Welcome to “The Indie Inspection!” With this monthly feature, I’ll dive into new releases from three to six different bands that I find worthy of attention. This regular column will take full advantage of the malleability of “indie” as a concept and aesthetic. So please set aside any preconceived notions about what that term could or should mean. In terms of a working definition, we will focus on lesser-known artists releasing their music either independently or on a smaller label.
Let’s get into it!
In the September 2022 edition of our Indie Inspection column, I’m digging into six different acts across the pop-rock spectrum. We’re talking about emo, alt-country, dream-pop, post-punk, riot grrrl, and new-school indie. I think you’ll like them as much as I do.
Bloods – Together, Baby! (Share It Music)
It’s only taken two months of working on this column for me to renew my appreciation for garage rock bands. I’m talking about the sort of groups who know how to weld together realistic lyrics to fiery music. These are the acts who walk the line between full-throated aggression and crisp execution because they actually know how to play their instruments.
I was reminded of my love for gritty artistic expression while diving into Together, Baby!, the newest album from Bloods. This Australian trio possesses top-notch attitude and drive while also being furiously talented. The record offers up big sociopolitical energy without being pedantic or posturing, which I found rather stirring and inspiring.
This is the right way to cultivate and propagate a keen DIY ethos without sounding like the band picked up its instruments last week and recorded in a trash can yesterday. I was astonished at the focused fury in the vocals, taut tones in the production, and punky passion of the arrangements. If you love the idea of The Go-Go’s sour candy pop entering a polyamorous relationship with Bikini Kill and Sleater-Kinney, then you need this album in your life.
Just listen to cuts such as “BOSS,” “Thinking of You Thinking of Me,” and “Take Aim” to hear what I mean.
Booter – 10/10 (Midwest Debris)
As someone who went to college at the turn of the 21st century, I’m well-versed in the musical horrors of that era. I don’t care what you Zoomers think – the world doesn’t need to revisit the likes of Korn or Creed. However, you could find lots of good underground music in those years if you knew where to look, and I’m glad to hear that new bands have resurrected those sounds.
Hailing from Canada, Booter combines the emotional heft of second wave emo with the zippy angst of ‘00s college rock to create superb indie goodness. 10/10 delivers brisk tempos and short song lengths with bouncy drums and snappy guitar licks.
I’m especially enamored with the fusion of the band’s good ear for mood shifts and Alannah Walker’s fantastic vocals. She sings coming-of-age lyrics from an unabashedly queer perspective with intense energy and keening peaks. You should really check them out if you’re into acts like Rilo Kiley, The Rentals, early Death Cab for Cutie, and vintage Saddle Creek.
My favorite tunes include “Time Warp,” “Crushin’,” “Breezy,” “The Most,” and the title track.
David Beck – Bloom & Fade (Parade Ground Music)
There is an alternate timeline wherein all I listen to is “Dad Rock.” I’m talking about the intersection of country, folk, rock, and psych that people attribute to the rise of Wilco as a cultural institution, but it’s really been around for decades. It’s that male singer-songwriter aesthetic wherein they sing about small-town life or the details of growing older without much mythologizing. And I can see myself sitting in my living room strumming my acoustic guitar as some vinyl spins on my record player.
Such is the music of David Beck, and it’s a wonderful thing. On his new album, Bloom & Fade, this quintessential Texas troubadour delivers a low-key but high-quality brand of country-inflected folk rock. He has a warm, crooning voice that instantly wrapped me up in a blanket, put a tumbler of whisky in my hand, and sat me around a fire to commiserate with old friends. If you’re so inclined, you could also two-step or slow dance to this record, but that’s just not my style.
It’s a very familiar brand of music, as it mixes the eagerness of “red dirt” Texas country with the mellower aspects of outlaw country. Think of John Prine, Steve Earle, and Robert Earl Keen hanging out with War on Drugs and Ryan Bingham. Beck takes these generations of pronounced influences to create thoughtful, engaging songs filled with fantastic wordplay and an appreciation for curated ambiance.
If you’re in the mood for elegant, yet earthy “Dad Rock,” then I recommend starting with standout songs like “Miner’s Song,” “Abbey,” “Swimsuit,” and “Red Tail.”
Fake Palms – Lemons (Hand Drawn Dracula)
I spent far too long trying to come up with a catchy, snarky intro for this review. Tired cliches about Ecclesiastes, Rust Cohle, revivals, and more spun through my head attempting to stake their claim. But when I stopped trying to force the metaphor, I immediately realized that people typically prefer clarity and brevity in these circumstances.
So, let’s get right into our discussion of Lemons, the jagged new album from Fake Palms. This talented Toronto act draws upon mighty levels of ‘00s-era post-punk revivalism. I’m talking about the angular sort of pointy indie rock that set the early blogosphere ablaze – The Strokes, Foals, Bloc Party, and more. Wiry guitars set the tone early, but it’s the frantic pacing and sharp corners of the melodic progressions that really rev my engines.
Like his stylistic predecessors, band leader Michael le Riche crafts fun and bouncy music from a jaded and wry perspective. The music overflows with taut energy that compels you to move about the room with glee. It just isn’t necessarily danceable or punky. Strong drumming locks the grooves in place while the guitars shuffle, scratch, and scurry across the arrangements.
This record could be a perfect soundtrack to a raucous night out with your friends, especially “Visions,” “The Curl,” and “Flags.”
Tiny Blue Ghost – Between the Botanicals (Count Your Lucky Stars)
I love having my expectations subverted, especially when it comes to music. This applies to a band taking a new direction, someone releasing a solo project, excellent music that doesn’t match a terrible band name, and more. But few things excite me more than a venerated record label with an established aesthetic releasing an album that does NOT match their historic output. It might feel like a stunt or an outlier on the surface, but it’s usually an indication that something magical is about to happen.
And that’s exactly what we’re talking about here. On Between the Botanicals, Tiny Blue Ghost blurs the line between delicious pop and dreamy post-rock. I was taken aback that emo stalwarts Count Your Lucky Stars put out this album, because it sounds like a gorgeous mixture of vintage 4AD and post-rock atmospherics. Think Cocteau Twins, Beach House, and Explosions in the Sky fronted by the elegant soprano vocals of Marissa Carroll. Stacks of echo-drenched guitar create ethereal melodies while syncopated drum fills provide quirky flair.
But while I loved the spaced-out grooves, I became an immediate fan of the band’s penchant for pop formatting. Very few songs that feature anything approximating instrumental noodling. Instead, we get clean textures and sublime execution of strong ‘80s dark-pop moods.
The band’s best work comes when they invert preconceived notions on standouts like “The Blacktop,” “Clockwork,” “Warning Sign,” and “Familiar Stranger.”
Well Wisher – That Weight (Egghunt Records)
When I tell people I like ‘90s rock, they immediately assume that I’m talking about popular grunge bands from the ‘90s or the acts they influenced. Yes, a sliver of my brain still enjoys those sounds – mostly because of the dreaded nostalgia – but I don’t listen to it now. Instead, I’m referring to the college rock and emo of that era. I love the caustic pop melodies, the ironic lyrics, the freedom to share your feelings. I’m glad droves of underground acts are reappraising this stuff.
Take Well Wisher as an example. On the New Jersey group’s new album, entitled That Weight, we hear all manner of cheery, yet bruised indie rock. It isn’t afraid to talk about heavy topics while still engaging in riotous and boisterous melodies. Be ready for plenty of hooks atop cathartic lyrics culled from the everyday life of a twenty-something struggling under late capitalism.
The vocal talents of Natalie Newbold anchor the entire project. She expertly balances the sincere with the snark. The band’s clever arrangements combine eager pop-punk with crafty art-pop to glorious results. Fans of Superchunk, Soccer Mommy, and Snail Mail will love these zippy tunes.
You should also pay close attention to my favorite tracks: “Need You Around,” “Panic,” the title track, and “Something Good.”