The Best Indie Songs of 2015 - The Strypes

The Strypes are some Irish lads with a rhythm and blues background who blew up fast. Their first short player was self-funded and promoted while they were still in high school. There first album was number 2 on the charts in Ireland and there second Little Victories (Aug’15) topped the charts. There singer is still 17. They count Dave Grohl and Noel Gallaher as big fans and are represented by Elton John’s management company who said,"They have a knowledge of R&B and blues at 16 years of age that I have only amassed in my 65 years. They're just like a breath of fresh air." They are influenced by Lead Belly, Muddy Waters, The Who and The Rolling Stones but there third single What A Shame was influenced by the Arctic Monkeys.

Perhaps it’s no surprise then that Get Into It (Jun'15) the first single off their second album, sounds pure English indie with a side of rhythm and blues and minded more than one reviewer of an Arctic Monkeys tune. I was minded more of a more contemporary vibe, say The Academic, KONGOS or even Peace. This reviewer says the song is "...dripping with swagger". A song about the joys and travails of online dating it has a gritty big groove and a joyous seize the day chorus. Fucking get amongst it because The Strypes have turned in a tune here as tight as a nuns cunt and easily one of the best indie tunes of 2015.

"Love’s easy on the wrist"

 

 

Shit you need to know:

Not everyone likes the change of style with the Guardian reviewer critical of the albums lack of contemporary relevance, fucking knob jockey, and making comparisons to vintage Kasabian and Arctic Monkeys while noting the album was “all singalong ladrock choruses.”

NME were similarly nonplussed saying The Strypes "attack album two with abandon, largely at the expense of quality".

The Strypes have been compared in the past to Dr. Feelgood but the new album more to Arctic Monkeys, Royal Blood, The Fratellis and Oasis.

The band crack wood to The Foo Fighters and grew up smashing out Kaiser Chief’s I Predict A Riot.

Julien Temple who is most famous for his docs of the Sex Pistols and The Clash is doing the same for The Strypes.

The guitarist isn’t into posers, “I was in Shoreditch the other night and it was all about beards and hipsters and I thought, ‘That shite doesn't do anything for me’.”

Other Strypes songs to rip a hole in your shit box are What A Shame, Blue Collar Jane and Hometown Girls.

 

Slippery seconds is a change of pace. Minneapolis indie rockers Step Rockets and their biggest hit, the dance rock tune Kisser (2013).

“Leave a light, leave a little loving light”

 

 

 

 

The Best Indie Songs of 2015 - Owel

Owel hail from New Jersey and are one long-player to the good.  Every Good Boy Does Fine springs off the same-titled short player. A song that kicks in as hard and fast as a Saigon mugging. Pop Matters called it an “upbeat, infectious tune” and others said it is“…an orchestrated masterpiece... powerful and poppy.” Owel's orchestral arrangements combined with traditional rock band and ethereal vocals are a source of wonder for some. Owel's main influences are Radiohead and Sigur Rios but their vocal harmonies mind others of The Beach Boys.

 

 

Every Good Boys Does Fine (April'15) is a song that explores the idea of chasing your dreams with eyes wide open to the fact that no person is inherently special but you just need to march on and do your best. Unlike most Owel songs that are slow burners this brings out the heavy artillery early doors. A few bars of glockenspiel and then straight into guitar crashing, string led, all ins. Every Good Boy Does Fine rocks hard while sounding as sweet as teenage pussy and is one of the best indie songs of 2015.

“I’m a rare dying breed and I’ll make it if I'm patient, 

Every good boy does fine”



Shit you need to know:
 

The new E.P Every Good Boy Does Fine (April’15) was produced by Mike Watts who has worked for As Tall As Lions and The Deer Hunter.

The band have been compared to Anderson Cale.

Owel have performed fluffer duties for Minus The Bear and American Authors among others.

The band have shared their love for Sigur Rios, Smashing Pumpkins, Radiohead, St Vincent and Al Green.

Other  star Owel songs include Once The Ocean and Snowglobe.

 

 

The two-for-one today was voted the best Australian Song of all time by Australian songwriters. This is the anthem for the marginalized Shark Fin Blues (2005) by the Aussie alternative rock band The Drones.


 

“The waters licking round my ankles now,
  There ain’t no sunshine way way down.”          
                                    

 

 

 

 

 



The Best Indie Songs of 2015 - The Van Jets

The Van Jets are a Belgian garage pop-rock band who began by following in the glam-rock footsteps of David Bowie and T.Rex but evolved into synth driven 80’s pop and funk that minds me of Alcoholic Faith Mission and Joywave a little. Two Tides of Ice (April'15) has been called “ just plain contagious” and “a little darker than what we're used to, but... catchy as hell.” The Van Jet's were influenced by listening to Kanye West's Yeezus while making the new album.

Two Tides of Ice is expansive electronic space rock in the realm of Galaxie with a hiphop-esque delivery in the verses. It's as funky as a Bangkok rent-boy’s taint at four in the morning. Epic lyrics, “All the way from Babylon all the way to Mars” tells it loud and proud, these fuckers aren’t bothering the small stuff and they ain’t taking prisoners. This is what I’d want to be listening to if I was in the German army when the Allied invasion of Normandy woke them up and death was landing on the beaches. This is total surrender. The Van Jets have exploded into 2015 with one of the best indie songs of the year.

“I drink and I lie and I cheat,

Get your fuck me boots”

Shit you need to know:

Two Tides of Ice is the first single from The Van Jet's fourth album Welcome To Strange Paradise (April’15).

Welcome To Strange Paradise was produced by Leo Abrahams who has done the hard yards for Paolo Nutini, Oscar and the Wolf and Wild Beasts.

The mixing of the long player was done by T’Chad Blake who has worked for Arctic Monkeys, The Black Keys and Pearl Jam.

The album contains songs that explore environmental issues with an ironic Pop Art twist.


The band’s main squeezes are David Bowie, Grace Jones, Beck and Gorillaz.

Someone thinks that The Van Jets are similar to Balthazar and Oscar and the Wolf.

Other Van Jet songs that don't suck donkey dick are Here Comes The Light and WelcomeTo Strange Paradise. But Two Tides Of Ice is the bolter in the pack.
 

Slippery seconds comes courtesy of English indie rockers The Kaiser Chiefs and their best barn-burner I Predict A Riot (2005).

“Watching the people get lairy
It's not very pretty I tell thee
Walking through town is quite scary
It's not very sensible either..”

 

The Best Indie Songs of 2015 - Parachute

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The Best Indie Songs of 2015 - The Helio Sequence

The Helio Sequence are an indie rock duo from Portland, Oregon. Well Beaverton to be precise. Ha ha, Beaverton. They have been making tunes together since 1996. The band were described by Buzz Bands as being “purveyors of cerebral indie-rock” and have diverse influences from the likes of 50’s jazz to Frank Sinatra to Chameleon to Slow Dive.

 

Stoic Resemblance (March'15) is Mancy gold much like hearing the Stone Roses classic Made In Stone for the first time. But this tune at just over three minutes is taut. The bass, drums and hooks are right up front for a rollercoaster ride into dreamy indie with noisy guitar assisted crescendos. A song dealing with existential anxiety this has a trippy vibe “...I can’t be bothered with reality...” and is a proper arse-shaker. This is the kinda song you name check like John Cusack's character did in High Fidelity with The Beta Band. This is top shelf. This is one of the best indie songs of 2015. This is the amazing Stoic Resemblance by The Helio Sequence.

“When I see you walk

you got me weak in the knees”


 

 

 



Shit you need to know:

“Stoic Resemblance” is the lead single from the bands sixth album, self titled, “The Helio Sequence” (May’15).

“Stoic Resemblance” is “the most pop-friendly things the duo have put to tape” according to a Seattle radio station, while Under The Gun Review thought it a  “a perfect indie-pop jam” and Buzz Bands big-upped it by calling it a “rager”.

Paste Magazine called the self-titled album “their best work yet” and a “euphoric, career-defining album”.

The band consider the new album to be there most “in the moment” because of the spontaneous process of recording and freer from obvious influences than others.

The drummer Benjamin Weikel drummed on two Modest Mouse albums Good News For People Who Like Bad News and No Ones First And You're Next.

The Helio Sequence songs with shit that don't stink are October, Upward Mobility and Keep Your Eyes Ahead.

 

 

The dodgy double dip comes courtesy of fellow Portland natives and alternative rockers The Dandy Warhols. Bohemian Like You (2000) remains their biggest hit.