An interesting blend of dance music and breezy chill wave with a clear world music influence. The album draws from multiple cultures in the form of beats to sampled fills. It is a very much international album but the beat is the driving force that unifies all of the references in pursuit of new sounds. […]

Heavy rock music rooted in the blues with tales of outlaws and other renegades. The main sound is distorted guitar similar to the technique Jack White has been employing in his solo albums and a bit from his time in the White Stripes, even though he doesn’t play that instrument in this group. Fans of […]

Homeshake’s newest record is a night album. The oozy synthesizer tones and drum machines beats keeps your head nodding off like your sleepily watching a movie, yet you cannot surrender to sleep because you want to hear the next song. It is a slice of 80s bedroom-pop with a twist of R&B. The twangy guitars of […]

A more acoustic and ethereal effort than Vile’s last release. The whole album expertly plays at the contrast between light music and dark lyrical content and how Vile can blend those aspects like paint on a palette to show light in dark topics and darkness in light music. It’s an album that touches on many […]

Hooton Tennis Club play guitar pop that is both scrappy and slacker. The album is lo-fi with pop gems of the 90s hidden within each track’s catchy guitar riffs. It will go nicely with the changing colors of fall and leaves falling. TRACKS:2,3,5,6,9,10,12 RIYL: Pavement, FIDLAR, The Babies, Real Estate

Beirut has made music that draws on various influences over the course of his career. This new album finds its place closer to a modern time than some of his past records have shown. It is not of the same grandiose style as The Rip Tide turned out to be, no large horn sections vivifying […]

As the bassist for Vampire Weekend, Chris Baio provides the groove to the peppy, African-tinted music that has influenced countless new bands in the creation of their sound; this new album still possess the groove of those records but with a direction pointed more towards the dance floor than Cape Cod. He has stated David […]

Laid-back psychedelic rock with a warmth stemming from the acoustic guitar and keyboards used. As if each component was sent through a warped tape recorder, these songs are similar to the music created by Mac Demarco. These songs however utilize time and really aim to squeeze out every drop of song. Using vintage equipment gives […]

Jay Reatard is one of the more prolific garage punk writers that ever lived. Though only one song comes close to reaching the conventional 3-minute song standard, these songs are filled with energy. The topics presented in each song are coming from the mind of an 18-year old and that is apparent, with songs ranging […]

Touted as intergalactic disco-funk, the vibe of this album is like a more soulful chill wave but with a noticeable lack of heart put into each song. Not to say that the songs are not the product of hard work and dedication but to be labeled soulful has a certain connotation that this record does […]

With a large presence in the indie rock world as a part of the New Pornographers, Dan Bejar’s work as Destroyer has been equally acclaimed. The new album, Poison Season, is no different as the catchy sound of the New Pornographers is embraced while adding a more 70s style rock that adds a E Street-style […]

With a sound that emerges from two different realms of music, an interesting sound emerges from Deradoorian. There is certainly an influence from the Dirty Projectors who the lead sound maker in Deradoorian was once a part of; there is also a more experimental sound from a more psychedelic and spiritual realm. The sounds can […]

The opener has a bit of Brit-pop influence and it makes this album different than the Oberhofer people may remember. The songs aren’t quite as dreamy but has more bite and heavier drum fills. There is a pop punk influence as well with what seems like lots of power chords but also more orchestral sounds. […]

Psychedelic beach rock equal part Dick Dale and the Doors. The songs sound like Halloween on the beach with haunting backing vocals coming off as distant surf ghosts and the tone of the guitars and waves of feedback add to the surf tones. Overall it is a cool sound that is deeply rooted in the […]

The opening instrumental “The Disney Afternoon” really places you in the world of St. Catherine and brings you into the mindset for the rest of this record with its calming keyboards and dreamy guitar strums. The addition of vocals allows for deeper diving into this world of sounds that Ducktails has constructed. There are certainly […]

The music is aggressive but somehow it is very soothing. It is a weird experience listening to this record as my first instinct when faced with loud noises and pounding drums is to lower the volume, but this record is different where it uses the large sounds to create manageable musical experiences and really allows […]

With the signature twangy guitar tones just dressing the simple, yet elegant melodies that put you in a good mood. The flow from verse to chorus remains so seamless and the lyrics continue to play at the tricky point of broadness and deep observations of the daily life and love. There is clear jazz club […]

The opening track for Currents sounds like it could come from a video game as it transitions with each level completed leading to a new universe all within a single song. The production of Tame Impala tracks has always been a wonder of some kind with the crisp drums and recognizable bass tones that make […]

Reverb-soaked guitar licks with soothing melodies. This album has a warm sound that envelopes the listener in a kaleidoscopic daze without losing song structure and keeping each song short and sweet. TRACKS: 4,3,5,6,9,10,13 RIYL: Ultimate Painting, The Kinks, Twin Peaks, White Fence

Neil Young’s latest political effort is aimed at Monsanto, the food producer that has a tight grip on the farmers of America and elsewhere. Neil Young does not hide behind many metaphors in this album to disguise the story he is trying to tell. The farmers of America are being affected by Monsanto, Young has […]

With that twangy guitar sound that has been so popular recently, this album straddles the line between melancholy and optimism. The music is guitar-heavy but utilizes strings and vocals to adorn the twangy riffs making for a very unique and pretty sound. TRACKS: 1,3,6,7 RIYL: Homeshake, White Fence, Mac Demarco

Fiery rock music pulsating with energy. Nice melodies and guitar riffs that are positive songs just looking to have fun. TRACKS:1,2,4,7 RIYL: Sonny & the Sunsets, Broncho, Japandroids, Twerps, Hockey Dad

With music composed by the upper echelon of indie music, the choir creates hurricane-like swirls of vocals that make you want to sit out the storm in the comfort of this album. It is incredibly beautiful. Choirs are not typically associated with the composers of these songs, but each composers’ past work is written in […]

Very Brit-pop that excites and brings back to the early aughts. The music is very guitar heavy, while the vocals are drawn out in a strained singing method that sounds like a muffled shout or a bedroom vocalist fearful of waking up their parents. Fans of the Cribs earlier work will enjoy this album as […]

With that classic “indie pop” sound that throws you right into any low budget movie of the 2000s. The guitarist seems weighed down and it effects the singer as many songs seemed to be dragging out and draining themselves of energy. It is the classic slacker guitar rock album that everyone likes to stare into […]