The 30 Best Indie Rock Songs of 2016 (10 - 1)

No fucking about, let’s get into it. 

10. Red Cabin - I Can't Wait 

Red Cabin is Jonathan Foster, an indie pop multi-instrumentalist/singer/songwriter/producer from Long Island, New York. His sound falls somewhere between The Shins and Weezer. I Can't Wait (Feb'16) is an ebullient rock song with a vocal delivery that exudes joy. Unique.

9. Yak - Harbour The Feeling 

Yak are a psych-rock band from London, England. They sound like Pretty Vicious and VANT. Harbour The Feeling (Jan'16) is an intense and furious punk song designed for whipping up an instant crowd frenzy.

8. Sundara Karma - She Said 

Sundara Karma are an indie pop rock band from Reading, England. They sound like Blossoms and Get Inuit. She Said (Aug'16) is a slick and instantly catchy synth-pop song with jangly guitars. The heroin of songs.

7. VANT - Fly-By Alien 

VANT are a punk band from London, England. They sound like Public Access TV and Spring King. Fly-By Alien (Feb'16) is a punk song that takes a swipe at the apathy of the millennial generation. 

6. Nai Harvest - Just Like You

Nai Harvest are a punk duo from Sheffield, England. They sound like Cloud Nothings and The Cribs. Just Like You (Feb'16) is sweet punk with a big scuzzy riff and a shout-it-out-loud chorus. Essential. 

5. PARTYBABY - Your Old Man 

PARTYBABY are an indie rock band with glam stylings from Los Angeles, California. They sound like FIDLAR and SWMRS. Your Old Man (Dec'15) is an anthemic garage rock song that is elevated by the glam rock guitar. A fresh, savage, approach to indie rock.

 4. The Crispies - Bad Blood 

The Crispies are a garage rock band from Vienna, Austria. They sound like The White Stripes and The Arctic Monkeys. Bad Blood (June'16) is a gritty stomper with booming drums, that fires off nasty licks faster than lightening. It reeks of piss and blood in a basement where the band are elevating the crowd to Valhalla.

3. The Amazons - In My Mind 

The Amazons are an indie rock band from Reading, England. They sound between Royal Blood and Oasis. In My Mind (Sept'16) is a powerful rock song propelled by a massive riff, pounding rhythms, dense musical textures and desperate vocals. An indie rock tour de force.  

2. Low Cut High Tops - Lonely And Cold

Low Cut High Tops is multi-instrumentalist and producer David Burns. He is from Seattle, Washington. Low Cut High Tops sounds between The White Stripes and The Pixies. Lonely And Cold (Jan'16) is a grunge song that exudes an off-kilter sexuality while taking off musically with the power of a jet fighter. Blows your fucking head off. 

1. The Courteeners - The 17th 

The Courteeners are an indie rock band from Manchester, England. They sound like The Smiths and Catfish and the Bottlemen. The 17th (Aug'16) has a melancholic synth-pop feel that builds, painfully slowly but inexorably, into a joyful crescendo with a scream-it-to-the-heavens chorus. And that's it. The ultimate cock tease of a song. It'll keep you coming back for more.

Red Cabin - I Can't Wait

1. Who is this intense looking melody maker?

Red Cabin is multi-instrumentalist, singer/songwriter and artist, Jonathan Foster. He blows out of Long Island, New York and creates essential indie power pop. Red Cabin have one long player, Right This Way (2014) and a trident of classy short players to the good. I Can't Wait (Feb'16) bounces off the third, a seven song EP Campfire (Feb'16).

2. So what kind of tune is I Can't Wait?

A home run. An ebullient rocker, fleshed out and given heft by hints of pathos. A song proceeded by the guitar being plugged into the amp in the best traditions of rock’n’roll, sparking thoughts of the The Manic Street Preacher's punk manifesto Motown Junk, I Can't Wait hits the ground running with full throated rhythm guitar, a propulsive beat and an urgent, impassioned vocal delivery that belies the singer's slight frame. Sweet harmonies in the refrain and jaunty keyboards ensure an effervescent contrast to the verses and thick musical textures.

3. Who do Red Cabin sound like?

I Can't Wait invites comparisons to The Kinks classics like All Day and All of The Night, The Smithereen's Yesterday Girl or Weezer's Buddy Holly. 

Jonathan Foster has said the aim of the song was a driving, upbeat and catchy tune reminiscent of Thin Lizzy and Weezer with a 50's chord progression in the chorus.

Red Cabin's music in general is often compared with XTC, Pinback, Wolf Parade, Squeeze, and Alan Parsons. Record Rewind Play were put in mind of The Shins and BC Camplight, Obscure Sound hear Ozma and The Shins. Gold Soundz made coonections with Paul McCartney, Weezer and AC Norman, while The Music Swamp hear of Montreal.

4. So what is the good word from the music press?

Early days friends, the reviews are out on the new E.P. Campfire. However on the topic of Red Cabin's other stellar efforts they “surprisingly won critics over,” according to King So Far. “Power-pop and a damn good melody,” and “it’s got the hooks to make the books,” big upped Gold Soundz reviewing the long player Right This Way. The Music Swamp took note of the “beautiful indie melodies.” “Immediately enticing power-pop tracks with a sort of effortless charm,” and “Foster’s impressive penchant for punchy hooks arises in the acoustical jangles and gleefully anthemic vocal delivery,” said Obscure Sound.

5. So who are Red Cabin’s influences?

The stone cold classics. The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Shins, The Pixies, Modest Mouse, Weezer, The Smashing Pumpkins and Nirvana. That should be standard issue in all elementary schools.

6. So why should I give I Can't Wait a fair crack of the whip?

I Can't Wait is a song about being in limbo while waiting to cross one of life's crossroads. The sense of urgency and frustration conveyed in the verses, siren riff and bridge is contrasted with the vivacious chorus, creating a vital song and reflecting a universal human condition. F. Scott Fitzgerald said,“The test of a first rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function.” This song captures the essence of that struggle. It is also a fucking belter that will make you dance like a loon and sing to the heavens.

7. So do Red Cabin have any more good tunes?

Oh, he so does. Right This Way is the torchbearer. Title track for the 2014 album and “... an immediate burst of contagious songwriting,” say Obscure Sound.“ A fucking ridiculously good song, ripe for ensuring future generations understand the epic grandeur of indie music in the early twenty-first century and so contagious it should come issued with a pack of condoms,” said another commentator. The Darkest Relief, the opening track from the Campfire EP, will ensnare any listener for a start to finish examination of the short player's contents. Last and in no way least, is Barricade, included on the 2015 Best of 2014 BIRP compilation.  A song of touching beauty and a delicate tale of alienation, if you don't love this song visit the doctor, you're dead inside. Then check out Another Time if you need a rocker to reassert your masculinity. Red Cabin have your six mate.

8. So any other titbits to throw our deserving way?

If you just can't get enough, and who could blame you? You're only human after all. Then check out the band Jonathan Foster fronts, Snowday. Sound as a pound they are cobber.

The name 'Red Cabin' originated because it reminded Jonathan Foster of family camping trips he took as an urchin. He is a big fan of nostalgia.

Three Red Cabin songs have been featured on the Indie Rock Playlist, Barricade, I Feel Better and Patterns.

Red Cabin recorded the intros to the February Indie Rock Playlist (2015). There is a lot of love out there for this musician.

The second course is served today courtesy of indie rock band Me Like Bees. They fly out of Joplin, Missouri and have been banging out tunes since 2009. The group have one long player in the vault The Ides (2013). A band are influenced by music from the likes of Modest Mouse, Arcade Fire and The White Stripes. Naked Trees (2011) was inspired by the twister that struck their home town in the same year killing 158 people and causing $3 billion in damages with 300 km winds. The band donated the proceed to the recovery. It’s also their finest song.

“All our friends' houses in piles
Either side they're forming aisles
We'll breathe those fallen walls in till we choke
Amongst the naked trees we'll bear the yoke”