indie underrated

Critically acclaimed indie rock group Hallelujah the Hills is back at it with the release of their newest single “Crush All Night.” 

The first ten seconds of this song sound like some strange alien abduction. Perhaps this is fitting given the wild trip that ensues. When said alien noises cease, the song blasts into a full rock arrangement with a heavy rhythm section, crunchy guitars, and synth tones reminiscent of those previously championed by bands like The Cars. 

The verses feature an undulating vocal melody supported by the talents of Sad13 whose contribution to this song sounds a little PJ Harvey-esque. These verses lead to a titular refrain that packs some serious and memorable punch. 

Overall, we think the song sounds descendent of noise rock pioneer groups like The Jesus Lizard, but with an added pop sensibility. HTH is a veteran group with nearly twenty years of experience. It’s great to see them maintaining their intensity and edge. 

We love what we’re hearing in “Places,” the newest single from indie pop artist Gavin Licata. 

The song is characterized by a distant rhythm guitar, a chill percussion track, and a beautifully layered vocal arrangement. The lyrical cadence has an especially tight rhythm to it, and this adds a little extra groove to the song’s more atmospheric qualities. 

Licata is an artist who makes great use of available stereo space to capture a mood and the wounded mood of this song perfectly matches its lyrical composition, built around a speaker who gives of himself and doesn’t necessarily get anything in return. 

Among the song’s indie-pop elements, we hear a little Brent Faiyaz-style R&B. Gavin Licata has a lot of modernity in his sound and we’re her for it.