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5 eargasmic indie songs to listen to this February
Songs to hype you up for some of the most anticipated indie albums of the year.
Father John Misty - Ballad of a Dying Man
The self-parodying-musician-but-also-comedian Josh Tillman, A.K.A Father John Misty, is releasing the album Pure Comedy. “Ballad of a Dying Man” is upbeat and non political unlike the two prior singles. The song tells the story of a self-important dying man who worries for the world which will go on fine without him — a comment on the brand of men who pride themselves in pointing out pretentiousness but fails to see their lack of understanding or contribution to society.
All three singles assure us of another album with sharp wit, irony and a lot of laughs, through which J. Tillman shows the genuine desire to wake people up to the ridiculousness in the world. Be sure not to miss out.
Spoon - Hot Thoughts
If a photomontage coming together was something you could listen to, this would be it. Hot Thoughts emphasises the way Spoon adds and subtracts layers of music and rhythm which at a closer inspection of the individual elements, seems quite simple. But when looking at the whole image, the song is uniquely varied and complex. The song also sees them building on a style they’ve discovered in their previous They Want My Soul, which is a welcome exploration.
Dirty Projectors - Up in Hudson
Continuing with the theme of break up songs, Up in Hudson is another single that looks back at his relationship with ex partner and bandmate, Amber Coffman. The first two singles “Keep Your Name” and “Little Bubble” saw a shift from their usual style by adopting a more fluid R&B sound with a touch of hip-hop. But clocking in at 7:48 with style shifts as frequent as in “Useful Chamber,” “Up in Hudson” sees them back to Dirty Projector’s signature rhythmic experimentation that sounds very them.
Cigarettes After Sex - K.
A band without an album or any real marketing doesn't usually garner the type of hype these guys have, but sometimes, when the music is really good — it just happens. The song K. brings their song count up to 7. But damn it if the quality doesn’t make up for it. Greg Gonzalez’s vocal is like a darker, more smoky sound to Rhye’s Michael Milosh. And just like their other singles, the intimate subdued Mazzy Star-like sound is woven through the song and it’s coupled with bittersweet conversational words of yearning which tug at your heartstrings.
It is not clear if this song will be on the new album, however their debut album is to be released in 2017, so we will have to wait and see.
Arcade Fire - I Give You Power
Here’s a song to make older, stubborn fans of Arcade Fire raise an eyebrow. The song came out on the date of President Donald Trump’s inauguration along with Gorrilaz’s single Hallelujah Money — both are obvious protest songs. Arcade Fire joined the Gorrilaz in making a song that sounds quite different to the band’s usual music. It’s stripped back, it has a thick unrefined synth that plods the song along.Contrasted well with Mavis Staples’ incredible vocals alongside Win Butler’s which together, creates texture and strength. And what seems like an impossible combination of sounds somehow ends up being quite catchy.
This song will not be featured on the new album, however the album is reportedly finished and due for release this year.
New album release dates: TBA
