Indie Rock

New album: Summer Flake || One Less Thing

One Less Thing is album #4 of Melbourne three piece Summer Flake, but I don’t think I’ve listened to any of their previous releases. Summer Flakes is Steph Crase (Skid City, Fair Maiden, Batrider), Joel Carey (Peak Twins) and Perry Mahoney (The Shifters) who play an intriguing mix of indie rock and pop that is moody, melancholic and mesmerizing. About half of One Less Thing moves at a slow to medium pace. Those songs float nicely, are kind of dreamy. Stranger is a good example and is particularly beautiful and memorable. The other half is surprisingly rockin’, with excellent songs like Figure It Out, Barnacle Bill and Outta Space.

I’m late to the party, but like what I’m hearing from Summer Flake. One Less Thing is out now on blue vinyl through Rice Is Nice Records.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Fixtures || Hollywood Dog

Fixtures’ new LP Hollywood Dog offers a gentle reminder that horns are the jelly to indie rock’s peanutbutter. There is something about the subtle addition of horns that lifts up indie rock songs from likeable to excellent.

In addition to their excellent use of horns, two things stand out with Fixtures. One, they are a band of six, and two, they don’t seem too attached to a specific style. This allows the band to experiment and expand their sound in any sonic direction they desire. A direct consequence is that Hollywood Dogs is a multilayered record but also has an elusive quality to it. Rather than a distraction, this allows listeners to explore and find distinct and new elements to enjoy with each play. Invite ten random music fans to listen to this record, and they likely all have a different opinion, all identifying different intangibles. And yet, as a whole, Hollywood Dogs is strangely coherent.

If you are looking for a fresh “horn’n’roll” take on indie rock, or if you are fan of bands like Built To Spill, Archers Of Loaf, Bishop Allen and The Shins, lend Fixtures your ears. Out now through Bobo Integral.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Gina Birch || I Play My Bass Loud

If you like the tunes on the Revenge Of The She-Punks and The World Of Keith Haring compilations, you should definitely check out I Play My Bass Loud, the full-length solo debut by London-based musician/filmmaker Gina Birch. Forty-six years may have passed since she started feminist punk band The Raincoats, but the fire hasn’t died down (you can add expletives and exclamation marks to the album title in your mind). A mishmash of styles and influences comes along in the eleven songs here, which feel like a New York house party at night. The lyrics are outspoken or humorous but always direct and heartfelt (listen to the scheming in Big Mouth, or the subtle Dr. Martens promotion in I Will Never Wear Stillettos, and you’ll know what I mean). Electronics predominate and sound effects are not shunned, although guitars are heavily ravaged in a few songs (thank you, Thurston Moore), the loudest in single Wish I Was You (including Cannonball riff). This is anything but a straightforward rock album, but Gina Birch knows how to achieve optimal effect and atmosphere.


I Play My Bass Loud, recorded by Martin “Youth” Glover, is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP through Third Man Records.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Discogs || Third Man

PS/update: Read a more extensive backstory at Bandcamp Daily: “I like weird noises.”

New album: Lemon Pitch || Threat Of Weather

Portland DIY indie rock band Lemon Pitch have three veteran songwriters sharing vocal and writing duties: Brock Ginther (guitar), Alex Merrill (Bass), Galen Richmond (guitar), backed up by Jeff Hamm on drums. Essentially, this means you get three bands for the price of one. In case of Lemon Pitch’s sophomore LP Threat Of Weather it’s one of the reasons why the record remains certified fresh until the end. What keeps the 12 songs glued together is the band’s shared love for classic indie rock. Think of any classic indie rock band and you’ll like find sprinkles of their DNA in Lemon Pitch’s sound. Below you’ll find some of my favorite tracks on the record.

The Threat Of Weather LP is out now through Repeating Cloud, a label launched to release Flat Back Sea, the first Lemon Pitch record in 2020. The new LP has the same unpolished almost live sound to it, but is a bit more constrained and focused. If you are looking for some old school earnest indie rock, Lemon Pitch is here to rock your world.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Repeating Cloud

New album: Pavlov’s Puss || Tungsten Hearts Club.

Pavlov’s Puss mission statement? To bring you “cute as all hell garage rock made for top 40 radio.” Pavlov’s Puss are a band of veterans from the Christchurch (NZ) music scene fronted by Andrew “Ox” O’Connell who is joined by Joe Sampson, Chris Andrews and Rory Dalley. A band featuring members of The Ruling Elite, The Palace of Wisdom, Salad Boys, and Best Bets, that must be something special right?

Tungsten Hearts Club. definitely sounds unique. The record sounds almost like a primitive ’60s punk record, like a punk version of Bob Dylan. Somewhere It Is Summer is probably the most conventional track on the record, it’s a straighforward garage hit in the vein of Jack Oblivian. But in most songs, Pavlov’s Puss are freed by the expectations or boundaries of any genre. The guitar work and instrumentation and the lo-fi recording breathes a sense of spontaneity and effortlessness that combined with the talksinging of O’Connell all add to the magical appeal of Pavlov’s Puss.

Tungsten Hearts Club. is a scrappy and exciting piece of work.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New single: Captain Starlet || Family Tree

Naturally, by having two siblings among its members (Tom & Ethan Carroll, joined by Sam Festenstein and Cameron Baker) and by naming their debut single Family Tree, Captain Starlet (UK) already obtained goodwill points with this blog run by two brothers. The true reason we are writing about Captain Starlet though, is the sheer quality of underground power pop/britpop songs on their two song cassingle – out March 3 through Safe Suburban Home Records. Family Tree is a massive hit that channels (but not copies) the harmonies and sugary punch of Teenage Fanclub. Love Is A Petal sounds like it’s transported from 00’s and has hints of The Strokes and Bishop Allen.

Add Captain Starlet to your bands to watchlist.


Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New EP: TV Star || Hallucinate Me

TV Star finds its roots in the Seattle punk scene and feature members from Militarie Gun, Regional Justice Center, Shine, and Video Prick. As TV Star they take a whole different route sonically, playing an intriguing mix of psych, alt pop, college rock and jangle. Hallucinate Me is the band’s debut EP, and the title is chosen well. The songs on Hallucinate Me are dreamy, moody and angelic, and above all mesmerizing.

It’s easy to get sucked into the world of TV Star. TV Star’s talent for writing pop hooks definitely helps and the instrumentation simply is a treat to the ears. The voice of Ashlyn Nagel is perhaps the most noticeable part of TV Star’s appeal and a perfect fit to the music. I also love how relaxed and laid-back these songs sound. TV Star shimmer and chime with zero hurry and no restraint – listen to Leaving (You) for example or the standout Song 159 whose generic name is a classic case of underpromise and overdeliver. TV Star are also unafraid to rock out, like in the reverb-y Trigger Itch.

The Hallucinate Me 12″ EP is available now for pre-order through Painterman Records. If you are looking for quality pop music, TV Star’s got you covered.




Add to wantlist: Bandcamp || Painterman Records

New album: Nära Döden || Slänger Ingenting

Back to Scandinavia we go for another batch of catchy indiepunk tunes, this time from the debut LP of Nära Döden (Near Death). Nära Döden sound full of grit, almost kind of grungey, although they rely less on soft-loud dynamics than most bands in said genre. Most of the songs on Slänger Ingenting are pretty loud and uptempo, and the band’s main vocalist sings like there is something on the line. A band that shows a lot of heart and sound pretty rockin’ while doin’ that. What’s not to like?

Slänger Ingenting is out now through Swedish label Septembernatt.

Add to wantlist: Streaming only

New album: Blues Lawyer || All In Good Time

To my recollection, Blues Lawyer have always been purveyors of short and sweet scrappy garage pop songs, criminally underrated and destined for obscurity. With their new LP (All In Good Time), they may very well head to indie pop stardom. You see, All In Good Time has all the markings of a modern classic. Blues Lawyer have never sounded this polished and focused, and while the band’s pop edge has always been present in their music, I don’t think it has ever been this razor sharp. The Evan Dandoesque and angelic voices of the band’s main vocalists contrast and complement each other at just the right moments. And yet, underneath all the altpop bliss, Blues Lawyer still sounds like a cool underground pop band that wears its influences on its sleeves. Those influences range from classic rock to jangle pop, from twee to ’90s altpop, and from powerpop to punk rock.

All In Good Time is out now on Dark Entries Records, but it would not have looked out of place on Slumberland, Sarah or Flying Nun. It may just have well been out on Matador or Merge Records. We seldom witness the birth of an indie classic, but when it happens, it’s pretty awesome.





Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

New album: Vista House || Oregon III

Vista House is one of the projects of Tim Howe, singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist from Portland, Oregon, with an ever-evolving cast of characters in support. Since 2016 he’s been releasing interesting EPs, with telling titles like Definitely Something and Probably Nothing (and tracks like Vista House, Viista House and Viiista House), but his full-length album Oregon III is considerably richer and warmer than that previous output, although some songs were already written 10 years ago. I’d describe this music as a mishmash of folk, roots rock, power pop and psychedelia, but Howe himself calls it “dad rock sans child” and that’s fine with me too. The nine tunes here – varied in terms of tempo and orchestration, but thematically fitting together (leaving, returning, staying put) – intrigue me more than they probably should, but I really enjoy the wholehearted vocals, quirky lyrics, guitar outbursts, woo-hoo sing-alongs, and even the cinematic interludes. Vista House enthralls.



Oregon III is out now digitally and on cassette through Anything Bagel.

Add to wantlist: Bandcamp

Scroll to Top