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.

Canvas - Gold

1.   Who are Canva?

Canvas are an indie rock band from Toronto who have been making music since 2013. They describe their music as Electro-Springsteen meets Grouplove. Gold comes strutting off their debut album sticktoitiveness (Dec'16). 

2. What kind of song is Gold?

It kicks open the door with a massive strutting riff. All classic rock stomp, black leather and smelling of last night's whiskey. It keeps sauntering along in the same fashion though the chorus soars up lightly like an autumn leaf on a strong breeze. The song structure is intricate, all middle eights and bridges and wafting off into places four to the floor rock'n'roll rarely strays. Tight lead in the coda too.

3. Who do Canvas sound like?

Gold's shit kicking verses throws up thoughts of Ray LaMontagne's Pt 1. Hey, No Pressure,  Spoon's Rent I Pay, Twin Atlantic's Heart and Soul even Weezer's El Scorcho. Going back in the day, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks or even Cheap Trick.

4. So what is the good word from our friends in the press?

Sonic Bids are the lone piper here on the topic of Gold, “A tune that combines both a classic Canadiana rock vibe, and new-wave pop,” they knocked off. “A rocking tune whose simple opening riff is undeniably powerful and catchy as it carries through to the climactic solos at the end,” they continued playing with a straight bat.

The album sticktoitiveness has “a very modern sound, but that being said, also have certain moments that remind me of classic rock,” say Canadian Beats. “Blends futuristic synths - sometimes dark, sometimes playful - danceable grooves, hooky melodies, shimmering guitars and anthemic choruses into a post-synth-rock collage,” detailed Flat Car Records. Plug In Records plumped for “a rock record you should hear” after some solid deliberation.

5. So who are Canvas influenced by?

Canvas are fet their influences from Grouplove, Depeche Mode, The Strokes, The Killers, My Morning Jacket, The Morning Benders, Land Of Talk and The Dears. 

 6. Why should I give Gold a listen? 

The crushing riff will chew your mind up and spit you back out like worthless shit juice. But seriously singer, guitarist, multi-instrumentalist and producer, Chris Graham has said the song is a warning both to society and self about living to excess. When are we going to wake up to the mess we are headed for folks? Simple answer, never. We'll suck heartily from Earth's tit until it's a hollow husk and our children choke to death on their tears lamenting their brief and excruciatingly painful existence. Or not. Up to you. 

7. Do Canvas have any more of this rampant rock? 

Not at the moment.. 

8. Anything else I should know? 

Chris Graham let slip on how easy writing Gold was saying,“Sometimes you just pick up the guitar and the first thing you play is what you were looking for. That was the case with that tune.”  Chris Graham was formerly the lead singer and guitarist for indie rock band FIRExFIRE. He has written music for film and TV and produced and recorded the album Happy Times by Splash’N Boots.

“We treasure the treasure we found,
It’ll bury us under the ground.”

  

The daily double dip is pure sweet joy and happiness, the indie pop band Rabbit! Described as “sipping sunshine” and “a sonic celebration of love and life” the band hail from Mount Dora, Florida and have handed down a handful of stupidly brilliant albums for the people since 2007. Despite avoiding mainstream success; you can't google this band, find their music and they have next to no net presence; they put coin in pocket from some big advertising deals. No one has ever heard this band and not liked them. That comes with a money back guarantee. Be a better person. Listen to Rabbit! Magic (2011).

"Who's got he maps to the stars? 

Who can drive backwards in the car?

You say you're clever, well baby you are."