Indie music has grown to include so much. It’s not just music that is released on independent labels but speaks to an aesthetic that deviates from the norm and follows its own weirdo heart. It can come in the form of rock music, pop, or folk. In a sense, it says as much about the people that are drawn to it as it does about the people that make it.
Every week, Uproxx is rounding up the best new indie music from the past seven days. This week we got new music from The National, Fall Out Boy, The Japanese House, Sharon Van Etten, and more.
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Fall Out Boy — So Much (For) Stardust
Fall Out Boy always come back with a bang. So Much (For) Stardust, which was first previewed with the singles “Love From The Other Side” and “Heartbreak Feels So Good,” bursts with that triumphant, cinematic energy that makes those two songs so infectious. Every song is a rollercoaster — from the disco-inspired “What A Time To Be Alive” to the Weezer-esque “So Good Right Now.”
Caroline Rose — The Art Of Forgetting
The Art Of Forgetting by Caroline Rose is not a casual listen. “Rebirth” is a bone-chilling exorcism; “Better Than Gold” is a heartwarming voicemail; “Love Song For Myself” is a bubbling ballad: “If I am a punching bag / Then I am here to get you fit / You are a heavyweight fighter / I am genuine cow leather,” she breathes.
The National — “Eucalyptus”
The singles for The National’s new album have been vulnerable and a bit heart-wrenching. This new track “Eucalyptus” is not different, with Matt Berninger narrating the split of two people, his voice full of aching and desperation as he sings: “It wouldn’t be fair, it’d be so alone / Without you there, it wouldn’t be fair.”
Sharon Van Etten — “This Is Too Right”
The opening chords to Sharon Van Etten’s “This Is Too Right” are instantly gripping, imbuing the song with a beautifully haunted energy. Her emotional, strong vocals only make the music more powerful. Over and over, she repeats the line “It’s too right,” making it sound like an incantation, the meaning seeming to change each time.
The Japanese House — “Boyhood”
The Japanese House’s “Boyhood” is a poignant new song. Against buzzing synthesizers, Amber Mary Bain gets introspective with painful, incisive lyrics: “I could have been somebody who / You wanted to have around to hold / I should have jumped when you told me to / I wanna change but it’s nothing new.”
Draag — “Demonbird”
“‘Demonbird’ was a major breakthrough in my personal journey unpacking spiritual abuse in my past,” said Jessica Huang about the new enthralling Draag single. It’s a sweeping spurt of shoegaze, reminiscent of Spirit Of The Beehive with its disorientating, cinematic texture. At almost three and a half minutes, the song builds with blazing, fuzzy guitars that lead into a staticky, jarring tape sample that feels like slowly waking up from a fever dream.
Hippo Campus — “Yippie Ki Yay”
“Yippie Ki Yay” by Hippo Campus is an inexplicably moving listen. With a jaunty rhythm contrasting eerie guitar riffs, the song has an unpredictable, compelling texture made even better by the intense lyrics: “Bullseye on the back of my head / Back home they’re thinking I’m dead / I’m wishing that I was instead, well, still not as bad as it gets.”
Black Country, New Road — Live At Bush Hall
Black Country, New Road are like a secret club. If you know, you know. And if you do know, then you’d know that they’re known for their idiosyncratic theatrics. So it only makes sense that the group put out a live album, and it’s as impactful as you’d expect. The songs take on a new life in this setting, making the listener feel immersed in the music.
Chat Pile — “Cut”
Chat Pile’s raucous instrumentation and deadpan vocals never lose their impact. This new song “Cut” from their new split with Nerver explodes with seething metallic riffs, though the band said in a statement that they wanted to “switch gears and fully lean into our more indie and alt-rock tendencies.”
Superbloom — “Head First”
From Soul Blind and Modern Color to Narrow Head and Fleshwater, there’s a lot of great grunge bands right now. Superbloom have joined the chat. This new track “Head First” rages with playful, caustic riffs and an infectious rhythm. The last line hits hard: “I can still crash my car.”
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.