We’re nearing the dead zone in the year, when releases are few and far between. But fret not, in this day and age of the single reigning king, we have 3 great new tracks for you to pepper over your weekend. There are offerings from two mainstays in the indie scene and a breakout artist whose back catalogue may merit a closer look.
Wolf Parade – “Against the Day”
What is it about Canadian Indie rock that’s so gosh darn appealing?! In Wolf Parade’s case, it’s their ability to craft catchy earwigs without going full on pop - that makes them so appealing. Their latest single “Against the Day,” sounds like an amalgamation of leftover synth and drum sequences from the 80’s, while still sounding fresh. Couple that with Spencer Krug’s easily identifiable vocals and you’ve got an oddly dark, indie anthem. It’s perfect to start off the weekend right, and lends itself to ad nauseam looping and/or hype jam as you head out for a night on the town.
Peter Bjorn and John – “Rusty Nail”
The Swedish indie pop trio first hooked you with an infectious whistle on the epic song “Young Folks.” Since then, over the past 10 years or so, they’ve gotten out there and somewhat experimental. But, with every new release, they seem to be coming back around to creating catchy conventional melodies again. “Rusty Nail” is definitely more on the spectrum that first made you fall in love with PB&J in the first place. I guess it helps that they drew inspiration for this melody from a children’s song. I dare you to not have this hook stuck in your head all weekend.
MONOGEM – “Soy Lo Que Soy”
There are very few songs that haunt you immediately after hearing them only once. That’s exactly what happened the first time I heard MONOGEM’s “Soy Lo Que Soy.” I wasn’t too familiar with her flavor of electronically-tinged, brooding pop… but once I heard this track in Spanish I had to find out more about Jen Hirsh’s LA-based project MONOGEM. Turns out the track appears on an EP released last week and is the first time she’s written and recorded in Spanish, incorporating her Guadalajaran heritage. Her previous work in English is also captivating, but I think Hirsh may have crafted a secret sauce recipe singing in Español.