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 very best of the indie releases from the past seven days. This week gave us the highly anticipated new album from modern guitar-hero Sturgill Simpson, a kinda-sorta-throwback album from Tegan And Sara, and a surprising Arcade Fire cover from… Foo Fighters.
While we’re at it, if you want more music recommendations curated by Steven Hyden delivered directly to your inbox every week, sign up for the Indie Mixtape newsletter.
Sturgill Simpson — Sound & Fury
Although Sturgill Simpson was nominated for Album Of The Year at the Grammys three years ago, he still manages to fly, for the most part, under the radar. Simpson’s new album Sound & Fury is what Steven Hyden calls a “‘WTF?’ pass,” which is meant to be endearing. He also calls it “the curmudgeon’s Golden Hour.” Are you intrigued yet?
Tegan And Sara — Hey, I’m Just Like You
To coincide with the release of their new memoir High School, Tegan And Sara revisited songs they wrote early in their career and re-worked them through a lens of the current, more seasoned Quin sisters for Hey, I’m Just Like You. It’s a record that “feels like a journey across the history of Tegan And Sara, all told through the prism of their humble beginnings,” writes Philip Cosores for Uproxx.
The New Pornographers —In The Morse Code Of Brake Lights
Consistently churning out new music since the turn of the millennium, The New Pornographers are back with perhaps their most dystopian record to date. Throughout its eleven tracks, things are falling all around the band — societal conventions, love, and more. But at the same time, they’ve never sounded better. In The Morse Code Of Brake Lights is a testament to creating beauty in the face of destruction, a lesson we could all learn from.
The Replacements — Dead Man’s Pop
With an updated mix and extra material, Dead Man’s Pop reinvents what is widely regarded as the worst moment in The Replacements’ discography, roughing up the edges and curating the ill-fated project for a new generation. Thirty years later, the re-mixed and re-mastered version of the band’s 1989 commercial flop Don’t Tell A Soul is what Steven Hyden calls for Uproxx “a revelation, succeeding in gallantly rescuing a very good collection of [Paul] Westerberg originals from the bland and dated sound of Don’t Tell A Soul. For newcomers, you might as well start here.” Get to it!
Hovvdy — “So Brite”
Hovvdy’s third album, Heavy Lifter, is finally due in just a few weeks (October 18), and it’s a perfect soundtrack for trekking through falling leaves in a sweater (a.k.a. the single best moments of any year). “So Bright” is another track from the Austin duo that sounds chilled-out, but when you take time to listen to the lyrics, the scene gets a bit darker: “What if I start to lose my mind? What if I start to lose my shine?” That’s heavy, doc.
Jimmy Eat World — “All The Way (Stay)”
Ever-reliable, emo veterans Jimmy Eat World will release their tenth studio album Surviving later this month. For its first few minutes, “All The Way (Stay)” doesn’t stray too far from the sound that we’ve come to know and love from the band that churned out iconic albums like Clarity and Bleed American, but all that shifts quickly in the last 45 seconds of the track when a Clarence Clemens-style saxophone solo punctuates the vocal melodies.
Foo Fighters — “Keep The Car Running” (Arcade Fire cover)
Over the last few months, Foo Fighters have been rolling out new archival releases from the “Foo Files,” featuring mostly live performances from over the band’s nearly 25-year run. The latest installment, titled 01070725 features a handful of demos from the 2007 Echoes, Silence, Patience, And Grace era, as well as a few live performances from radio shows. Within the batch is a faithful cover of Arcade Fire’s Neon Bible single “Keep The Car Running.” It’s not something I thought I’d hear anytime soon, but I’m certainly not complaining about it.
George Clanton – “Crash Pad” Feat. Nick Hexum of 311
This is a really interesting one. George Clanton, a passionate 311 fan, finally got invited backstage at a 311 show in the summer of 2018. After hanging with the band’s lead singer Nick Hexum, the two decided to collaborate on music. Now, we have this beautiful vaporwave number, featuring Hexum’s reverb-soaked vocals. What more do you need to know?
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. .
