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 incredible new album from Bill Callahan, some more solo music from the ever-prolific Adrianne Lenker, and the announcement of a new album from Kevin Morby. Check out the rest of the week’s best new indie music below.
Bill Callahan – Gold Record
Over the last 30 years, we have been luck enough to witness Bill Callahan’s personal and artistic evolution, from the indirect lo-fi songwriting of his Smog project, to the lush and thoughtful recent solo output. On Gold Record, his latest release after the 2019 double album Shepherd In A Sheepskin Vest, Callahan is focused on topics that “invite a kind of earnestness and even sentimentality that would have been inconceivable when he first started making albums in his 20s,” writes Steven Hyden for Uproxx.
Lomelda – Hannah
For her fifth LP under the name Lomelda, Hannah Read wouldn’t settle for anything less than perfection. The album was recorded and re-recorded in its entirety upwards of three times before Read and her brother/producer Tommy Read got everything just right. The resulting Hannah is a more expansive effort than we’ve heard from Lomelda in the past, with polished production and poignant songwriting that moves seamlessly between insular moments and full-band explosions.
Mike Huguenor – X’ed
You might recognize Mike Huguenor from his work in Jeff Rosenstock’s band, Shinobu, Hard Girls, and more. X’ed is his first proper solo album, and was composed using nothing but guitars. All of the instrumentals on the album were created by two acoustic guitars and one electric guitar, making X’ed one of the most exciting and unconventional albums of the year.
Royal Green – Royal Green
Although The National are not slated to be releasing music in 2020, the members have been keeping more than busy. Aaron Dessner worked with Taylor Swift on Folklore, Matt Berninger has a new solo album out in October, and now the band’s drummer Bryan Devendorf has released his debut solo album under the name Royal Green. The album takes on a more electronic, experimental approach, and features contributions from Aaron Dessner and Muzz’s Josh Kaufman. The eight-song effort showcases Devendorf’s individual strength as a songwriter, with each track containing multitudes of instrumental and lyrical depth.
Hannah Georgas – All That Emotion
Speaking of Aaron Dessner, he is also a collaborator on Hannah Georgas‘ gorgeous new album All That Emotion. It’s a poignant record that is rooted in a “grass is always greener” mentality with lyrics that pack a punch, delivered through dreamy, ethereal vocals that float atop pulsing indie-pop instrumentation.
Total Revenge – Total Revenge
The ever-prolific Ryan Pollie is back with another album, this time under the name Total Revenge. The lo-fi punk project’s debut self-titled album packs a lot of melodic punch into the crunchy instrumentals, with crashing percussion that proves high-end recording equipment is less imperative than a simple knack for strong songwriting.
Adrianne Lenker – “Anything”
While Big Thief has been more or less quiet during 2020, Adrianne Lenker isn’t showing any sign of slowing down. “Anything” is the first single from her new album Songs, which will be released in conjunction with another album called Instrumentals. Like most tracks Lenker puts out, “Anything” is what Derrick Rossignol calls for Uproxx “a lovely and delicate folk tune.”
Anohni – “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue” (Bob Dylan cover)
It’s been nearly four years since last got a full-length project from Anohni, but now she is back with a pair of covers. Most notably is her lo-fi take on Bob Dylan’s cryptic track “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue,” which was originally released on Dylan’s 1965 album Bringing It All Back Home, and may or may not be about his breakup with Joni Mitchell. Regardless of the song’s original intentions, Anohni said in a press release that it reminded her of the current moment and felt more relevant than ever.
Kevin Morby – “Campfire”
Not even a year since releasing Oh My God, Kevin Morby is back with another new album. “Campfire” prefaces Sundowner, the songwriter’s sixth album, and epitomizes the record’s recurring themes as “a depiction of isolation. Of the past. Of an uncertain future,” according to a statement. Sonically, Morby’s vocals take on a Dylan-esque drawl, all the while boasting a strong, resonant chorus.
Gus Dapperton – “Medicine”
After capturing people’s attention with a bedroom pop EP in 2017, Gus Dapperton is taking a slightly different approach to Orca, his sophomore LP. “Medicine” is emblematic of Dapperton’s focus on “honing his sound and shifting to more introspective, moody pop ballads” for the new album, writes Carolyn Droke for Uproxx.
Hundredth – “Bottle It Up”
After making the shift from hardcore punk to shoegaze on their 2017 album Rare, Hundredth are back with another attempt at a sonic shift. “Bottle It Up” takes on a more indie-pop approach that sounds more like Tame Impala than Converge, once again putting the South Carolina-based band’s impressive versatility on full display.
Eastwood – “I (Don’t) Need You”
Eastwood is the indie side project of Cole Crutchfield, best known as the guitarist of hardcore heavyweights Knocked Loose. Crutchfield takes a much more mellow and calculated approach to Eastwood, taking nearly four years to put all the pieces together for the band’s proper debut release, It Never Gets Easy. If “I (Don’t) Need You” is any indication, all of the hard work paid off.
Anjimile – “In Your Eyes”
With his debut full-length project Giver/Taker slated for release in just a few short weeks, Anjimile has shared another preview. “In Your Eyes” takes on a more laid-back approach than some of the other groove-driven tracks we’ve heard so far. “Over enveloping acoustic melodies, Anjimile delivers a soothing reflection on coming to terms with his identity,” writes Carolyn Droke for Uproxx.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
