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 from Palehound, Claud, Strange Ranger, The Front Bottoms, and more.
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Palehound — Eye On The Bat
Using only four words, Palehound mastermind El Kemper described Eye On The Bat: “Anxious, horny, empathetic, emo.” This formula has been working for Palehound for years, and it’s especially warm and inviting on this new record. Opener “Good Sex” is as vivid and poetic as a film scene; closer “Fadin'” is a bittersweet ballad that leaves the listener in their feelings. From complicated familial ties to moments of intense intimacy, Eye On The Bat is a headfirst dive into the complexity of relationships with others as well with oneself.
Claud — Supermodels
Claud’s highly anticipated sophomore album Supermodels is here, not without a music video starring Paul Rudd to accompany it. The album is predictably confessional and delicate, staying true to the charm that fans loved on their debut Super Monster. “Glass Wall” provides a rewarding blip of nostalgic rock, bleeding into the emotional “It’s Not About You.”
The Front Bottoms — “Emotional”
So far, the singles from The Front Bottoms’ forthcoming album You Are Who You Hang Out With have been reminiscent of their early, stripped-down material. This new single, characteristically titled “Emotional,” shows a new direction, forward-looking and ambitious. Autotune and unfiltered hooks — “Ask if I’m emotional / F*ck yeah” — make for a memorable anthem.
Cherry Glazerr — “Soft Like A Flower”
“Soft Like A Flower” by Cherry Glazzer is some of their best stuff yet. The grungy, brooding track has a perfect hook accompanied by addictive guitars: “I like you killing me,” Clementine Creevy drawls. It’s a cathartic, nostalgic whirlwind of alt-rock that successfully lingers in the listener’s head well past its ending.
Snõõper — Super Snõõper
Snõõper are known for rapid-fire, playful punk. Based in Nashville, TN, the band shared their new album Super Snõõper, which contains 14 tracks that clock in at a little over 20 minutes. They don’t waste any time, and the songs fit aside one another in perfectly orchestrated chaos. With absurd lyrics and unforgettable bassline, Super Snõõper is a refreshing dose of mayhem.
Another Michael — “Angel” & “Pick Me Up, Turn Me Upside Down”
To follow 2021’s enchanting debut New Music And Big Pop, Another Michael are releasing not one, but two albums, Wishes To Fulfill coming in September and Pick Me Up, Turn Me Upside Down arriving early next year. The singles “Angel” and “Pick Me Up, Turn Me Upside Down” are shimmering glimpses into what’s to come. The latter track is heartfelt piano ballad whose vulnerability feels colossal.
Spellling — “Cherry” & “Under The Sun”
Eerie artist Spellling — real name Chrystia Cabral — received recognition for her idiosyncratic 2021 masterwork The Turning Wheel, and these new songs “Cherry” and “Under The Sun” prove she hasn’t lost her haunted appeal. “Cherry” twinkles and broods and builds with unsettling whispers, growing into an evil anthem, sounding like a scene from a horror movie.
Strange Ranger — “Wide Awake”
The Strange Ranger singles from their forthcoming album Pure Music have been dreamlike and sporadic. “Wide Awake” is a skittish, atmospheric experience with hypnotic vocals. The band’s Isaac Eiger said in a statement: “I was thinking about these flashes of memory that stick in your head forever. Bursts of senses that return every now and again but don’t lead anywhere beyond themselves like a GIF in your brain.” The song captures this bizarre sensation, packed with sounds that are almost tangible and colorful.
Taking Meds — “Outside”
New York-based band Taking Meds have a new album called Dial M For Meds arriving in September, and “Outside” is a taste. The pop-punk anthem may call to mind The Menzingers or Iron Chic; the anthemic riffs are aplenty, and the hooks might make you laugh: “Workwear and fisheye lens / Bleached hair and hash oil pens.”
Mutual Benefit — “Little Ways”
The magic of Mutual Benefit’s sweet ballad “Little Ways” is subtle and becomes more apparent with each listen. Buoyed by soft guitars, the song is uplifting and hopeful: “I thought of picking the weeds that sprouted / Between a row of flowers when I wasn’t looking there / But they do what they can in a hostile land / And I can’t help but admire all their thorns.” With a music video featuring turtles and mushrooms, “Little Ways” is a nice moment of gratitude.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. .
