“I’d Be Orange” by Johanna Warren: Blissfully Chill Indie Rock About Pop Martyrdom
In the music video for “I’d Be Orange,” Johanna Warren only gets through the first line of her song before she’s interrupted by her boss at the diner where she works as a waitress. “I’m not paying you to serenade the rats!” he snarls. “Get back to work!” It’s easy to see why she might […]
“Sideline” by Low Phase: Exploring Compassion Fatigue
Low Phase, a shaggy, amiable indie rock band from Grand Rapids, Michigan, describes themselves in their Twitter bio as “the indie band of your dreams.” It’s a bit of knowing hubris on their part, and it’s clearly intended at least partially in jest, but there’s a kernel of truth to it. In their nifty guitar […]
Retrospective Review: On “Deep Six Textbook”, Let’s Eat Grandma Toss The Rulebook Overboard
It’s October 18, 2016. Later…with Jools Holland is set to air its weekly mix of live performances by both iconic and up-and-comers on the international music scene. Tonight, squeezed between KT Tunstall and The Temptations (of “My Girl” and “Papa was a Rolling Stone” fame,) it seems that somebody left the back door open and […]
“A Lovers Plea (Act I)” by Mountains Like Wax: A flood of raw emotion
Content warning: this post deals with heavy subjects and mentions themes involving suicide. If you prefer to avoid these subjects, then do whatever makes you most comfortable. Feel free to skip this post, and if you’re in the mood, you can check out this review I wrote on “Park Song” by Bee Hall. “A Lovers […]
Lainey Dionne on “2009,” Winning Awards, and European Boyfriends
You don’t hear many nostalgic songs about the good ol’ days of 2009 – mainly because America was suffering the pain of the Great Recession that year. But for high schooler Lainey Dionne, it was a magical time. When the most stressful Monday was hanging out on the couch With our Game Boys and screen […]
Will Wood on “White Noise,” Decisions on Singles, and Empty Celebrations
Will Wood has established a cult following for his clever, theatrical music, and it’s not hard to see why it’s struck a chord. A songwriter with the incisive clarity of Bo Burnham and Lemon Demon’s knack for playful absurdity, Wood uses quirky themes and presentations to explore the gnawing horror of the modern condition. “Suburbia […]
“Penny Slain” by Jason Whatley and Anthony Rochester: Cheeky, Beatles-Riffing Twee
“Penny Slain” is a classic sounding twee single resulting from the collaboration of two Australian musicians: Jazz composer and pianist Jason Whatley accompanied by rock artist Anthony Rochester. The vocals are written and sung by Whatley, while Rochester produced the track and can be heard on the drums, bass, guitar, melodica, organ, and even the […]
“Spin Move” by Faux Canada: Gorgeous Pop-Tinged Shoegaze
Making music since 2012, Faux Canada is a quartet from the heart of San Francisco, describing their sound as “like the feeling of showing up at a raucous house-party and getting pulled into a closet by your secret crush”. The indie group consists of members Melinda Wegent, David Lean, Alejandro Soini, and Kevin Hobson, all […]
Honey Cellar Captures a Collage of Human Experiences on Sophomore Album Borders
Moving seamlessly from topics like unfulfilled love, family, grief and the wider scope of our roles on Earth, Honey Cellar’s Borders is a thoughtful representation of what it means to be human. Gliding seamlessly between evocative subject matters and weaving them together with artful ease, the group explains that the album was born out of […]
“Guthrie” by Julien Baker: A Desolate, Beautiful Return to Her Debut
It’s unfair to expect an artist to stick rigidly to the sound of their first album, no matter how beloved it may be. If the fans are loud and angry enough, it’s downright stifling, limiting the artist’s creative potential and telling them that they’re only accepted if they stay within one little pigeonhole. Even if […]
