Autonomics - Southern Funeral

1. Who are Autonomics? 

Autonomics are a garage/power pop band from Portland, Oregon. They have been making music since 2008. Southern Funeral (Feb'17) is the second single from their debut album Debt Sounds (March'17). 

2. What kind of tune is Southern Funeral? 

Southern Funeral rattles along in a hurry to the finish line, melding old school indie rock to a modern indie pop chorus. Short, snappy and with a little fire in it's belly. 

3. Who do Autonomics sound like? 

The Thermals, The Dandy Warhols and Wavves. 

4. What have the press said about Southern Funeral? 

“Fricken awesome” – Facebook Comments.

“Cool song” – You Tube Comments.

“I fucking like it” – You Tube Comments.

5. Which bands influenced Autonomics?

Their main influences are Wavves, The Strokes, The Killers and Japandroids. 

6. Why should I listen to Autonomics? 

Because you want to get on the ground floor of a great band on the rise; the best band out of Portland since The Dandy Warhols. 

7. What are Autonomics' best songs? 

The first single from the new album is their best by a country mile. Superfuzz is the song you need. A solid rocking party anthem that sounds like Weezer and The Dandys. Fucking quality. You Had Me At Surf Punk is sound as a pound too. 

8. Any more words? 

Pass.

“I’m no hero anymore”

WILD are a folk/indie pop band from Los Angeles, California. They have released an album and a string of singles. WILD sound like Of Monsters and Men, The Lumineers and The Strumbellas. They are influenced by St Lucia, Bryce Fox and Young The Giant. Hold Us Together (Feb'17) is chest-pounding, vacuous, top 40 shite. It's also as catchy as a frat boy's communal wank mitt. A guilty pleasure.

“Give me the song inside your soul”

Arkivist - Seeing Stars

1.    Who are they?

Arkivist are an experimental indie pop band who fight out of Los Angeles, California, by way of Portland, Oregon. They got things started in 2016 and Seeing Stars (July 16) is their debut single.

2. What kind of tune is Seeing Stars? 

Genius. In main a hard rocking indie song that has familiar elements of pop and classic rock. As quirky as fuck, quietly catchy and unique.

3. Who do Arkivist sound like? 

Foals, Bear Hands and Bloc Party.

4. What have the press said about Seeing Stars?

“Straight up pop aesthetics with indie rock flavors” – Buffablog.

“An incredible blending of genres” – Oh MyGod So Good.

“Solid in all types of ways” – IX Daily.

5. Which bands have influenced Arkivist? 

Some of their current favorites are MEW, Wild Beasts, White Lies, Foals and Alt- J.

6. Why should I listen to Seeing Stars? 

The song makes more changes of direction than a tranny in a porn gangbang. 

7. What are Arktivist's best songs? 

Their second single is Burnout and it's another cracker.

8. Any more words?

Seeing Stars was produced by Math Bishop who has worked for Silversun Pickups, Two Door Cinema Club and Twin Atlantic. 

“I won’t let you down”

AIRWAYS are an indie rock band from Peterborough, England. They started making music in 2015. They sound like Arctic Monkeys and Jamie T. They are influenced by The Kooks, Kasabian and Arctic Monkeys, One Foot (July'16) is their second single and while it kicks off mellow and trippy once the guitars kick in it's a big ball bag stomper. 

“Am I the only one that’s not high?”

STRFKR - Never Ever

1.    Who are these grips? 

STRFKR or Starfucker are an indie synth/pop/rock band from Portland, Oregon. Formed in 2007 they have recorded five albums. Never Ever (Feb'16) is the first single to slide off their fifth album Being None, Going Nowhere (Nov'16).  

2. What kind of tune have they rustled up? 

Never Ever is a smooth slip of toe-tapping synth-pop that slinks along without piercing your consciousness. Head-nodding, bum-bouncing, bubblegum.

3. Who do STRFKR sound like?

MGMT. Indie Shuffle  compared Never Ever to Of Montreal, Discovery and Van She.

4. What is the good word from the press? 

“An infectious sing-along melody” – Hypetrak. 

“Bursting with their signature danceablity” – Transversomedia.

“Warm, gooey, synth-heavy indie-pop” – W Week.

5. Who put the bounce into STRFKR? 

Some of the band's influences are hip-hop (Gucci Mane, BigBoi), punk (Fugazi, Nirvana) and pop (Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper) and synth-pop (Giorgio Moroder and New Order).

6. Why should I give Never Ever a spin on the jukebox?

Never Ever has a cerebral, body-moving, groove.

7. Do STRFKR have any more good songs?

Boy Toy is the one you want. Chaotic, spacey and concise synth-pop.

8. Anything else muppet?

No sir.

“Soft velvet and candle light,

Little fears that you keep inside”

Vance Joy is Australian indie folk pop musician James Keogh. His debut album Dream Your Life Away (2014) was an immediate success topping the charts in Australian and making it into the top ten in many other countries. Vance Joy sounds like Mumford & Sons, Ed Sheeran and Boy & Bear. Some of his influences are Paul Kelly, The Pogues and The Whitlams. The second single off Dream Your Life Away was the hugely successful single Riptide (2013). The tune made it to number one on the U.S alternative charts, top 10 in the U.K and became the longest charting single in Australian history. Riptide has sold a million copies worldwide and has 140 million YouTube plays. It's an intimate, acoustic song and catchy as chlamydia. 

“I was scared of dentists and the dark,

 I was scared of pretty girls and starting conversations”

Ages and Ages - They Want More

     1.    Who are these wonderful people?

      Ages and Ages are an inspirational indie folk/choral pop band from Portland, Oregon. They Want More (June’16) is the lead single from Ages and Ages' third album Something To Ruin (August’16). 

     2. What's They Want More sound like? 

     They Want More is a slow burning acoustic number with a foot tapping beat. A low key treasure with a singalong chorus.

     3. Who do Ages and Ages sound like? 

     The Mowglis, Great Lake Swimmers and Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeroes. Ages and Ages were compared to Foster The People, Polyphonic Spree and Vampire Weekend by The Guardian. 

    

     4. What have the esteemable members of the press corps said about They Want More?

“Simple song-writing that cuts through the clutter of the current music scene” – NM Matters. 

“An introspective pop gem” – NPR.

“A spirited song with the band’s signature harmonies” – Paste Magazine.

1

     5. Which bands have inspired Ages and Ages? 

     No knowledge. But one might feel music from The Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel or The Byrds may have influenced them. 

    6. Why should I give They Want More a whip around the ears? 

     At three and a half minutes the unaccompanied vocals build up to the chorus as the instruments drop in. It is divine. 

    7. Do Ages and Ages have any more great songs?

     Diversionary (Do The Right Thing) is the band's break out track, a killer campfire classic, a song that should be prescribed school curricula. No Nostalgia keeps up the theme. 

    8. Any last words compadre?

     The new album Something To Ruin was recorded at Isaac Brock’s studio (formerly of Modest Mouse).

     Something To Ruin was inspired by a visit to Central America and seeing native ruins being reclaimed by nature and speaks to the consequences of commercial interests and frivolous consumption. 

“Often we discover just exactly what it’s worth”

The Mowgli's are an effervescent indie folk rock band from Calabasas, California. Evolving out of a musical collective in 2010 the band have three rousing long players on their roll of honor. The Mowgli's are influenced by Grouplove, Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeroes, The Beach Boys, The Byrds and their sunny, care-free Californian environment. The Great Divide (2013) is from The Mowgli's second album Waiting For The Dawn (2013) and is chippy, choral, indie pop at it's best. In Your Speakers described the album as "uplifting power pop and sing-along folk that endears them to misty-eyed optimists searching for an upbeat message." Get some happy.

“They say the west is home to reason,

So that’s where I’ve gone”

     

The Thermals - Thinking Of You

1.    Who are these heroes?

The Thermals are a punk band from Portland, Oregon. Making magic music since 2002 they have seven long players on their roll of sublime honor. Thinking Of You (March’16) is the third single to come swinging off We Disappear (March’16).

2. What’s on offer?

Thinking Of You has a choppy punk riff and pop harmonies. Both of which are utilized to perfection for two minutes. Nails it. Down tight. Tight.


3. Who are The Thermals like?

Titus Andronicus with a lobotomy. Pop Matters were feeling Green Day's When I Come Around.


4. What is the good word in the rags?

“Blistering offering” – Stereogum.

“A rousing anthem” – Pop Matters.

“Simple, honest, brimming with energy, and catchy as fuck” – Wind Rose Music.



5. Which massive bands had a play in the artistry that is The Thermals?

The Thermals influences include Green Day, Weezer, The Ramones, The Breeders and Speedy Ortiz.


6. Why should I give Thinking Of You a whip through?

The riff.


7. Do The Thermals have any more blinders?

Oh yes. A triumvirate. The first single from We Disappear is the killer Hey You. Now We Can See is stellar. Amazing. Returning To The Fold is essential.


8. Any more words spanner?

Chris Walla, former guitarist for Death Cab For Cutie, produced the new album We Disappear.


 

“I’ve been thinking everything I want to say”

Death Cab For Cutie are an alternative rock band from Bellingham, Washington. Stealing peoples hearts since 1997 they have eight fine long players to talk of. You Are A Tourist was the lead single from the seventh album Codes and Keys (2011), a number one hit and far from a favorite with the critics. Good but.

“When there is a burning in your heart,

Don’t be alarmed”

The Best Indie Songs of 2014 - Ages and Ages

Diversionary (Do the Right Thing) (Jan’14) is a lovely little song that hits it out of the park. Bye fucking bye. Imagine a campfire, an arm around a friend, buzz on, and a guitar accompanied sing-along of Stand By Me or the mild religious fervor of Kumbaya My Lord. This is aural crack; instantly lovable but with a message everyone can approve.

Ages and Ages are eight beautiful people. 

Projecting positive vibes from Portland they have been showing people the light for five fun filled years full of music.

Diversionary comes from Ages and Ages second book of gospels Diversionary (2014). They draw inspiration from popular fairy-tales.

Feeling it deep down in your soul? Then try Light Goes Out or So Freely.

And here's the best fucking song I know with mental crutch used by the psychologically weak in the title; Wooden Sky with a 'knock you dead' gorgeous little acoustic number called Oh My God It Still Means A Lot To Me (2009). It's an outrageously simple, laid back, but wonderful tune.