indie underrated

A song doesn’t have to be a love song for listeners to fall in love with it, and Tito Strange proves this with his newest single “Crutch.” You might also think that an anti-love song (or, really more of an anti-lovesong song) would be characterized by negative emotion, but this is a feel good track and its sentiment comes across as one of liberation above all else. 

Strange sounds loose and free here. 

The song starts with a playful, staccato guitar riff that leads us into a super catchy opening hook before the first verse. The guitar quiets in the verse to make room for more resonant textures and Strange’s rhythmic vocal performance which, in concert with the lyrical composition, acts as a sort of melodic drum track. We applaud this groove-enhancing technique. 

The song is relatively short, coming in at two minutes and eighteen seconds, but this only works in its favor. When it ends we’re left wanting more and motivated to listen again and again, so save yourself the time and put it on loop!

The R&B and pop mix here brings Prince, and Prince inspired artists like Omar Apollo, to mind.

That’s catchy company. 

Tito Strange is a prolific artist and has contributed to more than fifty projects since his debut in 2007. Check out “Crutch” and Strange’s other work now!

If you’re looking for a pensive, folk rock slow jam check out “Your Brand New Bathing Suit,” the newest single from songwriter Ryan Ayala’s ongoing recording project Are We Hunting. 

Some artists are especially talented at depicting setting in their music, and Are We Hunting is one of those artists. When we say “depicting setting” we’re not exclusively talking about lyrics. (Although A.W.H. certainly does depict setting with his lyrics.) We’re talking more about the ways in which a song’s sonic qualities work to convey the mood of a particular place. 

Are We Hunting is based out of Northern California and we think “Your Brand New Bathing Suit” so accurately evokes images of the Pacific Northwest. The strummy, buzzy acoustic guitars and thumping kick drum make the song sound spacious and woodsy. The steady, hand percussion track (maybe a maraca) sounds like light rainfall. The title is beachy. And, of course, Ayala’s vocals are warm and comforting as a bonfire. 

Whether the whole “setting” thing is intentional or not, Are We Hunting is clearly in touch with his perspective and tells unique stories through his art. There’s an authenticity that shines through in this song and it makes for a really compelling listen. 

We think this song echoes the folk rock tradition. It’s descended from Dylan and related to groups like Caamp or solo artists like Rayland Baxter. 

We love what we’re hearing in “I’m Really Changing,” the penultimate track off Duckwrth’s newest album, All American F*ckboy. (N.B. on Spotify, the asterisk in “F*ckboy” is actually a star emoji but we’re limited by certain formatting constraints on this keyboard.) This is the third full-length album from Duckwrth and with it he continues to bend, mix, and blur the conventions of genres like R&B, hip-hop, and rock.

The song kicks off with a few atmospheric tones that set the scene before diving right into an undeniably catchy chorus. The harmonic vocals that sing the hook are well-balanced given how crowded they sound, and this is a testament to how stellar the overall mix of the song is. 

Our favorite element of the song is the drum track which, in unity with the bass, finds a soulful groove and maintains it with real humanity from beginning to end. 

Overall, Duckwrth has composed a truly pleasant listening experience with “I’m Really Changing.” The way he mixes bold lyrical verses with catchy choruses reminds us of Outkast. The cadence of his rapping also brings J. Cole to mind. If you’re into artists like those, be sure to give Duckwrth’s newest album a full listen!

Hear these songs and more on our playlist now: