Indie Rock

New album: Ross Storm || The Meridian

By / / Alternative Rock, Indie Rock, Psych, Uncategorized / Leave a Comment

Instrumental music that is a blend of “prog & math rock, with notes of jazz and post-punk” is not something I expected to like. But somehow I’ve been enjoying The Meridian by Storm Ross quite a lot. Apparently, it’s already Ross’ fourth release on Already Dead Tapes, but relative to previous releases it’s more of a team effort. On The Meridian, Ross is joined by Yuma Uesaka on tenor sax and Skeleton Birds bandmates Jeremy and Jonathan Edwards on bass and drums respectively.

According to Ross, this is some of his best work to date. And although I’m unfamiliar with his previous output, I’m taking his word for it. The Meridian is as exciting as it is hypnotic, and as vibrant and colorful as the album art. These are no bedtime instrumentals to make you fall asleep, nor will they provide a relaxed start to your day. But I expect the songs on The Meridian to keep you fully awake at work. In fact, I’m pretty sure A/B testing will show The Meridian will significantly raise your focus, productivity and quality of your day.

The Meridian is out now on Tape at Already Dead Tapes.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New EP: LiquidLight || Even Keeled

By / / Indie Rock, Power Pop, Punk / Leave a Comment

Note: I updated this post May 27 after discovering that Even Keeled is not a 3-song EP, but a 9-song full length that will be out June 3rd.

When I read that LiquidLight, a four-piece band from Portland, recorded the three teaser trackers of their new album Even Keeled live at Interlace Audio without relying on overdubs or click tracks, I became even more impressed. Here’s a band that, in different line ups, have released several EPs and full lengths over the past ten years, but I hadn’t heard before. Perhaps that’s a good thing and I’m catching them at their best yet, who knows. But these three songs absolutely shred, and make me stoked about the upcoming record. Rather than live, LiquidLight sounds extremely alive on the songs. Operating on a scale that goes from college/indie rock through powerpop through punk rock, LiquidLight is loud, melodic, energetic, and emotionally intense. Frontman and bassist Anthony Medici has a killer voice and absolutely sings his heart out. The band also has a great feeling for dynamics, and seem to know perfectly when to shred and when to let their songs breathe.

On the three songs released so far from Even Keeled, Liquidlight kinda sound like a complex and accomplished blend of Guided By Voices, Replacements, Dinosaur Jr. and those ’90s punk bands opting for a more rockin’ emo sound.  Listen below, and if you like it, make sure to watch the video’s of the live recordings on Youtube. Even Keeled will be out next Friday, June 3rd.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Gabi Garbutt & The Illuminations || Cockerel

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

London-based singer-songwriter Gabi Garbutt and her band The Illuminations – Ollie Jones (drums), Jimi Scandal (guitar), Dan Fatel (bass), and Ted Mitchell (keys, sax) – are back with their sophomore full-length Cockerel. It has ten beautiful and diverse songs – file under “soulful indie folk with a punk edge” – in which the poetic lyrics and sincere vocals are central, which come into their own thanks to the convincing work of the skilled musicians. One minute the sound is orchestral, then you hear a guitar solo that is impossible to escape from, the next moment a saxophone grabs your attention, the next moment there’s a fragile piano that emphasizes the story, and so on, and it all works well. What’s happening here is special in every way, a triumph.

Cockerel is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP through Trapped Animal Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs || Trapped Animal

New EP: Dan Webb And The Spiders || Guess What

By / / Alternative Rock, Indie Rock, Punk / 2 Comments

Let’s start with the bad news. Dan Webb And The Spiders right now are on an indefinite touring hiatus. The result of moving from Boston to Ohio and Webb’s desire to spend more time with his young children. The good news? Webb still finds time to write and record new music. It’s a full on solo endeavour with Webb playing all the instruments. The best news? Webb still writes kickass songs. The songs on his latest EP Guess What – the title refers to the two words Webb’s 4-year old starts most of his sentences with), are solid blend of punk, rock, and altpop. Songs that musically keep getting better with each play, and lyrically seem informed by the major changes in Webb’s life recently. Real Good Reason is probably my favorite song on the EP, it’s the kind of anthem that young dads will sing along to proudly and loudly while desperately fighting to hold back the tears.

“I got a real good reason || To be better than I || Ever thought I could be || With no surprises || And it’s even more true || Than it was yesterday || So I try to hold on || Before it slips way.”

I for one am grateful that Webb is able to combine his family life with writing new music. And fortunately, the solo version of DWatS doesn’t fit the dad rock genre yet, but I t hink that once that happens, I’ll still be listening.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Half Smile || Half Smile

By / / Alternative Rock, Indie Rock / 1 Comment

Half Smile is a new band of three from Atlanta, Georgia. That’s about all the information I can find about the band. I do like the self-titled record they just dropped though – I have to assume it’s their debut. Half Smile play a brand of indie rock that is rough around the edges and has some solid ’90s altrock and emo influences. Most of the record moves at a decent pace, giving their sound a punky or garagy vibe – a sense that is strengthened by the complete lack of polish in the production.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Say Sue Me || The Last Thing Left

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

It’s been more than four years since South Korean indie pop/rock quartet Say Sue Me (세이수미) released Where We Were Together, an album that has made quite a few rounds on my record player, that even ended up at No. 2 on my 2018 year-end list. During the pandemic, when touring was not possible, Byungkyu Kim (lead guitar), Sumi Choi (vocals, rhythm guitar), Jaeyoung Kim (bass) and Sungwan Lim (drums) quietly started working on a new full-length, and here’s the result. Self-recorded and self-produced at the band’s own Busan studio, The Last Thing Left is more subdued and less bouncy than its successful predecessor – a sign of the times but also of maturing, I guess (“Nobody seems to care for truth // I’m getting far from my youth” – from Around You). The 10 new songs, leaning heavily on themes of love, loss, loneliness, grief and healing (the band’s original drummer, Semin Kang, passed away in 2019), need a few listens to win you over. The charm, melancholy and brightness have remained though, just like the angelic vocals and jangly guitar melodies (with surf and twang twists). This is timeless music to cherish, music that can comfort you at any time.

The Last Thing Left is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP through Damnably Records and Beach Town Music.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Spread Joy || II

By / / Indie Rock, Punk / 1 Comment

31 minutes. That’s the cumulative time it takes to listen to Spread Joy’s self-titled debut (2021) and their follow-up II, which is out now through Feel It Records. 31 minutes may seem barely enough to play a full live show. But Spread Joy (Chicago) won’t need much more to convince you of their aptitude in playing tight and exciting no wave punk. Like on Spread Joy’s debut, the angular guitar work and the sweet bass riffs are again in perfect synergy, and the vocal chords of Briana Hernandez are a great fit to that sound- Hernandez effortlessly switches between sounding edgy, suspenseful, dangerous, pissed off and sweet on II.

II is a varied, and at time almost hypnotic record. It starts at a blistering pace with Ow and Spa Schedule, before moving into pop territory with the major hit Repetition. Ich Sehe Dich is also quite poppy, almost like a throwback to the B-52’s. My current favorite is Chatter, where Hernandez talksings and shrieks over a sweet repetitive guitar riff. Cool stuff, really!


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs

New album: Pkew Pkew Pkew || Open Bar

By / / Indie Rock, Power Pop, Punk / Leave a Comment

The music of Pkew Pkew Pkew (Toronto) is tailor made for the weekend. It’s loud, it’s fun and perfect for hangouts and singalongs with your friends. In terms of songwriting, the band has made quite the leap from the sheer bluntness and obnoxious of their debut LP – which I absolutely loved. On the band’s latest record (Open Bar), and helped out by Craig Finn (The Hold Steady), Pkew Pkew Pkew succesfully incorporates classic rock influences in their powerful punk sound. In that sense, Open Bar shares several of the strengths of last year’s excellent Sam Coffey And The Iron Lungs’ Real One: anthemic punk rock that will set smaller venues on fire but will also work on a larger stage. It’s Pkew Pkew Pkew at their boldest and most creative yet – the result of a lacking hard deadline and a producer (Jon Drew) down to trying new stuff.

Open Bar is out now through Dine Alone Records. It’s a new Pkew Pkew Pkew record! It’s the weekend. All is good!



Add to wantlist: Dine Alone Records

New album: Roku Rousu & The I.O.N.S. || The Imaginary One-Night Stands

By / / Indie Rock, Psych / Leave a Comment

Roku Rousu (vocals, guitar) has been around in the Finnish indie scene for a while, but with his new band The I.O.N.S. – Joo Karjalainen (drums, keys), Mikko Siven (bass) and Sussu Ketola (keys) – imaginary ambitions could just become reality. The quartet has mastered an interesting combination of styles: influences from early 60’s pop, late 60’s psych and 90’s alternative rock are cleverly mixed with contemporary folk, power pop and indietronica. On their full-length debut album The Imaginary One-Night Stands (in case you were still wondering what I.O.N.S. means, here’s your answer), you’ll hear eight genre-transcending tracks – diverse and mind-boggling, always melodic, upbeat and surprising. Let’s hope The I.O.N.S.’ passion for music beats the temptations of Video Games & Heroin.

The Imaginary One-Night Stands is out now digitally via Kynsinauhat.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New EP: The OK Nines || Sunwoofer

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

The OK Nines are a new band from Berkeley (California), who play a brand of ’90s mid-fi indie rock and altpop that is delightfully jangly and slightly twee. Songs like I Am A Dog and 1,000,000 Treats show a lot of potential and hint upon great things to come for The OK Nines.



Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

Scroll to Top