Cate Le Bon’s “Dirt on the Bed”: Art Pop from a Singular Perspective
Today, not one but two members of the indie rock elite, both emblematic of their decades, have released new albums. Animal Collective, whose wild-child exuberance helped define the sound of the genre in the 00s, have returned with the balmy Time Skiffs, their strongest album since 2009’s Merriweather Post Pavilion. Meanwhile, Mitski reckons with her […]
Eileen Gogan and Sean O’Hagan on “Wave,” The Art of Arrangement, and Lucid Dreaming
When a singer-songwriter starts folding complex arrangements into their music, there’s always the risk of the music becoming too neat or too fussy: a Ferrero Rocher that’s all wrapper and no chocolate. Eileen Gogan’s collaborations with Sean O’Hagan avoid that pitfall, largely because, well, she’s Eileen Gogan and he’s Sean O’Hagan. Gogan has become a […]
The Moon Caravan on Collaboration, Process, and “Brand New Age”
To really review a song, you tend to leave it on repeat. You open up an empty document, start researching the band, and let the song soak in. Leaving it on as you pace around and try to bash out an outline while the song settles around you. The Moon Caravan’s “Brand New Age” did […]
Philippe Nash’s “Wounded Love”: Drifting and Sensual
Philippe Nash beckons listeners into a drifting, half-familiar landscape with his new single “Wounded Love.” To my own mind, the four-minute track shimmers with textures of gray: the unflinching glare of steel, the raw swirls of mountain fog, the pearly accents of snow crushed into your windshield. Much of Nash’s past work has been concerned […]
“Throw Me A Line” by The Moving Stills: Nostalgic Summer Warmth
Picture yourself in the passenger seat of a car with the windows down. Imagine it’s around five or six o’clock, you’re on the highway home after a long day at the beach, and the sun is setting. While you’re sort of bummed that the day is over, you’re mostly overwhelmed with feelings of calmness, fulfillment, […]
Erika Wester on “Novelty,” Songwriting, and Human Connection
“Novelty” feels like it was plucked from the past. It has a sepia tone over the flowing, expressive lyrics and dream pop atmosphere. It’s like a few dusty photographs in the attic, depicting the past of a relationship that just didn’t happen. Erika Wester explores these ideas inside this West Coast, dreamy style. The song […]
8 Top Music Marketing Courses in 2022
Here are eight music marketing courses that can help you take your career to the next level: 80/20 Music Business Crash Course Steps to Take to Effectively Sell Music Online Band Builder Academy INDIEPRO Music Marketing 101 Music Promotion Insiders Social Media for Music Advanced Sync Strategies for Film, TV, and Video Games A bit […]
“collar” by sophie meiers: An Intimate Love Song Turned Askew
There’s something great about a song that doesn’t waste any time drawing you into its world. Take a song like “Jack” by U.S. Girls: less than a second in, and the listener is already immersed in a seedy, grungy glam underworld. It’s the mark of an artist in complete control, an artist who knows their […]
Indie Bible Review: Worth It? (2023)
Let me cut to the chase with the big-picture takeaway of this review: Yes, I do think the Indie Bible is legit, and if you’re committed to doing your own promotion / outreach, it’s likely worth the investment. There’s nuance here. I don’t think the Indie Bible is for everyone, necessarily, and I’m going to […]
“The Rain” by Lunar Noon: Melodic, Eclectic Beauty
Now the rain has come again/I’d forgotten of it since/Now the rain is pouring in/Can’t escape, it’s everything Michelle Zheng’s musical project Lunar Noon shimmers with cosmic urgency in their January single “The Rain.” This three-minute track is couched in bone-chilling harmonies, Zheng’s voice circling around itself over a deliciously menacing bass played by Rodrigo […]
