock’n’Roll Hurts, which is so catchy it’ll make you laugh and feel a little melancholic at the same time, seamlessly transitioning into the indie-punk hit Love Machine. On EELS, a fresh, exciting tune is always waiting just around the corner, ready to surprise you.

LP and CD out now on Bayonet Records.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs

New album: Jeffrey Novak || Blood Celebration

A combination of circumstances led to a timeless record full of earworm melodies

Jeffrey Novak, that name sounds familiar, right? We are dealing with the Nashville-based singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer, with quite a bit of solo work under his belt, but also with bands like Cheap Time, Rat Traps, Savoy Motel and Cookie Jar. Blood Celebration is his latest full-length album, featuring ten original songs that fall somewhere between pop, rock and folk.

Brilliant storytelling and earworm melodies meet a sense of melancholy, spontaneity and intimacy here. This can be explained by the process of creation (do yourself a favor and read the backstory at Bandcamp), because that was a journey that started with a burn-out and writing a book about Jay Reatard, and then ended up with a local drug dealer who got robbed by his neighbor (the inspiration for Wide-Eyed, Innocent, and Free), being struck down by Covid again, and recording at night in the tiny sewing room of the artist’s girlfriend. It led to a timeless record that is fascinating in every respect.

Blood Celebration is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP, through Memorabilia Records and Merchandise. Featuring Jeffrey Novak (vocals, guitar, bass, organ), Jessica Breanne (vocals), Will Mann (harmonies, backing vocals) and Ryan Donoho (drums, percussion).

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp 

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