Welcome to “The Indie Inspection!”
In this monthly feature, I dive into new releases from a handful of artists that deserve attention. In fact, the Indie Inspection takes full advantage of the malleability of “indie” as a concept and aesthetic. That could mean lesser-known acts releasing their music either independently or on a smaller label. It could also refer to artistic vibes and approaches that fall outside of the mainstream. It might even mean nothing at all!
My advice? Leave your preconceived notions at the door and just listen to the music.
It has been quite a weird summer for the Indie Inspection. I know that you don’t come to this column to read about me per se, but I hope you read it because you trust my taste. Since taste is subjective, it can be influenced by someone’s current moods and disposition. And lemme tell you – my brain and temperament have been buzzing for weeks now.
Maybe it’s the weather. Maybe it’s the tenor of current events in America and across the world. And maybe it’s what’s happening in my life on a daily basis. Whatever it is, the anxiety and gloom I feel have definitely impacted the music that interested me most for this month. We’ve got a couple of angsty rock acts overflowing with frenetic energy, some dreamy art pop with chill vibes, and some plaintive downtempo folk with big emotions.
Let’s get into it!
How Strange It Is – In the Light of the Blistering Moon (Bud Tapes and Candlepin Records)
Have I really been around the music industry for long enough that the sounds I cut my teeth on have come back into vogue? I’m not talking about the ‘90s nostalgia that’s been popular for at least three years now. I’m talking about the sort of reflective indie and folk that erupted in the ‘00s. Let’s call it “Saddle Creek-core.” The twist is that so many of those bands are still making music, so if you’re gonna pay direct homage, you’d better come with the goods.
Lo and behold, How Strange It Is delivers. Based out of Portland, OR, this fantastic quartet creates intimate music with sublime vibes and sharp arrangements. In the Light of the Blistering Moon contains ten excellent songs bursting with Shins-inflected pop, Modest Mouse-infused lyricism, and Bright Eyes-injected heart.
I promise I’m not being too melodramatic with my comparisons. The band’s strong guitar work is enhanced by its penchant for warm melodies, organ swells, and inviting ambiance. What ultimately sells the record is how the group invites just enough jangle and whimsy into its sound without ever sounding twee. If you’re in the mood for a superb blend of Midwestern emo and vintage PDX pop, then you need to hear “Control,” “Head Holder,” “Heart Attack,” and “Watch It Go.”
Kid Fears – Undying Love (Self-Released)
Indie Inspection will always hold a candle for confessional singer-songwriter folk. But it has to be the good stuff. I don’t want to hear “vomit in my journal” lyrics, and I definitely don’t enjoy music from whiny dudes who finally have to experience the consequences of their actions. Give me the songs with actual heart wherein the songwriter delves into the why’s and how’s of their feelings – complete with true character growth.
Which brings me to the music of Kid Fears. The full band moniker for Rose Ewing, this Atlanta, GA-based outfit offers up sparse, delicate folk music laced with slowcore goodness. While Ewing’s own dreamy vocals remain the focal point for Undying Love, the hushed moods are slyly enhanced with subtly overdriven guitars in just the right moments.
However, I hesitate to call it shoegaze, simply because the production mix doesn’t quite reach those traditional levels of distorted guitars and distended voices. Instead, you can clearly make out Ewing’s lyrics about bittersweet romance, which means the album provides the perfect atmosphere for cuddles and cries. Fusing the influence of Julien Baker, A Weather, and Slowdive, I would recommend this project for listening in the midst of an open field or wide plateau, not a mountaintop. And if you doubt that description, then you should definitely crank up “Say,” “Our Arms Touch,” “Ruby,” and “Carthage.”
Kitba – Kitba (Ruination Record Co.)
I’m a big believer in subverting tropes, no matter the art form. I especially enjoy it when an artist takes the tools of one genre or medium and morphs them to achieve the intended subversion. No, this isn’t a call for wholesale changes for no reason. It’s a request for more creators to look beyond the confines of how things are supposed to be done and reimagine how it could be.
In other words, I like it when musicians like Kitba adapt their training as a harpist to create anthemic pop songs. Musically, this self-titled album doesn’t reinvent any wheels, but she uses the harp as a distortion-packed electric guitar instead of the typical piano. The result is a batch of meditative tunes that somehow meld vintage Cat Power song structure with Lucy Dacus vibes.
Kitty’s gorgeous soprano voice serve as the foundation for the project, as it gives ample space for the other participants to flow. Along with the aforementioned harp-as-guitar approach, the arrangements include strong drums and deft layered percussion, thus providing a welcome presence for the listener. My initial instinct is to christen such sounds as “Cottagecore Chamber Pop,” but that might be too reductive. Then again, if you enjoy clean pop, chill vibes, and inventive instrumentation, I wholeheartedly recommend “Tied to Strings,” “This Body,” and “Spilling Out.”
Mother Tongues – Love In a Vicious Way (Wavy Haze Records)
Let’s be real – each installment of Indie Inspection will always include at least one band creating vintage indie-pop. I talk a big game about opening my heart up to more vintage singer-songwriter types, and I really mean it, but my heart will always belong to bands creating music in the vein of Big Star, R.E.M., and The Smiths. What I don’t want to hear is a bunch of ninnies doing a cheap impression. I want artistic integrity and the sort of creativity that proclaims, “Yes, we all know what’s going on here with these arrangements, but I promise that our group can achieve some level of reinvention.”
Which brings me to the music of Mother Tongues. This Toronto twosome creates delicious, spaced-out songs jam-packed with excellent melodies. Love In a Vicious Way combines goth, shoegaze, and trip-hop with understated aplomb, calling to mind Alvvays, Portishead, and Beach House in equal measure.
It’s an altogether pleasing listening experience, complete with rollicking drum programming and lively rhythms. The airy lead vocals of Charise Aragoza enchant the ears while the terrific guitar tones of Lukas Cheung keep you engaged. Instead of doubling down on cheeky, bouncy riffs, the duo crafts evocative pop via a keen flair for the dramatic. Though my favorite cuts are “Only You,” “Worm Day,” and the title track, the entire project swims with thoughtful and purposeful intentionality.
Snõõper – Super Snõõper (Third Man Records)
Getting cosigns from more established artists has been part and parcel of the music industry since its very inception. I’d imagine that young medieval composers earned their first real opportunities because a more established artist talked them up to their patron. That’s right – networking always has and will always be a thing, even in the Star Trek socialist utopia I imagine in my dreams.
While most of us will never bee cool enough to have their artist bio written by Henry Rollins, Snõõper definitely is. Their debut full-length, entitled Super Snõõper, contains 14 tracks, most of which are all well under two minutes long. This rag tag bunch of art-punks has taken Nashville, TN by storm with their incandescent brand of furious proto-punk. They deliver an all-out aural assault reminiscent of The Stooges, MC5, The Runaways, and The Go-Gos that will send even the most cynical scenester swirling into the pit.
Snotty female lead vocals? Check. Buzzsaw guitars? Got ‘em. Stream of consciousness lyrics that are still political and poetic? Absolutely. But instead of coming across as raw, untrained, and undisciplined, the group creates tight pop structures and precise pacing despite their over-the-top energy and frenzied demeanor. I could not recommend this band highly enough, especially thanks to songs such as “Bed Bugs,” “Pod,” “Fitness,” “Inventory,” “Music for Spies,” and “Unable.”
Treeboy & Arc – Natural Habitat (Clue Records)
People have been copying The Fall and Wire literally as long as I’ve been alive. That’s the true and lasting impact of post-punk. It’s not about technically recreating the same angular guitar riffs and keening amplifier tone atop a kraut rock rhythm section. It’s about recognizing the malleability of those elements and bending them to your will.
Which is exactly what happens with Treeboy & Arc. Based out of Leeds, this UK quintet creates an instantly familiar kind of British rock while also pushing that sound forward. Across nine impressive songs, Natural Habitat showcases a talented band dedicated to its craft and insistent on only the finest possible execution.
Bristly lead vocals filled with philosophical lyrics complement jazzy guitar licks played as zippy arpeggios. I also love how the sturdy bass lines and syncopated drum fills create impeccable grooves. Imagine a noise rock Bloc Party or a hardcore Black Country New Road, especially on cuts like “Retirement,” “Character Building,” and “Behind the Curtain.” This album receives the wholehearted Indie Inspection seal of approval, complete with my personal brand of twitchy air guitar and bombastic air drumming.
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Thanks for stopping by to read The Indie Inspection for July 2023. Be sure to check out our archives for more of my recommendations.