Tag Archives: indie rock

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Phoebe Bridgers Invites the Apocalypse in Her Epic “I Know The End” Video

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One of the joys in music is how brutally it can strip away all ego. I’ve seen grown men cry at Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On.” I’ve seen a band of young Japanese girls play the hardest metal you’ll ever hear. 

When it comes to music, the feeling you get when that song starts, or how you lose yourself in the lyrics, is all that matters. 

Phoebe Bridgers makes impossibly pretty, yet emotionally carving indie rock. Her music has this ability to cut you to the core, yet keep you coming back for more. 

This is her gift as a songwriter, to craft something so approachable, and making it deadly. She’s the human embodiment of a butterfly knife- floating delicately along, until it cuts you.

On her latest album, Punisher, she cuts deeper than ever before. “I Know the End,” the climatic album-closer, is one of the best songs of the year. 

What starts as a strumming guitar grows into an erupting volcano. Bridgers’ voice is light as a feather, almost like a whisper in the breeze, until it comes crashing down around us. The song builds and builds into an all out apocalypse of guitars, drums, and shouts to anyone who’ll listen.

The result is nothing short of stunning, and the video is no different. Director Alissa Torvinen finds Bridgers in a bleak, world, gone past the brink of extinction. As the song builds to its crescendo, the fire and flames do too.  

It’s a victory lap for an artist at the top of her game, and exactly what a world currently in shambles needs to see right now. 

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Hippo Campus Electrify Sold-Out Crowd in Kansas City

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An ocean of fans awaited the eclectic and electric indie-rock band, Hippo Campus. From the first glitchy synth tone to the final guitar strum, every eye in the room was locked on lead singer Jake Luppen and Company, and not a single pair of feet stood solitary.

The pure joy in the room was palpable instantly. This kind of joy was syrupy sweet and painted the walls pink and purple and perfumey like cotton candy and summer nights.

The band opened with the melodic and sultry “Bambi,” which was barely audible through the shrieks and shouts and emotions of radiant love. Next, fan-favorite “The Way It Goes” lit up the crowd like the night sky on the Fourth of July and New Years combined. Fans sang and danced to every word and basked in the warm heat enveloping the crowded room, as guitars loudly jangled.

Through the entire set, through “Doubt,” through “Simple Season,” through “Suicide Saturday,” through “Buttercup,” the airy sugary vibe in the venue hung thick in the air, suspended by the bright red, blue, pink, and violet hues of light beams.

This warmth kept fans down sweaty and damp down to their t-shirts even after they wandered out into the sub-zero degree temperatures outside. For that night, for those hours, the world outside seemed like a beach, and the music sounded unlimited.

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Kansas City’s HEMBREE Plots Massive 2019, Releases New Track “Culture”

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The great Kansas City indie-rockers Hembree are specialists in all things catchy and creative. Constantly evolving their sound and enveloping new styles and genres, their new single, “Culture” takes massive leaps into unchartered territory, and the result is exhilarating and fresh.

Long known as one of Kansas City’s gems, Hembree are no rookies to the scene. The group graced NPR’s list of “Slingshot Artists” last year. While infusing catchy rock music with slick synths and jangly guitar riffs, lead vocalist Isaac Flynn lays down relatable and poignant lyrics.

Flynn explains of the song: “These days we put so much emphasis on things that lack actual significance. Everything is urgent and I wanted to try to capture this urgency in a song and question what we prioritize. It’s about taking the time to stop and reflect; to think for yourself and establish your own opinions. The song also touches on the lengths people go to for status and power. There’s the realization that these qualities don’t actually equal happiness. Thus, ‘ the king of the culture is never really free…’”

Hembree’s latest offering, “Culture” features hip-hop rhythms, ear-worm melodies, and veteran-level song-crafting. It’s readily apparent that these guys are onto something incredibly exciting in 2019.

The band plans to release their album, House On Fire via Thirty Tigers on April 26.

Preorder House on Fire HERE

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There’s No Sweeter Sound Than Alvvays

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On Thursday night, I attended my third concert in three days. A rowdy Jack White show and an intense JPEGMAFIA/ Injury Reserve show preceded my finale of the trifecta, a syrupy sweet indie-pop set from Alvvays.

After the week I’ve had, my ears, knees, and sleep schedule may never recover, but it was a perfect week. All I can say is thank god for Alvvays.

The Toronto dream-pop group played the most pleasant, lovely, catchy, impactful tunes I’ve heard in a long time. Beneath clouds of light and warm blankets of guitars and bass, Alvvays swooned and serenaded a sold-out crowd at the RecordBar into pure bliss.

The music that singer Molly Rankin and Alvvays produce from instruments and amps is emotional yet  uplifting, powerful yet soothing. There is a general serenity throughout the room when they play.

I was fortunate to watch from a balcony, so I was able to see the entire crowd. Indie kids bobbed their heads in glee, smiles on every face in the audience. In fact, there’s a specific indie-kid bounce that happens during this kind of sweet poppy music, it’s like a bobble back and forth with head-nods to the beat throughout. I’m guilty of it too, and it’s just delightful to see. But how can you not dance to “Adult Diversion”?

The show was jam-packed with insanely lovely songs, with the band never even stopping to take a breath, let alone a sip of water. “In Undertow” led right into “Plimsoll Punks” and followed by “Lollipop” and then “Not My Baby.” Hit after hit after hit after hit!

“Your Type” got everyone’s feet moving and heads bobbing around. The song is fun to cruise to in a car, but sounds 10 million times better live.

The main entree of the night was “Archie, Marry Me,” which I wish never ended. Even now, as I’m writing this, some two-hours after the show, I wish I was still listening to “Archie, Marry Me” in that dingy bar. That song is perfect, and the performance of it was flawless.

Alvvays are already a big deal in the indie world, but while watching them crush their set with the precision of a Swiss wristwatch, I couldn’t help but think of them taking over the world. They have a phenomenal sound, incredible live show, and songs that could fit into a movie or a commercial, or a main stage at a music festival. The world is really Alvvays’ oyster.

If you can make it out to an Alvvays show, do it. You’ll be instantly taken away to a magical place where music heals and love is eternal.

http://alvvays.com/tour

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Peanut Butter Pretzels and Indie Rock: Sure Sure Prepare for a Kansas City Performance

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“Soundchecking is like being in a relationship, it’s all communication.”

Life is a learning experience. Every day, every challenge, every triumph- a lesson.
Sure Sure has learned a lot in the past year.

The Los Angeles band went from living together in a shammy house to riding together in a van, touring North America. On their first national tour, they supported indie-breakout act Hippo Campus. Admittedly, they were just getting used to life on the road.

“Last time there were crushed peanut butter snacks on the ground and chocolate smeared on the seats, this time the van is very clean,” the band said in a phone interview I had with them.

The independent band has been working since 2014 and as one of the lyrics in “This Must Be the Place,” (which they phenomenally cover) they’re making it up as they go along.

When I talked to the band, they were surveying the sprawling plains of Idaho. As relatively bland as that may sound, they describe the scene with a brightness and such vivid colors that I actually imagine myself there with them, watching the miles of grass fly by.

Sure Sure is headlining a tour behind their new album Sure Sure. The album features poppy indie-rock with riffy guitars, punchy pianos, and fun lyrics and hand-clappy drums.

Some of my favorite tracks are “Friends,” “Giants,” “New Biome,” and “Hands Up, Head Down,” but there really are no bad songs on this album. They all have a charm to them that’s ridiculously infectious.



The music speaks for itself as the band continues gaining more and more fans along the road. They said they’ve made fans from Vancouver to San Luis Obispo and it’s been great seeing music lovers young and old come out to sing and dance and let go of their cares for a night.

“The shows have been really exciting and fulfilling.”

As a band, the sky is the limit. They don’t have plans to sign to a label anytime soon, because they’re learning everything a label does by doing it themselves. In the meantime, they’re just touring the country in their clean van, listening to AC/DC and enjoying the ride.

Come see Sure Sure play live at the RIOT ROOM in Kansas City on April 12, 2018. Links to tickets are here: https://www.theriotroom.com/event/1636859-sure-sure-kansas-city/

 

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Adventure Awaits at Marfa Myths 2018

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Music festivals come in all shapes, sizes- blending genres and breaking on through to the weirder side of life. How else would you describe 4 days in Far West Texas, listening to an eclectic grouping of bands and artists while transcending the very concept of what a weekend could be?

Marfa Myths is an annual experience that breaks all boundaries of what a music festival can be. Merging art installations, mind-bending scenery, and diverse music spanning all sounds and styles- somewhere in the deserts of Marfa, Texas, something unique is happening next weekend.

Packing one of the most diverse and expansive lineups of the year, Marfa never lacks a jaw-dropping combination of national and local acts. This year, Allah-Las, Circuit Des Yeux, Drugdealer, Helado Negro with an Ensemble (!), Jessica Pratt, Wire, and The Weather Station, along with several others will be transforming the landscape of Marfa into a multidisciplinary sonic-scape.

Each year, Marfa Myths features rare artist residencies, and this year, the dynamic duo of Cate Le Bon and Bradford Cox (Deerhunter, The Atlas Sound) will be blending their styles into musical exploration. Even more heartwarming, Connan Mockasin and his dad Ade Mockasin will be playing songs spanning their generations. This will be a can’t miss experience.

There is simply too much awesomeness going on to not take a journey down to West Texas. You never know what you’ll experience, how it’ll shift your perspective, and where the festival will spiritually take you. You’ll just have to dive in head first and wade in the waters. You’ll be glad you did.

Find much more information on Marfa Myths and buy tickets here: https://marfamyths.com/

 

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Alvvays Strum Sweetly to Kansas City Soon

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When Toronto indie-rock band Alvvays come to town, all bad weather, bad omens, and bad vibes go someplace far, far away. Their beautiful, breezy, buoyant sounds radiate through amps and microphones and relocate audiences to a tropical paradise all to their own.

Alvvays have garnered a steady following after their fantastic debut self-titled album dropped in 2014, but it was on 2017’s Antisocialites that the band reached extraordinary peaks. The group’s washed out, sunny sound finding its perfect fit, like your favorite pair of worn-in jeans.

The stunningly gorgeous “Dreams Tonight” floats effortlessly, and sounds like a picturesque first-kiss moment from a John Hughes 90’s movie. Vocalist Molly Rankin serenades an instantly catchy chorus as guitars strum carelessly and harmonies billow.

“Not My Baby” is a brutally beautiful and crushing stance of independence and freedom. The lyrics “Traded my rose-coloured shades for a wide lens / Used to make noise, now, I much prefer silence,” shake off the shadows of an ex, leaving behind a stronger, more confident person.

But if you’re preparing to see Alvvays, you might want to bring your dancing shoes, in case they break out “Your Type,” or “Lollipop” which feature pounding drums and swing-y hooks. These tracks sound like the perfect songs to playfully push around to in a friendly moshpit full of emotional kids.

Alvvays are bringing their shoegazey guitars and unbearably sweet songs to Kansas City on April 26th at the RecordBar. Tickets went in a blink of an eye, but you can watch out for my review after the show. And if they’re coming to a town or music festival near you, this is definitely not one to miss.