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 the impressive debut album from Claud, another new track from Greta Van Fleet, and the first official Ryley Walker solo music in several years. Check out the rest of the best new indie music below.
While we’re at it, sign up for our newsletter to get the best new indie music delivered directly to your inbox, every Monday.
Claud – Super Monster
After a string of inventive self-released EPs, 21-year-old Claud’s debut album makes good on the promise of their early work. With the opportunity to mix the record at the legendary Electric Lady Studios, Claud was able to take the DIY aesthetic of home recording and blow it out to make Super Monster sound good in rooms big and small. “Across the album’s thirteen tracks, Claud builds a unique indie-pop listening experience that doesn’t sound quite like anything else,” I wrote in a recent interview.
Anika Pyle – Wild River
Best known for her work in pop punk outfits Chumped (so good) and Katie Ellen (also so good), Anika Pyle has taken downtime from touring to work on a good deal of solo music over the last several years. Wild River is her first proper solo album, an effort that was born out of sudden loss and the ensuing period of enveloping grief. Comprised of an array of different musical arrangements and some spoken word interludes, the album features some of Pyle’s most personal and reflective songwriting to date.
Steady Holiday – Take The Corners Gently
Steady Holiday wanted to use her third studio album, Take The Corners Gently, to embrace uncertainty and come to terms with a period of uncertainty in her life. Despite the heavy themes, the album is breezy and seemingly carefree, a celebration of the effort one took to make the best of a difficult situation. “The experience was an opportunity to examine how deeply I pay attention to the people and world around me,” she said in a statement. “To notice where I put my energy, and what I might be missing. It’s an album about embracing uncertainty, relinquishing what can’t be controlled, appreciating moments as they happen.”
Angel Du$t – Never Ending Games (Remix EP)
Hardcore-turned-folk-punk outfit Angel Du$t released their Lil House EP last year, and now the project’s standout track “Never Ending Game” has received the remix treatment from the likes of Panda Bear and Lunice. Each producer’s take on the track gives it a completely new life, with Panda Bear essentially recreating the song from scratch and Lunice utilizing some of the song’s original pieces to create something new.
Toledo – Jockeys Of Love EP
As spring soon begins to set in on the East Coast, Toledo’s new EP Jockeys Of Love is a perfect soundtrack to breathing in the fresh blooms and newly warm air (through a mask). The effort is a perfect blend of light and dark, with heavy themes in the lyrics presented through reverb-soaked instrumentals and dreamy vocals. Despite its darkness, Jockeys Of Love is buoyed by an overarching sense of hope that is palpable across its six tracks.
Youth Novel – Youth Novel
Ann Arbor, Michigan screamo outfit Youth Novel has been dormant since 2017, when the group unraveled during the early production of their debut full-length album. But the pandemic gave guitarist Maya Chun and bassist Jon Riley the time and space they needed to revisit the material and complete what they started, with new vocalist Nathan Whittle. Their self-titled album is dark, chaotic, and provides a good adrenaline rush during this time of stagnancy. I just hope that they band isn’t still mad at me for losing $1 while trying to be helpful at one of their shows.
Greta Van Fleet – “Heat Above”
With their first album post-Grammys win set for release in April, rock revivalists Greta Van Fleet have shared another preview of The Battle At Garden’s Gate. It’s what Derrick Rossignol calls for Uproxx a “triumphant track,” one that utilizes an organ and big acoustic guitars to spread the love.
Bonnie “Prince” Billy + Matt Sweeney – “Hall Of Death”
For the first time in 16 years, Bonnie “Prince” Billy and Matt Sweeney have teamed up for a new full-length album. “Hall Of Death” picks up right where the duo’s previous effort left off, a modern psychedelic track that incorporates rolling drums and modulated keyboards. But right when the track seems to feel meandering, it snaps back into focus with a laser-sharp chorus.
Alex Lahey & Gordi – “Dino’s”
With recent acclaimed albums under their belts, Alex Lahey and fellow Australian songwriter Gordi have teamed up for a new collaborative track. “Dino’s” pays tribute to the Nashville dive bar of the same name that they both frequent when passing through the city. Breezy and oganic, “Dino’s” a track about the feeling of time standing still while you are spending time with someone you truly love.
Tigers Jaw – “New Detroit”
The latest preview of Tigers Jaw’s forthcoming album I Won’t Care How You Remember Me finds Ben Walsh and Brianna Collins sharing lead vocal duties. Where many recent Tigers Jaw tracks have dialed in on the band’s power-pop sensibilities, “New Detroit” dials back the distortion to instead focusing on melodies and infectious guitar lines. In a statement, Walsh said that the song is about balancing a new relationship with the responsibilities of international touring, and “feeling mentally split between the two places, unable to be in the moment even though it was this amazing experience in a new place.”
Ryley Walker – “Rang Dizzy”
It’s been a few years since Ryley Walker released his last “proper” solo album, though he has certainly kept busy since then with a string of collaborative and cover releases. Now, he’s back with Little Common Twist, a brand new album of original material, set for release in April. Preceding the album is “Rang Dizzy,” which Derrick Rossignol calls for Uproxx “a free-flowing tune that incorporates some jazz influence into the mix.”
Citizen – “Blue Sunday”
Citizen’s long-awaited fourth studio album was delayed significantly by the pandemic, but now is finally slated to drop in March. “Blue Sunday” is the latest preview of the LP, and truly doesn’t sound like anything the midwestern punk outfit have released to date. Drawing more inspiration from acts like The Cure than Jimmy Eat World, “Blue Sunday” shows the band’s versatility and songwriter Mat Kerekes’ chameleonic musical prowess.
Dan Campbell – “When I Face Into The Wind”
While Dan Campbell bases lyrics for The Wonder Years on his own personal journals, and lyrics for his Aaron West project on a storyboard and research, his first official solo work instead takes inspiration from real people outside his circle of friends. “When I Face Into The Wind” is more reserved than most of Campbell’s work in the past, utilizing strings and brass to accentuate the story of finding love.
Cool Ghouls – “The Way I Made You Cry”
San Francisco’s Cool Ghouls are celebrating a decade of existence by releasing their fourth studio album, At George’s Zoo. The quartet channels the sounds of the bands that made San Francisco a destination in the ’60s and ’70s, with swelling guitars and horn flourishes. The world is very different than when the quartet first got together, but “The Way I Made You Cry” shows their strengths as a group and knack for evocative songwriting.
Hand Habits – “I Believe In You” (Neil Young Cover)
With the Dirt EP just around the corner, Meg Duffy’s Hand Habits have revealed a cover of Neil Young’s “I Believe In You,” which originally appeared as the closing track on 1970’s After The Gold Rush. Featuring additional vocals from SASAMI, Kyle Thomas (King Tuff), Ellen Kempner (Palehound), and John Andrews, the cover is a good example of the lasting impact of Young’s music and style.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. .
