Indie music has grown to include so much. It’s not just music that is released on independent labels, but speaks to an aesthetic that deviates from the norm and follows its own weirdo heart. It can come in the form of rock music, pop, or folk. In a sense, it says as much about the people that are drawn to it as it does about the people that make it.
Every week, Uproxx is rounding up the best new indie music from the past seven days. This week we got new music by The Black Keys, My Chemical Romance, Florence + The Machine, and more.
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The Black Keys — Dropout Boogie
Returning for the first time since last year’s covers album Delta Kream, The Black Keys deliver another classic project with the groovy LP Dropout Boogie. Infused with irresistible ’70s funk rock, rockabilly chords, and soulful refrains, the 10-track album shows that modern rock ‘n’ roll is still going strong.
The Smile — A Light For Attracting Attention
Tiding over Radiohead fans until the band’s next release, The Smile, the new group with Thom Yorke, Johnny Greenwood, and Tom Skinner, dropped their captivating debut album A Light For Attracting Attention. Yorke’s signature tenor is at the forefront of this album, layering cascading melodies over skittering beats and ethereal synths to craft stand-out tracks like “Free In The Knowledge” and “Skrting On The Surface.”
Florence + The Machine — Dance Fever
Nearly four years after the group’s last album High As Hope, Florence + The Machine make a triumphant return with their shimmering effort Dance Fever. Inspired by the euphoria of movement, Welch’s impressive vocal range is on full display, dipping between bellowing lows on tracks like “King” and confident highs on “Dream Girl Evil” and “My Love.”
Kevin Morby — This Is A Photograph
The ever-prolific Kansas City songwriter Kevin Morby dropped his dazzling album This Is A Photograph this week, inspired by a particularly impactful family trip he took to visit his ill father in Memphis. Pastoral and flowing, Kevin’s seventh studio album is an ode to country living, life’s transient nature, and the importance of cherishing friends and family. It’s filled with both melancholy ballads like “Disappearing” and energetic numbers like the title track, pointing to Morby’s versatile songwriting.
Say Sue Me — The Last Thing Left
South Korea indie quartet Say Sue Me released their quaint and atmospheric album The Last Thing Left. Written about an emotional period of time following the passing of the band’s friend and drummer, the album translates reflections on loss and life into 10 delicate tracks. “This album has the theme of some realization, eventually the realization of love,” said vocalist/guitarist Sumi Choi. “Love in relationships, love for oneself, and the ultimate love gained after realizing those two things!”
My Chemical Romance — “The Foundations Of Decay”
MCR fans rejoice! The band has just returned with “The Foundations Of Decay,” their first new song since 2014. The six-minute track starts slow before a head-banging cascade of fuzzy guitars come in, pretty much exactly what fans were hoping for in the eight years since their last song. About the track, bassist Mikey Way even said the song was his “favorite My Chemical Romance song of all time.”
Bartees Strange — “Hold The Line”
After ushering in a new era of music with a single and album announcement, Bartees Strange continues previewing his upcoming LP Farm To Table with the laid-back ballad “Hold The Line.” Armed with soulful lyrics and twang-infused guitar chords, “Hold The Line” shows a different side to Strange’s multifaceted artistry.
Stella Donnelly — “Lungs”
Australian signer Stella Donnelly quickly became a indie favorite with her 2019 debut album Beware Of The Dogs. With her honeyed vocals and soaring production, Donnelly’s new track “Lungs” points to what is expected to be another strong effort on her upcoming LP Flood.
Julia Jacklin — “Lydia Wears A Cross”
Seeing as Julia Jacklin’s last album Crushing landed at No. 34 on the 2019 Uproxx Music Critics Poll, her latest album announcement Pre Pleasure is more than welcomed. “Lydia Wears A Cross” arrived as Jacklin’s lead single this week, showing off her penchant for earnest ballads. “The song is about a lot of things but mainly being a 7yr old Jesus Christ Superstar fanatic attending catholic school trying to figure out which way is up,” Jacklin said about the new single.
Black Midi — “Welcome To Hell”
UK-based trio Black Midi have made a name for themselves not only with their buttoned-up stage presence, but the band continues to steadily releases inventive and conceptual projects. Following up on last year’s Cavalcade album, Black Midi announce the upcoming LP Hellfire, which they describe as their most thematically cohesive album to date. The lead single, aptly titled “Welcome To Hell” features the band’s signature propulsive guitar and deadpan lyrical delivery, detailing the POV of a discharged soldier.
Miloe — “Elastic”
Congolese-American indie rocker Miloe has been turning heads recently with his sun-soaked music. “Elastic” is his latest lighthearted tune, featuring a fluttering chorus and infectious beat which highlights Miloe’s intimate songwriting.
Some of the artists covered here are Warner Music artists. .
