Indie Rock

    Rooted in the sound and sensibility of American underground and alternative rock of the ’80s, it’s rock made by and for outsiders with a wariness of excess testosterone.

    Hideaway

    Wavves: Hideaway

    Sitting on the precipice of noise rock (due primarily to the, uh, noisy production), Wavves manages to make...
    Every Bad

    Porridge Radio: Every Bad

    I’m not gonna lie, I kind of hate the name of this band. Porridge Radio is objectively bad....
    SUGAREGG

    Bully: SUGAREGG

    I know this band gets constantly compared to Hole. In fact, I compared them to Hole on my...
    The Sophtware Slump

    Grandaddy: The Sophtware Slump

    There was a time when Grandaddy was labeled "the American Radiohead." The comparison never sat well with me, only because Radiohead are a bunch of snobbish whatevers who
    Lost In the Country

    Trace Mountains: Lost In the Country

    The irony of Lost in the Country's first song being titled "Rock & Roll" is certainly not lost on me. Because it is discernibly not rock & roll. Despite rising form the
    Thin Mind

    Wolf Parade: Thin Mind

    There was a time when Wolf Parade was “challenging” music. But it seems the owners of that tradition have spun that mantle off to side projects and personal quibbles. Or
    It's Real

    Ex Hex: It’s Real

    I don't know much about Pat Benatar other than the fact she was a style icon. And played some 80s rock tunes that stylized power chords and put some ballz into the genre
    Cut Your Teeth

    Necking: Cut Your Teeth

    Necking is a term that my mom (Boomer that she is) used when I was a kid. Like way too much. She used it in reference to her own high-school days and to anything having
    Seamonsters

    The Wedding Present: Seamonsters

    Another classic album. Another Steve Albini production. It's not even as though I'm doing this on purpose, but I keep gravitating to these soft-loud-soft indie rock
    Orange Rhyming Dictionary

    Jets to Brazil: Orange Rhyming Dictionary

    Continuing my week of Jawbreaker retro fanboy-ism, here’s Blake Schwarzenbach’s 1998 follow up to the implosion of that band’s swan song, Dear You. It’s an album that
    Act Surprised

    Sebadoh: Act Surprised

    To this day Sebadoh created one of my more epic and ridiculous concert moments. It was 1996 and...
    Phoenix

    Pedro the Lion: Phoenix

    I’ve always been a little weirded out by Dave Bazan’s Christianity and the kind of pigeonholing of Pedro...
    Fall Into the Sun

    Swearin’: Fall Into the Sun

    There’s something warm and inviting about boy/girl singing. Even if it’s not at the same time. Like Blake...