“Fruiting Body” by GOON: Fascinating, Spore-Inspired Indie Rock
When I was asked to review “Fruiting Body,” the latest single from LA-based indie group Goon, I didn’t think I would start by learning about fungi. But it’s a wild, strange world and perhaps I shouldn’t have been surprised to find myself reading about mushrooms and the taxonomic hierarchy— remember species, genius, family, order, and […]
“Polar Pop” by Herbert Walker: Creative, Catchy Indie Pop
Upon my first listen, I anticipated from the introduction of “Polar Pop” that the song would resemble more of a simple lo-fi beat reminiscent of background music one might use for studying. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth. “Polar Pop” by the Phoenix-based band Herbert Walker seems to perfectly reflect what its title […]
Uhl’s “Miss United States” Shows the Tragedy of a Woman’s Life Squandered
In this day and age, there’s something almost quaint about beauty pageants. They have been rightly criticized for perpetuating restrictive beauty standards and outdated gender roles, demanding absolute purity from the contestants while ogling their swimsuit-clad bodies. But many institutions have been outpaced by the Internet, and beauty pageants may be losing the sexist arms […]
Alysia Kraft on “Cold Mountain,” Queer Identity, and Live Music
Alysia Kraft’s magnetic voice cuts through crisp air in a bittersweet serenade of imperfect love and loss in “Cold Mountain”. The shimmering, indie-folk-pop song paints time and place with a clear brush, sharing mesmerizing vignettes of her homeland. The place Kraft describes is one of an opaque, sometimes harsh beauty. Coming from a small cattle […]
“You Think You’re Like the Rain” by Jenny Berkel: Swirling, Poetic Folk Music
Jenny Berkel lays down a series of fresh, urgent images in her new release “You Think You’re Like the Rain.” The track swings in swirls of blue and smudges of indigo, conducting images of drowsy rain and leaky facuets and water that has a hitch in its breath. “You Think You’re Like the Rain” has […]
What Does a Music Producer Do?
Have you ever wondered how the best albums came to life? Were they the result of the immense talent of creative individuals or the collective work of artists, engineers, and managers? Over the last 60 years, an ocean of albums has been produced by artists exploring all sorts of genres. Yet, each of those publications […]
“Pismo” by Tino Drima: Love, Plain and Simple
I once had an English teacher tell me that young love best represents love in its purest form. Uncorrupted and simple, teenage romance is hardly affected by wealth, occupation, or family; rather, it encapsulates partners loving each other for nothing but who they are. I think about that from time to time. I feel like […]
Ethan Luce on “Airplane Mode,” Music During the Pandemic, and Having Fun
“Airplane Mode” by Ethan Luce blends surf rock with indie pop, sending you into a delicious, summery haze where funk is on cruise control. Upbeat and playful, the splendid track substitutes the head noise of incessant news media with something more delightful. “Airplane Mode” opens with just soft, naked guitar plucks shadowed by a subdued, […]
“Teeth” by Langkamer: Warm, Big-Hearted Indie Rock
When I was in high school and in a band—if you can call it that—we tried to create a certain type of sound. We tried to make music that mirrored our interests in modern indie and pop while also honoring the sounds of classic rock that we loved dearly. Lyrically, we wanted to make songs […]
Veronica Everheart on “time and time again” and Her Learning Experiences
The travel song is a classic part of the American road trip. The radio helps to create this mood of change and wonder. A sense of exploration and metamorphosis. Memories are made on these trips, and later on when those memories are hazy, the songs we associate with them bring those oft happier memories into […]
