Indie-Rock

Susannah Joffe: “In Your Room”

College years are often the most formative for young musicians who are eager to break out of the rigidness of academia and into the boundless world of “adult” songwriting. And typically it’s not until after graduation that these creatives can fully re-commit to their craft and progress their inventiveness. People like singer Susannah Joffe, who just graduated from UT Austin. In addition to the new degree under her belt, Joffe’s also got nearly a million streams for this February’s The Punch EP, not to mention sold out headliner shows and opening appearances for Mattiel, Geese, and Japanese Breakfast. Joffe’s radiant rock and picturesque pop already offer a colorful cross-indie concoction, so fingers crossed that this is still just the tip of the iceberg in terms of quality and output. Susannah Joffe opens for Cali four-piece Sun Room on Thursday, September 8th, 8PM at Empire Control Room and releases a self-directed music video for her latest single soon. Until then, enjoy the intimate imagery and impressive implementation of dynamics (far surpassing anything you’d hear from a “bedroom producer”) on “In Your Room”.

Fertility House: “Paca Palace”

Everyone wants to believe that their amorous entanglements are unique, one-of-a-kind connections. And without saying they’re not, the vast majority of relationships do tend to follow similar formulas. In the eyes of Austin indie four-piece Fertility House, those formulas always end up in dissolution; the fairy-tale bond unravels and we’re put in a poignant position, but ultimately, “we all turn to dust”. As a matter of fact, Fertility House’s sophomore album, Dust, dedicates itself to the nosedives of romance across three acts: early infatuation, the turmoil of a breakup, and post-separation stoicism.

Dust settled last Tuesday, introducing us to ten fleshed-out romantic reflections and three half-minute particles that serve as instrumental act breaks. The last installment of Dust‘s second act (the garage-popper “Paca Palace”) keeps things as light as possible with a procession of trumpet chords, gang vocals and xylophones that’ll make you feel like royalty.

Friend In Law: “Stand to Be”

We all know how dangerous social media can be, especially if you’re a solo creative; with the instant feedback and gratification of “likes”, there’s less incentive to craft your art with time and care. That brings us to Austin singer-guitarist-producer Ben Murray, better known by his handle Friend In Law. Friend In Law marries turn-of-the-millennium pop rock with ’90s-style alternative and juxtaposes gloomy moods with lively guitar arrangements, as heard on the three inaugural singles Murray shared last year. But inspired by the crystalline results of fellow bedroom producer Bite Your Own Teeth’s self-made EP, Murray decided to learn the ropes and give Friend In Law’s latest original the time it deserves. After eight months in the oven, “Stand to Be” is a testament to Murray’s progression into a patient, keen-eared producer. And even though it was mastered by John Greenham (who’s provided final tweaks for folks like Billie Eilish, Cautious Clay, and Lady Gaga), you can really hear a step-up in “Stand to Be”‘s sound over its predecessors. With quirky acoustic vibes reminiscent of Mac DeMarco or Bright Eyes, reverbed-out tom accents, and a maniacal march of a chorus, “Stand to Be” serves as a promising milestone in Murray’s maturation.

Big Bill: “Almost Everybody”

When artists take a hard left turn from their established sound it can be pretty polarizing. But if they can pull it off without losing too many of their defining characteristics…no harm, no foul, right? We’ve got high hopes for Big Bill, an Austin quartet who’s built a repertoire of quirky, ’80s-style art-punk since 2016. But much like their inspirations and predecessors, Big Bill’s moving forward with the times, entering these early 2020s by jumping on ’90s indie tones that are a little less like Minutemen and a little more like Weezer.

This pivot towards classic indie comes alongside Big Bill’s sophomore full-length Public Freakout Compilation, out June 10th. At ten tracks, Public Freakout Compilation still carries the oddball post-punk energy that made us fall in love with Big Bill in the first place, as well as some softer, slower arrangements that for some, may indicate a badge of maturity. Following last year’s bilingual single “Coma” and this February’s “Forget About Monday”, Big Bill has just released Public Freakout Compilation‘s third offering, “Almost Everybody”. It’ll be joined by a music video companion piece at the end of this week. But even without the visuals, you can get an alluring first listen to Big Bill’s new duds on the masterfully-crafted indie-rock shuffle of “Almost Everybody” below.

Barrie: “Concrete”

We’re in the final days of SXSW 2022 and many of us haven’t been able to see everything we’ve wanted. Either the long lines have intimidated us, the commute’s been problematic, or we simply can’t be in two places at once. Unforeseen circumstances have struck performers as well, considering the Brooklyn Bowl Family Reunion had to make some last minute changes based on the availability of headliner Barrie.

Lindsay Barrie’s been touring her mononymous solo project but had to pull out for tonight based on potential COVID exposure. Kudos to her for playing it safe and trusting her early-30s intuition. Assuming she’s good to go, Barrie’s bounding across the pond for the UK leg of her tour in support of Barbara, out next Friday. At just shy of a dozen tracks (one more than 2019’s Happy To Be Here), Barbara is Barrie’s biggest release to date, and further solidifies her status as a must-hear indie songwriter with crushing numbers like “Concrete”.

Fertility House: “Mockingbird”

One of the hottest topics in Texas right now surrounds birth, but this isn’t really the appropriate forum to talk politics so instead let’s focus on Fertility House. The four Austin transplants of Fertility House made their debut in 2018 with their eponymous LP, showcasing the band’s knack for upbeat-yet-smooth and at times politically-charged indie garage pop.

Fertility House kept that momentum rolling into 2020 with last year’s Extra Light EP and is now entering the final trimesters of a brand new record. We’ve only got a couple singles so far, but each packs the purity of turn-of-the-millennium indie and gives acts like Vampire Weekend a run for their money. And even though Austin’s the land of grackles, there’s a certain je-ne-sais-quois of Fertility House’s latest, “Mockingbird”, that captures the charm of our city and you can catch the single release show on Saturday, October 2nd at Swan Dive.

Slomo Drags: “Pepsi Cola Addict”

Big news from Austin’s Slomo Drags this morning; the indie-glam-pop-rock group just announced their new EP, Twin Absorber. The record is co-produced by Danny Reisch (whose work has helped elevate the likes of fellow Studio 1A veterans Shearwater, Bright Light Social Hour, Tele Novella, and Erika Wennerstrom) and Quiet Company contributor Matt Parmenter, so you know Twin Absorber‘s gonna come out of its womb in optimal shape.

Twin Absorber drops next Spring, and today you can indulge in life’s more saccharine, caffeinated substances for an extra sparkly start to your weekend with the album’s bubbly lead single, “Pepsi Cola Addict”!

Mamalarky: “Meadow”

After spending time in Los Angeles, Austin-born quartet Mamalarky has settled into more southern pastures, and now calls Atlanta their metropolitan headquarters. Regardless of their location, these Studio 1A veterans have continued to make their off-kilter indie rock more and more accessible to the masses, though they’ve never shed what makes them great: non-traditional lyrical matters, inventive chord structures, and psych-pop flourishes that favor the ethereal, countercultural aspects of psychedelia rather than cater to simplistic pop formulas.

Just this past Monday Mamalarky shared a new double A-side that taps into a bucolic theme with naturalistic song titles (“Meadow” and “Moss“) and pastoral music videos. Both are outstanding additions to Mamalarky’s roster of originals, guaranteed to transport you out of the office mindset, so block out the workplace hurdles this Hump Day and soak up some rays with “Meadow”!

Cryptolog: “Do Me a Favor”

Shedding any connotations caught in the volatile world of Bitcoin, Dogecoin, and the like, Dallas four-piece Cryptolog has recaptured the cool in “crypto”. Since 2014, the quartet’s concocted a curious but catchy take on indie rock, crafting their sonic character across 2015’s Somewhere Else and 2017’s Picture Day.

This year Cryptolog’s set to let loose on their debut full-length, which is pretty much certain to exceed our expectations given the record’s latest lighthearted single (and music video), the subtle-but-powerful “Do Me A Favor (Blind Love)”!

Boyish: “Your Best Friend”

First meeting at Berklee College of Music over a collaborative demo, singer India Shore and guitarist Claire Altendahl began exploring realms of alt-country as The Blue and released Carnation in 2018. But despite considerable acclaim over The Blue’s debut, the duo opted for a do-over after graduating the following year and rebranded themselves Boyish.

Boyish charmed us last Valentine’s Day with Garden Spider, championing the two’s inherently queer identities over an enthralling lo-fi blend of dream pop and indie. And next Friday the Brooklynites share We’re all gonna die, but here’s my contribution, a half-8-track that serves up a realistic coming-of-age aesthetic, balanced between the optimism of youth and pessimism after painful adult experiences, perhaps heard best on the EP’s lead single, “Your Best Friend”.

William Maxwell: “Dead Plants”

When it comes to standing out as a solo artist in an oversaturated scene, nobody does quirky quite like Austin’s William Maxwell. Sure the singer-guitarist is pretty reserved in person, but on the record he’s a full blown musical maniac. With his fearless performance methods and candidly off-kilter lyrics, The Oysters‘ co-founder has shown a real knack for songwriting both across his rap sheet of collaborations and with his 2019 baker’s dozen, Calm a Painter and Subject.

Friday after next William Maxwell releases his sophomore LP, It’s Been Here Changing For a Long Time, ten tracks that are perfect for a post-pandemic mindset (whenever that may come) along with a twenty-four-page art booklet. And since we’re officially into spring and past the trauma of the big freeze here in Texas, now seems like a good time to appreciate the newfound greenery with It’s Been Here‘s fifth and final single, “Dead Plants”!

Mackenzie Shivers: “Martha’s Vineyard”

Dating back to her 2014 debut Neverland, multi-instrumentalist Mackenzie Shivers has always been about making her listeners feel less alone. So you can imagine with the quarantine conditions of the pandemic that that task has evolved into a gargantuan one. But despite the hurdles of socially-distanced recording sessions and remote collaborations, the New York-based songwriter was up to the challenge, hauling her piano, family heirloom guitar, and voice box into the studio and coming out with a masterpiece.

This Friday Mackenzie Shivers shares her third LP, Rejection Letter, an album whose ample ten tracks will pierce you with their lush arrangements (including a string section), cinematic atmospheres, and lyrics that build a bridge between anecdotal and universal. Don’t write off Rejection Letter as just another pandemic release; instead stay tuned for the full thing this weekend and expect some more powerful compositions on par with “Martha’s Vineyard”!

Major Major Major: “Snow Day”

Back in the first half of the 2010s, it was pretty much a given to see indie garage rockers Major Major Major billed on show posters around town…at least once a week. But as is the case with many maturing musicians, Austin’s favorite two-piece with a three-part name decided to put the duo on the back burner in pursuit of separate projects. That was all the way back in 2016.

Now, a hefty half decade later, these Studio 1A veterans have released two tracks recorded right around the same time the band went on hiatus. And though these songs are old-for-them/new-to-us, they both sound fresh enough to have been penned within the past few months. Especially with the icy, inclement weather of February, “Snow Day” sounds right at home in 2021, or, to quote lyricist Adrian Haynes, “this sh*t is good sh*t”!

Sunroom Sounds: “The Drive”

After a long, cloudy weekend, we could all stand to photosynthesize. And who better to help us soak up those rays than Austin multi-instrumentalist Ryan Black and his six-piece Sunroom Sounds?

Between Black’s lyrics that analyze the way people interact with one another and the group’s atmospheric instrumentation, Sunroom Sounds is set to be a luminous staple on the horizon. Keep an ear out for Sunroom Sounds’ first full-length, and let yourself drift in neutral before locking into gear for the work week with the band’s debut single (and music video), “The Drive”!

Kaiti Jones: “Gettin Around to It”

As is the case with many songwriters, storytelling is core to Boston singer Kaiti Jones‘ character. And for Jones, her story began to be told back in 2009 with her first EP, Arise Child, followed by the 2013 four-track Growing Things, and eventually the Vows LP in 2017, offering a substantial amount of material to listeners who drew affectionate comparisons to the flawed, human rock of Sharon Van Etten and Julia Jacklin.

Today Jones has shared a sneak peek of her next record, Tossed, out March 5th, throwing us fans a bit of pre-weekend pep and post-workweek chill in its earnest-yet-light sophomore single (and music video), “Gettin Around to It”!

This Song: Jenny Lewis on “Govinda Jai Jai” by Alice Coltrane

“Music is energy and music can be healing…music has so many different purposes, but at this stage in my life I’m looking for something that’s a little bit nourishing or just like a slight clue to the universe.” — Jenny Lewis

Jenny Lewis’ 4th record On the Line is a collection of songs that tackle love, lust, relationships and death. Lewis recorded the album in Capitol Records Studio B with a band of legendary instrumentalists — Benmont Tench on keys, Don Was on bass, and Jim Keltner on drums with contributions by Ringo Starr and Beck.

In this episode Jenny Lewis describes the effect that hearing “Govinda Jai Jai” by Alice Coltrane while on a road trip across California with Jim James and Gary Burden had on her spirit and on her approach to her new record.

Listen to this episode of This Song

Hear Jenny Lewis’ new record “On The Line”

Watch “On the Line Online”

Check out Jenny Lewis’ Tour Dates

Listen to Jim James’ episode of This Song