indie underrated

Indie art-pop icons Foxtails Brigade are back at it with the release of their new album Red Album. The third song on the record, “Gimme a Sign,” is one of our favorites. 

The alarm bell that starts the song immediately establishes a feeling of rush. This is only accentuated by the clockwork guitar that follows it and becomes the driving force behind the tune. The drum part matches the guitar’s rhythm pretty closely, and all of these instrumental forces work together to give the song a great sense of urgency. 

This is fitting, given the title and lyrics like “show me now, my time is overdue.” The speaker feels an impatient desire and the music matches the lyrics to capture it. The lyrics are, of course, delivered by front-girl Laura Weinbach whose sharp and eccentric cadence gives the song its unmistakably Foxtails sound. 

The structural arrangement of this song is tight, and the smooth choruses and bridge give a lot of relief to the tension built in the verses which is satisfying for us as listeners. 

We hear 80s influences in this song. Not so much in the production, which is really fresh. But some of Weinbach’s vocal moves resemble Sinéad O’Connor’s and those deep synth riffs have Depeche Mode written all over them.

If you’re looking for a song with a beating pulse, check out “linear,” the newest single from Manhattan, NY-based artist Carter James. 

This electro pop tune is gripping. 

Complete with synth arps, a deep bass, and catchy formanted vocals, this song would fit perfectly into any of your indie dance playlists. We even submit that it would stand out as exceptional on said playlists. 

Each of the song’s melodies is fresh and melancholic, the instrumental arrangement is active but not overly busy, and the structural arrangement of the song is flawlessly built around a climactic bridge. James is a true craftsperson, with a clear understanding of balance, and they put their experience and skill on full display with this single. 

If you’re into artists like Galantis or Flume, we think you’ll love this one.

Cleo Handler. Writer, actor, director, musician… name a creative endeavor that she doesn’t pursue and you’d be hard pressed to find evidence to support your case. What’s more impressive is that Cleo Handler doesn’t just do all of these things. She does them well, and “easy” from her new record compare & contrast is evidence of her prowess in the musical department. (Pop music, that is. Not “musical” proper, as in the theater kind. Although, she’s done those too.)  

In her own words, “compare & contrast is an album about dating — and about being on your own.” If that’s the case, we interpret “easy” as a commentary on the most fed up aspects of both dating and being on your own. Built around a refrain of “I just can’t…” the speaker is clearly over it all, and the brevity of the song works to support this firm and decisive attitude. 

Musically, the verse and chorus melodies are particularly catchy. And the instrumental arrangement is classic indie rock: steady drums and bass, strummy electric guitar, mellow vocals. The clap track is a nice touch too and reminds us of The Stooges’ “1969.” 

We think this song has characteristics in common with music by The Breeders and Superchunk. Be sure to check out “easy” and the rest of compare & contrast wherever you get music now!

Listen to these songs and more on our playlist now!