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 Good Morning, Father John Misty, Hovvdy, and more.
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Father John Misty – Mahashmashana
The title for Father John Misty’s sixth album is an anglicization of the Sanskrit word mahāśmaśāna, which translates to “large burial ground.” It’s shorthand for where Josh Tillman has taken his music on this record. He’s back in his existentialist realm, relinquishing the flashy Old Hollywood horns of Chloë And The Next 20th Century and reviving the epic philosophizing of Pure Comedy. If anything, though, Mahashmashana is a clinic in exquisite songwriting.
Hovvdy – Live At Julie’s
Hovvdy’s self-titled double album is one of the best records of 2024, and just before the year comes to an end, the Texas duo have shared an EP that reimagines four of its tracks. Here, Will Taylor and Charlie Martin sit down and play some songs; it’s a simple concept, but it works. Hovvdy’s music has always felt lived-in and inviting, and Live At Julie’s is a compact distillation of those essential traits.
Horsegirl – “2468”
When Horsegirl released their debut album, Versions Of Modern Performance, in 2022, they were fresh out of high school, headed to NYU to start their collegiate careers. But college hasn’t gotten in the way of making music. The Chicago trio — comprising Nora Cheng, Penelope Lowenstein, and Gigi Reece — put their own spin on Sonic Youth-esque alt-rock with the help of Lee Ranaldo and Steve Shelley themselves. For its follow-up, Phonetics On And On, produced by indie rocker Cate Le Bon, Horsegirl take their music in a wildly different direction. Lead single “2468,” for instance, mines the outré arrangements of The Velvet Underground and the gleeful discord of The Raincoats; its acoustic-led jaunt and chugging train lay the groundwork for something unexpected, but not unwelcome.
Moses Sumney & ANOHNI – “Is It Cold In The Water?”
One of the best songs from SOPHIE’s 2018 album, Oil Of Every Person’s Un-Insides, is the stark, drumless ballad “Is It Cold In The Water?” For TRANƧA, Red Hot’s 46-song project celebrating trans and non-binary artists, Moses Sumney and ANOHNI share their own spin on it. Their two voices, each powerful and majestic in its own way, sound incredible together.
Franz Ferdinand – “Night Or Day”
The last album Franz Ferdinand released, Hits To The Head, compiled some of their most beloved material in a greatest hits collection. While such a compilation all but mints the “legacy” in “legacy act,” the blog-rock staples have kept trucking with The Human Fear. It functions similarly to how Hits To The Head did, like an exhibitionist retrospective through their various eras and sounds. For instance, the latest preview, “Night Or Day,” has the stomp of their 2004 self-titled with the piano stabs of 2013’s Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action. Holding it all together is Alex Kapranos’ opulent voice.
Kim Deal – Nobody Loves You More
Somehow, Kim Deal has never made a solo album until now. Known for her work in groups like The Breeders, Pixies, and Amps, Deal arrives with the first full-length under her own name on Nobody Loves You More. From the noisy highlight “Big Ben Beat” to the swinging swoon of “Summerland,” the influential alt-rock songwriter confirms something we’ve always known: Kim is a big deal.
Short Fictions – “This Is The Day”
Pittsburgh emo outfit Short Fictions have returned with their first release since last year’s excellent Oblivion Will Own Me And Death Alone Will Love Me (Void Filler). It’s a cover of The The’s 1983 single “This Is The Day.” As a self-imposed challenge, Sam Treber plays every instrument you hear on the recording. It may be a random one-off single, but new music from Short Fictions is welcome any time.
Good Morning – “Soft Rock Band”
Australian indie rock duo Good Morning are about to say good night. After releasing this year’s aptly titled Good Morning Seven, and on the cusp of their eighth record, The Accident, Stefan Blair and Liam Parsons are putting their band on pause. For what is likely their final record, Blair and Parsons go out on a high note. Lead single and closing track “Soft Rock Band” is an eight-minute Odyssey that chronicles its members’ ups and downs throughout their music careers. “I might have seen it all, but there’s still so much more to go,” goes its refrain. If Good Morning does come to an end, then it’s a bittersweet final act.
The Weather Station – “Window”
Tamara Lindeman is among the most gifted songwriters we have right now. Taken from the forthcoming Weather Station album, Humanhood, “Window” serves as another reminder. The Toronto musician’s vocals are as delicate as they are forceful, as transportive as the escapist tale she sings of. Even from the singles alone, Humanhood is an easy shoo-in for one of 2025’s early highlights.
King Hannah – “Blue Christmas”
Back in May, Liverpool duo King Hannah released their stirring sophomore album, Big Swimmer. Now, however, it’s time to drop all the holiday songs. Their acoustic guitar-and-vocals cover of Elvis Presley’s “Blue Christmas” replaces the loneliness of the original with the warmth of cozying up by the fireplace with a loved one. ‘Tis the season.