The 30 Best Indie Rock Songs of 2016 (30 - 21)

No fucking about, here are the 30 best indie rock songs of 2016.

30. PUP - DVP 

PUP are a punk band from Toronto, Canada. They sound like The Bronx and Weezer. DVP (Feb'16) is the song you get seriously fucked up to pre-loading before a dangerous night on the town. A headbanging rush.

29. The Frights - Kids 

The Frights are a surf/garage band from San Diego, California. They sound like SWMRS and Wavves. Kids (Jan'16) is a scathing garage rocker with a poppy beat. Snarky fun.

28. CANVAS - Gold 

CANVAS are an electronic indie rock band from Toronto, Canada. They sound like E.L.O. and Cheap Trick. Gold (Jan'16) saunters along on one fat riff smelling of last nights whiskey and then turns soft and psychedelic. 

27. Beach Slang - Punks At A Disco Bar

Beach Slang are a punk band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They sound like Gaslight Anthem and Japandroids. Punks At A Disco Bar (July'16) is a punk anthem that enters on a guitar-only riff and then rolls along mid-tempo, all impassioned vocals but no fat or flourishes. 

26. Japandroids - Near To The Wild Heart Of Life 

Japandroids are an indie rock band from Vancouver, Canada. They sound like Death From Above 1979 or Titus Andronicus. Near To The Wild Heart Of Life (Nov'16) is a passionate rock song that will get you fired up to pursue your dreams. 

25. Pretty Vicious - National Plastics 

Pretty Vicious are a punk band from Merthyr, Wales. They sound like early Manic Street Preachers and Oasis. National Plastics (Oct'15) is an incendiary ball breaker that rocks harder than a jailhouse rapist's erection. 

24. FIDLAR - Why Generation 

FIDLAR are a surf/garage punk band from Los Angeles, California. They sound like SWMRS and The Orwells. Why Generation (Feb'16) is a garage rocker and a mosh pit bone breaker with something to say. 

23. The Bay Rays - New House 

The Bay Rays are an indie rock'n'roll band from Tunbridge Wells, England. They sound like The Fratellis and The Vaccines. New House (June'16) is a barn burning rock'n'roller as infectious as a Thai hooker's taint at three in the morning. 

22. The Rifles - Wall Around Your Heart 

The Rifles are an indie rock band from London, England. They sound like The Vaccines and The Jam. Wall Around Your Heart (July'16) meshes elements of punk with modern refined songwriting and production to create passionate pop rock.

 
21. Beware Of Darkness - Dope 

Beware Of Darkness are an indie rock band from Santa Barbara, California. They sound like The Family Rain and The Arctic Monkeys. Dope (July'16) is a classic rock/bluesy stomper that sports riffs as sticky as two hobos fucking in a puddle of piss.

Beware Of Darkness - Dope

1.    Who are the lads?

Beware Of Darkness are an alternative rock band from Santa Barbara, California. Rocking hard since 2010 they have one great album in the bag. Dope (July'16) is the lead single from their second long player Are You Real? (Sept'16). 

2. What's the tune like?

Dope is classic rock. The bluesy riffs are solid as a gold brick, licks embellish the verses with aplomb and the rhythm prances along. 

3. Who are Beware Of Darkness akin too? 

The Family Rain. Pop Matters were feeling The Arctic Monkeys.

4. What have the goon squad said about Dope? 

"All spunk and quick-licking riffs" - Pop Matters. 

"Chugs along on pure testosterone" - Buzzbands L.A. 

"The edgy track builds on dirty riffs" - Free Bike Valet.  

5. Which bands put the stomp into Beware Of Darkness' romp? 

Their main influences are Led Zeppelin, Paul McCartney, The White Stripes, Wolfmother and Jeff Buckley. 

6. Why should I give Dope a dabble? 

Dope has riffs and licks as sticky as two hobos making love in a puddle of piss. 

7. Do Beware Of Darkness have any more cracking good songs? 

Abso-bloody-lutely. Howl is a steaming, hard rocking tune. My Planet Is Dead tells it how it is over a storming bluesy groove. Get your snout in the trough. 

8. Any more words fella? 

Are You Real? is produced by Catherine Marks who has done the same deed for Foals, The Amazons and Sunset Sons. 

"You got me with my hands up singing"

The Smashing Pumpkins are an alternative rock band from Chicago, Illinois. Making sweet sounds since 1988 they are still going strong. Butterfly With Wings was the lead single from their third album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (1995) an album that debuted at number one on the Billboard charts. Butterfly With Wings is The Smashing Pumpkins most famous song and was described by Rolling Stone as "grim verses leading to a ridiculously bombastic chorus." 

"Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage"