Tea Time

GENRE: indie This song retains their particular style and sound, while at the same time maintaining a suave, groovier vibe compared to White Gloves. I'm surprised this song isn't more popular compared to that. Rating: 7

GENRE: indie I can't quite my finger on why I find this three-piece so alluring. They've got a style to them that evokes a carefree sensibility. That much can be seen in their song, White Gloves . Apparently it's part their first album to feature vocals, and it's a welcome addition to the canvas. No one instrument stands out any farther and more unique than the others. Each instrument is featured and mixed pretty evenly, giving me a sense of noiselessness and soothing comfort. However, I think part of that plays against their favor. It plays more like a lo-fi ditty than a fully realized song. At about 3 and a half minutes, I would expect a bit more to be fleshed out. Rating: 5/10

GENRE: indie, shoegaze We haven't taken a dive into the 90's in such a long time! I'm glad it's this piece. It's not as bombastic, or heavy as others. It's not as searing or overproduced like other songs either. I get a calming and dazed feeling while listening to this. The ethereal effects on the guitar, the interplay between the singer's voices, the mild-mannered melody all play to create what feels like drifting. This would be perfect for a night drive. Even if it's early 90's, you can definitely hear the inklings of the 80's pop sound in the guitars. Caught in this transitioning era, they've still made something worse listening to. Rating: 6/10

GENRE: indie Today we're back on the indie train to figure out the rest of the album that featured a single that I really enjoyed. The eponymous song takes a more classic indies take, and sounds like it was pulled straight from the late 90's. What with those eighth note rhythm chords, the leading guitar line, that poppy bass line. My god, there's even a guitar solo that takes most of its inspiration from the existing lead line. All that aside, the theme is a bit imaginative and lends to satisfying word schemes and lyrics. Unfortunately, I don't think that gives it enough staying power. Rating: 5/10

GENRE: indie I decided to give this band a fair chance, because I've purposefully avoided them in a past due to a distasteful experience with their most popular song. See, I figured they were just a lesser version of the some the typical indie bands I've been listening to. Turns out, they're a lot more experimental and interesting than I take them for. You get a melting pot of shoegaze, progressive, and indie in there. The song structure is a blur, what with the constant drum beat and rhythm guitars carrying the song. The lead guitars interact with each other and build over the course of the song. The vocals have their place, and it feels very genuine where they are. I feel like they really took their time crafting the pieces of this song, rather than it feeling like a jam session. Rating: 6.5/10

GENRE:   indie All right, now let's catch up with the  Daughter band I actually know. I've seen them in concert before, funnily enough. Although they are a female-led indie band (which has interested me in the past), they haven't ever really pulled me into their music. The production itself is great, but the vocals just fall flat for me. It's a little to plain and insubstantial. After listening to this song once, I feel like I don't have much I'd like to return to. They vocals feel a bit sluggish, which contrasts for a loss with the bombastic drums and guitar. If I were to listen to this song again, I imagine it would be in a hip, millennial commercial. Maybe like an iPhone commercial or something. Rating: 5/10

GENRE: indie We have another one of those artists where super short bangs are the style of choice. I wonder if that has any correlation to the genre. She's got like a modern  Janis Joplin vibe. She's got a hardcore punk-ish aesthetic going on, except she's doing indie music. Shut Up Kiss Me  is a little more distorted and driven than the usual cleaner sounds associated with the genre. Although it has the inklings of a typical rock song, the extra tidbits that extend beyond a typical intro, verse, chorus, repeat structure is I believe to be the determinant of its indie status. I do enjoy the weird effects thrown onto all the guitars. I particularly like the energy of the chorus. It's one of my favorite rhythms to incorporate. They're certainly doing it justice in this one. Rating: 6.5/10

GENRE: indie Hell yeah I'm going to write about another one of her songs. At the slight inconvenience of having to figure out the spelling of her name again, I will gladly write about this song that seems to be on par with her other songs. I especially like this one because of how effective it is with its length. And really, I want to take a moment to praise the album in general. It's really a coherent and great album overall, with inklings of folk and indie all throughout. This song in particular progresses and develops really well. You get strong themes through guitar riffs, parallel melodies in Haley's voice, and her knack for songwriting. I am also partial to the pace aroudn 2 minutes in, which I've been waiting to her from her. Yes, she's usually a more somber and mellow indie artist, but the rugged sections are what make this song special. Breaks in between really give you time to absorb and think. Rating: 8/10

GENRE: indie I'm revisiting this particular artist (I'm going to limit my attempts at spelling her name because of how complicated it is) because I really the timbre of her voice. It's got such clarity and sits at the right register in terms of depth, and bass. It's not too breathy, and oozes conviction. I'm also a fan of her choice of instrumentation. It convinces me of her careful and meaningful approach to composition This one maintains a pretty mellow, more relaxed tone throughout. Supported by what I think is a nylon stringed guitar, and a french horn (?) here and there. The beginning riffs remind me of early Simon & Garfunkel songs, especially with that descending bass note and dominant chords. Nevertheless, you never really get any buildups. It's a like a smooth ride on a highway in Kentucky. No bumps, just road. Rating: 6.5/10

GENRE: indie, psychedelic  Although a bit off-putting at first, I think I feel better about this song when I describe it as a bit of a trip. Those descending chords are not nice to the soul, and truly transport you somewhere else. There's lots of detuning accents among the instruments that add to this ethereal soundscape. Alex G  has the astonishing ability to sing incredibly inaudibly while knowingly singing in English. I don't understand what is being said half the time. In between developing experimental sections, you reach some sort of harmony that fails to impress me. I can respect the effects and the instrumentation, but altogether it's just not pleasant, catchy, or memorable. I liked the tone with the beginning guitar riff; I just wish it kept going down that path. Rating: 4/10

GENRE:   indie, instrumental Now here's a genre I don't think I've done. I don't exactly have the expertise or esoteric knowledge of music composed for film, TV, etc. But, what I can say is that I can definitely see this piece fitting perfectly with wide shots of vast plains or mountains. The repetition of that guitar riff in the background maintains a steady feeling of tension throughout the entire piece, as if something is not sitting totally right. It's essentially a minor arpeggio, with a solo guitar singing over the top. Using acoustic guitars in general implants images of the rural countryside. Now, I'm not sure what the state of Colorado has to do with it, but I'm guessing it's the mountains? Either way, this piece does take me to a different place of mind. Although it's not exactly a peaceful place, it's certainly a profound one. Rating: 8/10

GENRE: indie Wow, I'm kind of just blown away by this song. I would almost describe it as a progressive indie song. I would divide it into 4 four distinct sections. The introduction is characterized by a formless, streamlined verse accompanied by just one guitar. Once the drums enter, you light a fuse that slowly builds into the later sections. Man, the drums don't even enter until about 2 minutes in. You something similar to the chorus here, and it definitely raises the bar a bit here. Halfway through the song, everything quiets down, and the next section starts, where we reach the actual chorus and the elucidated topic of the song. Distorted guitars enter in full blast, but we haven't quite reached the climax yet. The song, keeps on building, where Lucy sings an octave up to really sell the point that this is a progressive song man. For an indie song, it's 6 minute long, which I find to be longer than most. I just adore the musicianship and care taken to really make ...

GENRE: indie Now, back to our roots. I haven't had an indie like in quite a while. It's seemingly a good fit too, given its softer tone, choice of acoustic instruments, and chilled singer. Oh wait, never mind I take it back. There's a section in here that builds up and climaxes with a outpouring of pent-up frustration. As is tradition. Nevertheless, I think this song has quite the identity! From the cynical, depressing lyrics, the melody is carried along a somewhat less harmonic line. It blends in with the rest of what's going on instead of standing out on its own. In another way, you can almost see it as a willing self-destruction, with the full-intention to be reborn fresh. She mentions all these rotting things, and frantically (and atonally) yells about her need to start a garden, a rebirth. Rating: 7.5/10

GENRE: indie, slow rock And now that we've re-calibrated, we have arrived back to that familiar indie sound. This time, there's a little twist in that this band is inspired by Twin Peaks, that one awfully slow-paced show with a feel for palpable tension. I mean, just look at the name of the band. My god, look at the album cover. It's a little excessive to me, personally. This particular song takes its main riff from the intro to the actual show. That repeating interval back and forth is so iconic, especially when the band has taken it to the point where a similar sound is used as well. I don't know if it's intentional, but this song drags just as much. I wish the tension was built slowly throughout. You kind of just drift along a stagnant wave when you listen to this song. At this point, why not just make it even longer than it is now? I guess, to that end, it's a proper adaptation inspired by a very eminent product. Rating: 5.5/10

GENRE: indie Ha, I've actually avoided this band one time already when I was just blazing through songs to write about. Now that my tastes have sort of narrowed in on a specific genre, you could say that this song crawled its way back into view. It's got all the elements; a female lead, a clean constant guitar riff, and a simple and tight drum track. My favorite thing about this is the delayed vocals. You get to immerse yourself in their soundscape for a full minute before they even stop singing. Even then, nothing stop when the vocals join in, it just smoothly blends in. Honestly, this musical idea just holds itself through the entire song. Other pieces build upon it throughout the song, which makes for a well-composed song that has a story weaved into it. Rating: 8/10

GENRE: indie rock, surf rock I'll throw it right out there that this piece is just slightly bitter. I'm not blown away by the interesting take on surf rock, but it's interesting nonetheless.It's like trying out a new food or cuisine that doesn't quite captivate you. Mark me down for a maybe, because I'm not quite sure I'll digging into this band. I do like the atmosphere that they carry you to. You've got the wavy, twangy sounds of 60's surf rock, with a layer of syrupy, dissonant guitars and synths thrown in. The middle section around 2:25 is quite nice and resolves itself as an indie song before whipping you back into shape with their specific soundscape. Again, not my particular taste, but maybe it takes multiple listens before I liken myself to its aroma. Rating: 4/10

GENRE: indie, chill Wow, this song is composed in a style that I myself want to emulate. The production is really nice and addictive. It totally absorbs you in the atmosphere that's given off by the album cover. My first nitpick though is his singing style. It just falls a bit flat for me. It feels like very static in its tone and dynamics, like just going through a routine, especially during the long verses around the 3:50 mark. It's just constant singing. I've always subscribed to the idea that the silences in between matter just as much. I'm glad the song is longer than usual. You're going to want this kind of length when writing a song that slowly burns and envelopes you. Unfortunately, the song itself doesn't develop throughout accordingly. Yet, that's not a bad thing considering the contemplative, calming nature of the song. Rating: 5.5/10

GENRE: indie This band is a bit of a hit or miss for me. I like some of their more popular songs, but it's usually the instrumentation that pulls me away from the songs themselves. The highlight on their songs is always the singer. Her nuanced, unique voice defines their identity as a music group. With their more recent album, I decided to give a short listen to one of the more popular tracks, UFOF. I had to look up what it stood for, which is literally UFO friend. And so, the lyrics take a bit of a quirky tone befitting of their band. Like any Big Thief  song, the vocals are all subdued and soft. So, if you've enjoyed their material before, I don't see why you wouldn't enjoy them here. I'm having trouble in particular trying to describe the way their lyrics work around the song. The cadence of the lyrics always floats and seeps into the subsequent verses (?) That's my best attempt. I'm partial to the chord progression in this song as well, because it...

GENRE: indie  As timid as this song is, it's just refreshing to hear someone sing so intimately and raw. Whoever put together that drum set has a good taste and understanding of this type of genre. The ride is so crisp and sustains an attack for SO long that it sounds like they're using a brush. They might have a chain attached to it, now that I think about it. Although it's not the most catchy thing (I actually want it to transition a certain way but then it doesn't), I think it's hits the spot when it comes to a rainy day and you're feeling down in the dumps. It's analogous to soup weather but for songs. Rating: 7/10

GENRE: indie With all the nice things I said about Crumb , it's  time I put my money in my mouth (is that how it goes?) and toss another one this way. Plants  is evidently their second-most popular song, and it consists of an intimate conversation between the listener and the song. An ephemeral, ever-changing song makes it such a cool piece to follow along with. It feels like a journey that slowly treks its way up a mountain before dropping and crashing. It's quite the ride, and the tools that Crumb  use to get there make it a multi-dimensional piece. Overall, just a cleverly written, coherent song with the unique flavor that is Crumb . Rating: 7/10