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.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Yes, yes, fine. We’re a solid three weeks into 2024 at this point, but this is our first chance to chat about music. Have you seen any release calendars yet? Anything extra exciting on the horizon? According to my sources, a whole bevy of established artists will drop new albums this year – including one of my all-time faves, Burial. But we aren’t here to discuss those acts. We’re here to discuss the music coming from the more offbeat and less traveled corners of the music industry.
So, let’s see what I found for you this month. Ah hah! We’ll talk about three different flavors of post-punk: goth, math, and new wave. You’ll also learn about an excellent alt-pop act that almost counts as my first true singer-songwriter of 2024. Then, we’ll ramp up the energy with a Boss-inflected Brit-pop group before exploring our feelings with some classic second-emo.
Let’s get into it!
Any Other – stillness, stop: you have a right to remember (42 Records)
I wasn’t sure if last year’s “Folk Singer of the Month” motif would carry into 2023. For starters, I didn’t want to force things. If I didn’t hear an album I liked, I wouldn’t add an artist just because of the bit. But then I thought, “Indie Inspection is my column. I can do what I want!” The concept of “indie” is already quite malleable, so other definitions can be just as squishy.
Hence, I’m excited to share with you the music of Any Other. The stage name of the supremely talented Adele Altro, this Italian singer-songwriter is definitely more pop than folk, but they also possess the same penchant for intimate confessionals. The eight songs of stillness, stop: you have a right to remember feature tender, piano-led alt-pop that call to mind Tori Amos, Regina Spector, and Sufjan Stevens.
Heaping portions of quirk and heart burst from the speakers, but it’s the sweet and sensitive lyrics that hold my attention. Top-notch tunes like “Awful Thread,” “Need of Affirmation,” and “Extra Episode” feel raw and intense, but Altro balances that energy with lovely instrumentation. If you need some emotional yet focused music featuring warm piano, twangy guitars, brushed drums, and more, then you should check out Any Other.
Be Safe – Unwell (Count Your Lucky Stars)
We talk about nostalgia a lot here at Bearded Gentlemen Music. As a collective, we don’t mind the stuff, but we’re also very leery of any act in any genre that tries too hard. It’s one thing to be influenced by the past, but it’s another thing entirely to live there. Give me interpretations and reinventions over homage any time.
Which is exactly why Be Safe rules. Sure, the nine songs of Unwell deliver pitch-perfect second-wave emo, but it’s the quartet’s twist on melodic guitar lines that update their overall sound. My college-aged heart loves hearing the influence of Small Brown Bike, Braid, and Dear Ephesus, but my 40-something dad brain connects with the math rock arrangements.
Everything you might expect from that description is present. I’m talking dry, moping vocals, minor-key guitar phrases, deep bass thrum, and laid-back drums. It certainly helps that the lyrics are darkly resonant and relatable – especially if you are an elder emo who’s graduated to family life. Check out standout songs such as “In a House,” “Replaceable Man,” and “Dark Cloud” for some grownup, melancholy rock.
Finnoguns Wake – Stay Young EP (What’s Your Rupture?)
Long-term readers of Indie Inspection will recognize my affection for the EP. It can be an excellent avenue for a young act putting out their firsts few songs into the world. More established bands can use them to release a few singles in between full-lengths. But a truly exemplary EP has a level of musical coherence that ensures listeners won’t skip a single track.
Welcome to the Stay Young EP by Finnoguns Wake. This raucous rock duo fuses The Hold Steady and Oasis with absolutely buzzing grooves. We’re talking Midwestern fatalism with Britpop energy to create some high-powered major-key jams. The ripping guitars converse with the thundering drums while the pounding bass riffs dance with the chord-heavy keyboard fills.
While project opener “Blue Skies” is my favorite, all four cuts are kinetic three-minute bops that have me eager to hear what the band does next.
Pile – Hot Air Balloon EP (Exploding in Sound)
Oh look. It’s another EP! This time, we’re listening to a tremendous five-song project from Pile. The Hot Air Balloon EP finds this sterling trio pushing beyond their aggressive rock roots to embrace more angular moods and motifs. This taut melange of post-punk and indie hearkens to Mission of Burma rocking out with Minus the Bear, complete with sublime syncopation.
The entire effect calls to mind a long journey traversing a series of gloomy moors or cloud-covered plateaus. Keening tenor vocals pair well with crisp drumming and textured guitar crunch, which lets me know the musical travelers are prepared. However, the impressionistic lyrics and spectral synth arpeggios give the record a moody presence that I found irresistible.
I recommend digging deep into the title track and “Exits Blocked” for the best representation of the band’s current sensibilities.
Sprints – Letter to Self (City Slang)
After reviewing my 2023 Indie Inspection columns, I’ve decided to introduce a new bit: the band that should have received a full-fledged review because it’s so damn good. The January 2024 installment belongs to Sprints, a British quartet that melds furious punk with goth glower to superb results. On Letter to Self, the band showcases its love for Fugazi, Bauhaus, and Bikini Kill with a passionate frenzy.
This impressive emotional onslaught comes courtesy of fiery delivery and lyrics laden with personal significance. Karla Chubb, the lead singer and songwriter, packs a lifetime of urgent desperation in her voice as she excoriates and lambasts everyone who has ever hurt her. The snarling guitar work and nasty bass licks have the space to bludgeon your ears only because the powerful drums provide such trenchant rhythms.
This sort of tremendous cacophony can only be created by a group that’s so locked in they actually develop a loose feel to their playing style. Led by splendid selections such as “Heavy,” “Cathedral,” “Literary Mind,” and “Up and Comer,” this debut album should stay in everyone’s ears all year long.
Yama Uba – Silhouettes (Ratskin)
Gloomy synth-pop will never die. Then again, such melodramatic music has always been with us, even before the invention of electronic keyboards, samplers, and other such technology. Sometimes, the only difference between darkwave and opera is the banging drum programming that gets your ass moving on the dance floor.
I would imagine that Yama Uba would agree with me. Silhouettes marries the talents of Akiko Sampson and Winter Zora to create compelling, clattering goth-pop. Imagine a bevy of bouncing synth patches and pointed guitars vying for attention atop skittering drum rhythms. Think the vocal power of Culture Club, morose moods of The Cure, and pop majesty of New Order.
The duo has immense ideas about the power of synthesized music. They’re well aware that manipulating tempo, pitch, and timbre can influence how people approach and appreciate their songs. That knowledge gives them the freedom to experiment with echo, tremolo, reverb, and delay to develop fresh sounds and update old ones. If you’re a fan of sexy, smart pop that knows how to build and maintain pronounced vibes, you need to listen to “Shapes,” “Facade,” and “Laura.”
Thanks for stopping by to read The Indie Inspection for January 2024.
Be sure to check out our archives for more of my recommendations.