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.

Sundara Karma - She Said

     1.    Who are they?

      Sundara Karma are an indie pop rock band from Reading, England, growing quickly in popularity. They have a handful of singles under their belt and She Said (Aug’16) is a single from their debut album Youth Is Only Ever Fun In Retrospect (Jan’17). 

     2. What's the tune like?

     She Said is a pretty indie synth-pop song with jangly guitar assist and a motormouth pace. She Said has a clever word to say about English hook up culture. Just as instantly likeable as last nights conquest and just as contagious. You know you want it.

     3. Who do Sundara Karma sound like?

     The Amazons, Spring King, Blossoms or Lisbon. The Guardian were feeling Arcade Fire, Bruce Springsteen and U2.  Trippers.

     4. What have the cut and paste merchants said about She Said? 

“Will have listeners instantly hooked” – Euphoriazine. 

“Sundara Karma are rapidly becoming a phenomenon” – Clash Music. 

“The slickest indie pop to come out of England since The Vaccines” – Gig Wise. 

     5. Which bands have influenced Sundara Karma?

The main influences are The Cure, The Pixies, My Bloody Valentine, Fleetwood Mac and Pink Floyd. 


6. Why should I give She Said a lash? 

She Said is by one of the hottest up-and-coming bands in England right now and they have banged out a belter with something to say and as sticky as a plumbers crack in summer.


7. What are the other Sundara Karma corkers?

A Young Understanding and Flame are the rock solid treats.


8. Any more words? 

No.

“He taught his heart how to be cool,

Because everyone loves a criminal”

   

     

     The Perks are an indie pop rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada. They are influenced by bands like Imagine Dragons, The Killers, The Foo Fighters and Cold Play. Razorblades slides off their second E.P. At The Docks (2014) and is a tasty little melange of bouncy pop with guitar grunt. Should of been huge.

“I’m gonna do everything that I want to,

And you can’t stop me now”

Sundara Karma - A Young Understanding

1.    Who are these men of impeccable taste?

Sundara Karma are an indie rock band from Reading, England, who started in 2011 and have a debut album for release (March’16).  A Young Understanding (Feb’16) is a single from the new album.


2. What kind of gem is on offer from A Young Understanding?

A Young Understanding is an astmospheric indie rock belter with big English pop stylings.

 

3. Who do Sundara Karma sound like?

Sundara Karma are not unlike a band they have shared the stage with, Zibra. The Guardian were feeling Bruce Springsteen and made mention of “Driving, rousing anthemia.”


4. What do the goon squad have to say about A Young Understanding?
 
“Perfect, cinematic rebellious track” – Outlet Mag.

“Anthemic chorus and driving verses” – Notion Magazine.

“Sundara Karma look to be unstoppable” – Clash Music.

5. Who put the rock in Sundara Karma’s roll?

The old school Sundara Karma influences are The Doors, The Cure, The Pixies, My Bloody Valentine, Marilyn Manson, Fleetwood Mac, Bob Dylan, Die Antwoord and Pink Floyd.

Sundara Karma are obsessed with Die Antwoord and have mentioned mad love for Grimes, Sunflower Bean, The Smiths and The War On Drugs.

 

6. Why should I give A Young Understanding a swish past the ears?

Sundara Karma are part of the recent renaissance of British indie rock’n’roll and A Young Understanding is their best song and biggest hit; a powerful rock song that oozes festival favorite and mainstream appeal.


7. Do Sundara Karma have any more belters?

Absolutely. Flame is the leader of the pack.


8. Any more words of wisdom?

Sundara Karma have been out on the road supporting The Wombats and Circa Waves.

Gigwise have declared, “Sundara Karma are going to be the next big thing.”

“Cruising round in a friends new car”

 

 

 

BORNS is Garrett Borns an indie musician from Grand Haven, Michigan who fights out of Los Angeles. His debut album Dopamine (Oct’15) holds three big hits 10 000 Emerald Pools, Electric Love and American Money that are responsible for what Sputnik Music called “a meteoric ascension.”  American Money (2015) got the least press or listens out of all three songs. American Money is the best BORNS song, a song Indie Sound said, “has a repetive chorus anyone can sing that goes great next to a tantalizing beat.”

“You taste just right,

Sweet like Tennessee honey”