13 NECKLACE

13 Necklace is an indie rock band based in New York City. Primary songwriter Danny Evans combines the layered guitars of ’90s college rock and shoegaze with gentle, considered songwriting and experimental electronic elements. While the project started as a pure solo outlet in 2019, it has evolved into a fully fledged band, with the reintroduction of concerts post-COVID serving as a new beginning for the project’s live incarnation.

13 Necklace’s newest release and first proper full-length, On and Off, takes cues from their two previous releases (including drum machines, samples, and a mixture of lo-fi, home-recorded takes with full-band studio recordings) while introducing a heavier, poppier sound. On and Off takes each aspect of the 13 Necklace sound to the extreme – there’s a new focus on traditional rock song structures and earworm choruses, but at the same time Danny’s trademark addition of unusual sounds bordering on sound collage/ambient music continues to shine through.

Danny has participated in a wide variety of bands in diverse scenes and genres including Great Plains (an indie rock band based in Hudson Valley, NY), Vanitas (a black metal band Danny fronted while at college in Oberlin, OH), and Quedada (an Ohio-based screamo project). Danny also co-runs the NYC/Detroit-based non-profit/mutual aid tape label, Metaphorest. Today, the 13 Necklace live lineup consists of Danny Evans on guitar and vocals, Milo Sussman on bass, and Danny Caro on drums.

“Evans leans more toward slacker rock in the lineage of Alex G, only taken to a hazier, gazier place.“

Post Trash

QUICK FICTION

Sometimes, records don’t come easy. Bands can struggle for years with how to make the metaphorical music in their minds a flesh-and-bone reality. Songs are built up, taken apart, and put together as something entirely different than the original demo. San Francisco’s Quick Fiction show exactly how that process can lead to an incredible artistic statement on their debut Fingers Crossed. 

From the ashes of folk-rock band The Nest, Steve Landey, Fred Hatfull, and Eric Shaw joined with Cody Krivacic and AJ Ferrick to form a band that combines pop punk, folk, and prog rock into a tight, upbeat sound. For the past three years, this crew has been chasing down a sound. The band recalls, “We wrote, refined, and recycled dozens of instrumental arrangements, searching for a sound that resonated with us.” A lot of bands start out with a sound in mind, but the freedom of this search allowed Quick Fiction to create something that felt truly theirs. Amidst the tumult of adult life – jobs, moves, marriages – these five people have managed to create a sonic landscape bigger than they could have initially imagined.

This constant cycle of revision has led them to their debut album – Fingers Crossed. Combining their folk roots with the urgency of pop punk and the technical precision of prog rock, Fingers Crossed is an ambitious, genre-defying record with frequent timing changes and warm, inviting chords. Thinking back on the recording sessions, the band says, “Our goal became to create songs that have plenty of hooks to draw you in, with enough complexity beneath the surface to reward repeated listens.” Nowhere is this more evident than songs like “Moonroof.” Riffy, catchy bursts of melody give way to moodier, almost ambient passages. It’s a song that begs you to listen to it again and again. To figure out how it works.

In a timeline where quantity is often better than quality, Quick Fiction has taken the road less traveled. They’ve meticulously turned over their songs, searching for the right combination of sonic elements. They’ve devoted themselves to the process. And now, we all get to enjoy the fruits of their labor.

“With the release of Fingers Crossed upon us, Quick Fiction is thinking big again, ready, willing, and able to introduce another side of themselves as a unit that is more than just a studio entity.“

V13

“Quick Fiction makes swift work in their debut, Fingers Crossed, displaying an array of genre-melding intersections of pop punk, progressive rock, and post-rock.”

Big Takeover

ISAAC FOSL VAN WYKE

Isaac Fosl-van Wyke is a songwriter and puppeteer based in Louisville, Kentucky, whose whimsical poetry is haunted by brutalities past and present. Biting cultural critique resides in mythical, rhyme-heavy storytelling, supported by harmonic layers from outstanding Kentucky musicians (Joan Shelley, Nathan Salsburg, Lacey Guthrie, Anna Krippenstapel, and more). All held together by Isaac’s singular voice, the songs quiver with anxiety and hope while confronting crises of cultural genocide, climate change, and industrial capitalism.

Isaac moved back to Louisville in 2019, seeking a band to flesh out songs written in upstate New York and the Painted Desert of the Navajo nation. He co-founded a choir focusing on polyphonic music of the Caucasus and Balkan regions. During the pandemic, he landed in a community of local songwriters (the Pineapple Playground) who met online to share results of a new prompt each week, staying sane in a time of isolation.

EP Possibilitarian Smile (May 2021) and Full-length UNDERNEATH (October 2021) were recorded in COVID-piecemeal style throughout fall of 2020 with Jim Marlowe (End of An Ear studios). The EP contains older and folkier-sounding songs thanks to the fiddle contributions of Anna Krippenstapel, but both releases share an undertone of good grief and question how to live well in a culture that seems to be killing itself. Single “Every Body Knows” is an indictment of white silence in the face of racist police brutality, while stripped-down “Darling” is sung from the perspective of a twin lost in childbirth. Each song hurts a little, but delivers on the Possibilitarian promise. Isaac will tour around the east coast and midwest throughout winter of 2021.

“Isaac Fosl-van Wyke continues to perfect his unique brand of passionate, rootsy folk-rock on his debut full-length album, Underneath.“

Music Mecca

“Each song is a chance for Isaac to weave you stories through America’s tortured past, but leave you with a sense of hope for better a tomorrow.”

IndieBandGuru

QUIET TAKES

Songwriter Sarah Magill is a Midwestern introvert who makes music for feelers as Quiet Takes. Pairing understated lyricism with “melan-happy” melodies, Magill plumbs idiosyncratic inner narratives for points of wider emotional connection.

Quiet Takes’s “breezy mix of dream pop, avant folk, and smooth psychedelia” (WLUR) finds further refinement on the latest release, Weekly, Weakly, the third collaboration between Magill and producer/multi-instrumentalist David Bennett. Crafted through pandemic-era weekly studio sessions (David and his wife, Kayla, graciously created a safe Aorist Studios pod to continue creative work), the newest Quiet Takes EP self-soothes admissions of loneliness and anxiety with shimmering synths and whispered harmonies.

Quiet Takes’s second EP, San Fidel, was embraced by college and AAA stations across the country earlier this year, widening Magill’s audience beyond her current home base in Kansas City. A writer and wanderer, Magill is returning to road-trips and live performances while working toward her first full-length album in 2022.

“The track floats on a dreamy bed of instrumentation, bolstered by hushed vocals and the gentle glimmer of synth chords.”

Under The Radar

“Ultimately, Magill has achieved a kind of timelessness and universality with this body of work—any worry that it might sound trite or cliché proves to be unfounded with relatable, candid songwriting.“

Audiofemme

“Magill finds a fascinating intersection between old and new, bringing in the latter through similarities to contemporary artists such as Andy Shauf and Sufjan Stevens with the alluring, hypnotic rhythm and whispering vocals.“

Dusty Organ

“With elegant lyrics and folk-psychedelic instrumentation, the music of Quiet Takes appeals and relates to a wide-scale audience.“

Music Mecca

BOYFRIENDERS

Boyfrienders is a power-pop band that formed in 2014, in the Metro Detroit area of Michigan. Originally conceived as a Mountain Goats-esque lo-fi solo project by lead singer/guitarist Poppy Morawa, the project has evolved into a full-on collaborative project also featuring Matthew Stonebraker on guitar, Celeste Jones as co-lead vocalist/bassist, and Alex Gene Sorenson on drums. On the cusp of releasing their third album “Midwest Alive in Nightmares”, Boyfrienders have been busy honing their craft, perfecting their process of writing infectious hooks, while invoking a new 90’s and 00’s alternative and indie-rock sensibility reminiscent of bands such as Dinosaur Jr., Say Anything, and The Strokes.

Boyfrienders’ third album, “Midwest Alive in Nightmares”, is the perfect distillation of the band’s sound: catchy melodies and striking leads, built in sophisticated pop rhythm.  Lyrically, the record is conceptual, a meditation on growing up and feeling stuck in an area that will never truly feel like home.  This feeling is reflected in such tracks as The Moment, Teen Creek, and Johnny Drama, forever attempting to scratch and claw your way out of a situation that feels inescapable, yet being afraid to break through that comfort zone.  The record was written and recorded over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic at Eureka Records in Wyandotte, MI, and brought to life by producer Austin Stawowczyk.

Joining forces with Good Luck Charm Records in 2019, and with each member being ingrained in the local music scene for years beforehand, Boyfrienders has opened for and played with such acts as Mover Shaker, Thank You I’m Sorry, Dogleg, Greet Death, Niiice., Seaholm, and Bombastic Dream Pussy. With plenty of shows lined up for the fall and multiple tours in the planning stages, Boyfrienders is ready to finally strike out from the local DIY scene and make their mark on a national stage.

“‘The Moment’ (…) takes some admitted and noticeable influence from Sonic Youth, but brings it into more of an emo/post-hardcore context.“

Brooklyn Vegan

“Boyfrienders have provided us with a stellar collection of songs.”

IDIOTEQ

FRANCES ELIZA

Originally from Raleigh, North Carolina, Asheville-based singer-songwriter Frances Eliza blends her love of songwriting with her passion for jazz, indie-folk, and pop music. Her jarring, unexpected lyrics and intricate melodies delve into the challenges of human relationships from the perspective of an independent-minded young woman and musician. Frances plays with producers and multi-instrumentalists Cole Covington (vocals, guitar, bass) and Daniel Harris (drums). Tristan Ferner (keyboard) and AJ Huang (saxophone) are also featured in Frances’ new album. 

Frances’ bittersweet music and raw vocal timbre first came to life in her debut EP “Sleepwalking,” released in late 2019. Since Fall 2020, she has been recording new material with Covington and Harris. Frances’ new single “Selkirk” explores the grief of losing the simplicity and innocence of childhood. Her new album infuses jazz elements and unique melodies into the raw imagery of human connection, hope, and loss.

“My album integrates my passion for jazz, indie-folk, and pop music with my love of storytelling. In my album, I play with producers and multi-instrumentalists Cole Covington (vocals, guitar, bass) and Daniel Harris (drums). Tristan Ferner (keyboard), AJ Huang (saxophone), and Matt Laird (strings) are also featured in my new album. I have fortunately still been able to record all of my songs for the album amidst the COVID pandemic, and the intimacy of recording during this time with my good friends and bandmates has made the experience very special to me. Working with Covington has really changed the perception I had of what I thought my sound could be. I like to use my own music to write about the seemingly small yet pivotal personal experiences that I’ve had, with the hope that listeners can potentially find comfort in my music and writing. Many of my songs address the emotional abuse that the women in my life and I have experienced. As I’ve matured, I’ve definitely grown to see myself and other people in new lights, a theme which runs through my new material. I use songwriting as my own form of healing and I look forward to listeners being able to connect and find comfort in the stories I tell in my new album.“

Frances draws inspiration from artists such as Lucy Dacus, Phoebe Bridgers, and Alice Phoebe Lou. Since Frances was 13, she has been featured at numerous fundraisers and rallies and has toured across NC and SC. She has played at venues like Local 506 (Chapel Hill) and The Pour House Music Hall (Raleigh). As venues continue to open up again, Frances will be playing more live shows with her band to showcase her new music.

“’Selkirk’ is a pensive yet comforting track.”

Music Mecca

“’Daughter’ (…) showcases her evolution into more orchestral and vibrant arrangements to elevate her haunting vocals and striking jazz-infused musicality.”

Dusty Organ

“With deep concepts and serious lyrics, ‘Intertwined’ creates a fusion between light and dark. The song’s light pop melodies offer a stark contrast between the raw lyrical content.”

Beyond The Stage

“Frances Eliza’s second EP, No Longer Mine is a deeply personal collection of songs that blends folk, jazz, and indie influences into something distinct and unique.”

Jammerzine

LOGAN PILCHER

After years of living the life as a self professed “rolling stone”, Logan Pilcher: indie-folk artist, has found himself a home base in the city of Atlanta, Georgia. Logan’s sound has been described as pure and organic. A love for acoustic guitar and 60-70s folk music has been a cornerstone in the inspiration of Logan Pilcher’s previous discography. But a new sound was conceived in the loneliness of the COVID 19 pandemic. Without the outlet of live shows, Logan felt he needed to progress in an alternative aspect. Within the confines of his bedroom, he began to discover himself as a producer of a larger sound. Leaning on more instrumentation and a modern edge, Logan began to piece together his debut, full length album titled “Most Days (I’m trapped in my bedroom dreaming of a world I don’t know)”.

This 10 track album comes in at a modest 33 minutes and does not waste a second of it. The songs are smooth and yet dynamic full of synth and acoustic texture. There is a melancholy yet hopeful message weaved into this record. The opening track “After October” is the perfect exemplification of Logan’s simple yet powerful lyrical style. The bridge lyrics unapologetically confront the darker truth of his mental state. “I don’t wanna be blue. I don’t wanna be lonely, but who am I kidding? I’m all of these things… but who else could I be?”

“2020 forced a lot of us to slow down. I was moving so fast playing shows and writing music that I forgot to examine my own mental health. I had forgotten what I wanted in life and what I was working so hard for. It all came to a head right as the nationwide lockdown hit. I could no longer distract myself with busyness and a lot of the songs from this album were birthed in the bleak reality of knowing I needed to deal with myself or I would never move on.”

The songs “Rivals” and “Other Than War” from Logan’s album take a break from an introspective style of writing and dive head first into the age old question of why humans are so divisive. “Other Than War” straddles the line between lighthearted tongue & cheek and a full fledged political song about the flaws of modern America. Ultimately Logan’s intentions, in this writing, are to encourage people to represent kindness and selflessness rather than the alternative.

The Album is a time capsule of the emotions of a lonely man’s search for love. Logan Pilcher pushes this idea to its extreme. Through this album, Logan pours into the many emotions that are presented during this journey. Each song is a chapter of one tale. “Infinite Sunshine” is the victory of finding love, a high you can’t come down from. Stories like “Youngblood” and “I Just Don’t” show love that cannot be reciprocated. “Sweatervest” is love in a single moment, which is a screenshot of a memory that someone refers to because living in the past is easier than moving on. “Lost in Translation” concludes the album with an acceptance of the coexistence of hopefulness and loneliness.

Logan Pilcher’s album “Most Days (I’m trapped in my bedroom dreaming of a world I don’t know)” is out now on all streaming sites.

“Pilcher shows us a way of hope – maybe misplaced, maybe not. But he fixates on the world he wants to see, not the world that was or even the world that is. Most Days encapsulates all of this in a mid 2010s brand of indie lined with captivating lyrical sentiments.“

Tuned Up

“The soft folk-pop track, with a sound similar to Novo Amor or The Paper Kites, examines the divisiveness of human beings and is a longing plea for unity and kindness.”

Music Mecca

“…a time capsule of the emotions of a lonely man’s search for love.”

CLOUT

Muskellunge Resurrect Midwestern Punk on New Album “In a Mess, In a State, and a Second Too Late”

It’s the ‘90s at Kinko’s Copies in Minneapolis, MN. Reba Fritz, John Crozier, and Benji Boyd spend their days printing up fliers for local bands and their nights going to alternative rock shows next door at the Uptown Bar. Reba, fresh out of high school, gives John, fresh out of a garage-rock band, a cassette tape of songs. Muskellunge is born. 

Adding drummer Eric Tretbar, and later engineer Bryan Hanna to their lineup, the band began practicing in a warehouse space down the hall from The Replacements. Fritz recalls the band listening in the hall outside the veteran rockers’ practice space, and darting back into the Muskellunge room whenever The Replacements’ wrapped up a song. The scene in Minneapolis was tangible then. Teeming with radio stations, magazines, papers, venues, and bands, Muskellunge quickly found their place in the ecosystem. 

Opening for bands like Echo & The Bunnymen, Belly, and Yo La Tengo, Muskellunge brought their angular, riffy interpretation of rock to venues around the city. Their songs captured the spirit of the day – soaked in grunge, yet with a pop sensibility beneath it all. Labels started calling, the band seemed ripe for success. And then suddenly, Muskellunge vanished. Bands have a funny way of doing that, don’t they? 

Fritz spent time traveling around the US. She explored cities like Chicago, Tucson, and Denver before returning to Minneapolis 17 years later. The city may be different, but Muskellunge has lost none of their edge. Fritz recalls, “John and I set up the pedals, turned on the mic, found the chords, and there it all was, still stewing in the embers – still there.” The band didn’t reunite – no. They picked up right where they left off.

And now, they’ve released a full length record. On In a Mess, In a State, and a Second Too Late, you’ll hear all the raw power of a band in their prime. The lead single, “Still Learning,” seems to reflect on the wisdom of experience. And the music is nothing short of fantastic. The band acts like they’re driving head-on into pop territory, then take an exit into sonic experimentation at the last possible second, swerving to avoid anything too predictable. Crozier’s angular riffs and Boyd’s bouncing basslines provide the perfect platform for Fritz’s gently sardonic vocals. It’s a song that will keep you on your toes. Crozier, Fritz, Boyd, and Hanna sound fully present, engaging with the details of their craft to bring us something transcendent. 

If there’s anything to learn from the Muskellunge story, it’s that longevity in the arts isn’t always a straight line. It resembles life in that way – the slow, persistent wandering across the Southwest. Across the fretboards. Across the airwaves. One way or another, we find our way back to the songs–and the people–that feel like home. 

In a Mess, In a State, and a Second Too Late is just the beginning for Muskellunge. They’ve still got miles to go. Minneapolis may have changed, but Muskellunge are just as vibrant and powerful as their first incarnation. Songwriting is healing – and you can hear that salve in Fritz’s lyrics. The joy of creation is still a powerful force for the members of Muskellunge: a fire reignited by the immediacy of the global pandemic. The joy of listening, though, is for us on the other end of the stereo. 

“From the angular guitar riff to the stellar drumbeat, the song oozes melody. Boyd also plays a bassline that adds an entirely new dimension to the song, fitting between the snare hits and guitar riffs with precision. Amidst all of the puzzle pieces, Fritz’ vocals and melody provide the glue. As the song builds into its chorus, there’s a crescendo of distorted guitars, crashing cymbals, and Fritz’ double-tracked vocals that rivals any catchy musical moments in the indie rock canon.“

Glide Magazine

House Tours Release Blistering Homage to Indie Punk on New EP “All Of This Happened, More Or Less”

The five members of House Tours (Toledo, OH) have collaborated at many stages and in many iterations of the Toledo, OH emo, indie, and punk family trees over the past twenty years. Featuring members of Toledo punk giants Shitty Neighbors, Toledo indie-folk mainstays The Miracle Vitamins, and Toledo-based but nationally known curator and label Little Elephant, House Tours has that “veteran” feel of artists with multiple genres and recordings behind them. Often described as a “band’s band”, House Tours’ technical approach to its emotional mathy-punk music often contrasts nicely with simple hooks and sometimes jarring but thoughtful lyrics.

House Tours’ next release,  “All of this Happened, More or Less” (due out in October 2021) is packaged as the A-side on its upcoming LP. The three songs touch a bit of emo, indie pop, hardcore, and punk, driven primarily by fast technical guitar work over often complex rhythms and a catchy vocal.  Featured on the B-side is the band’s 2017 EP release, “This Whole Thing is a Lie”.
House Tours has been a mainstay in Toledo, Ohio as local support for touring indie, emo, and punk artists. They are proud to continue this role as the members keep up with their decades-long cultural contributions to their hometown of Toledo.

“All of This Happened, More or Less” was a COVID recording project, though some of the songs were in the works as early as 2018. House Tours is a band of true friends found over many, many years of performing in the Toledo music scene. These are our best three songs to date, and we’re proud to package them as a full length LP with our 2017 release “This Whole Thing is a Lie” as the B side.

HouseTours get it. This band has poured out their collective heart on these recordings – the passion is audible in every note. 

IDIOTEQ

THE JOHNSON FAMILY BAND

Nostalgia pop meets Detroit late 60s rock in a deep space musical exploration. Pointillistic funk rhythms beneath playful, potent lyrics and spun glass guitar squalls. The Johnson Family Band will snap you from your slumber and let the light of truth energize you.

Formed in the basement of a Baltimore row home, with guitarist Joan Sullivan (formerly of Quattracenta- current The Selkies and Juliett Class (NYC)) and actress Michal Roxie Johnson (195 Lewis,Toll Booth) the two crafted seamless songs highlighting Roxie’s adeptness for lyrical wordplay and her ability to capture the vast range of human emotions in text.  Steve Johnson, of 2020 Tapes and Records and Baltimore’s famed Blue Heaven, was recruited to play bass. Eventually drummer and classically trained daf performer Kamyar Arsani (Time is Fire) rounded out the Johnson family-giving them their signature pulsating rhythms . 

In October of 2020, the group recorded their first 7 song debut EP titled Know Wisdom- with Don Godwin (Guache, Too Free) at Tonal Park in Takoma Park. Don’s wide-spanning musical taste is evident in the recordings and showcases the diverse backgrounds and influences of each member. As the world opens back up be prepared to take in the live sounds of The Johnson Family Band.  Scream! Shout! And arise earthlings!

“…blending old-school and new for an exciting and engaging record to set on repeat.”

Big Takeover

HAWKS DO NOT SHARE

After a brief hiatus following the release of a final, definitive work by their previous band, longtime collaborators GL3 and Jeremy Wilkins rejoined forces in the Fall of 2013, hashing out a new musical identity composed of both familiar and unfamiliar themes, named Hawks Do Not Share.

Toward the end of recording their debut album, HDNS, they welcomed multi-instrumentalist Britt White into the fold. Described by the Portland Mercury as “lilting songs with depth and room to breathe,” HDNS received positive reviews in both national and local press. Jason Roark was in the audience when the trio played the Doug Fir Lounge in celebration of the album’s release and would soon become the band’s full-time guitarist. Now a foursome, they continued performing live in support of HDNS, while exploring new identities in the studio, culminating in 2016’s Polaris EP. 

The band has devoted most of the intervening years to working in the studio. In the first days of March 2020, gathering right before widespread shutdowns due to the global health pandemic, the band reimagined and re-recorded the song Nightfall from the Polaris EP, and released it digitally as a standalone single they called Nightfall ’20. 

Recently, the band perfected a long brewing collection of songs for their 2^nd, full-length album, A Dream to Hold on To, which is out now on limited vinyl and digitally through No Movement Records.

“With a deep emotional resonance harkening to the sounds of The xx, MGMT, Tears For Fears, The The, and Angelo Badalamenti, the deceptively simple hook delves into a dangerous situation and making peace with a poor decision; the song is a soaring, yet minimalist reflection on centering one’s heart when the ground trembles under our feet.“

Post Punk

“’Interiors’ is as if chillwave received an even more modern update for less nostalgic and more immediate times, and it’s the desperate wailing vocals that will draw you in from the first chorus until the last beat.“

Big Takeover

“I’m not sure when I last discovered an Indie album that feels like a 10/10 and I can bravely state that this one is.“

The Music Sanctum

Various Blonde

Electro Future Rock straight out of Kansas City, Various Blonde is modern rock’s missing link. Blonde has taken on many forms since their 2009 conception. With multiple personnel changes behind them, VB has finally morphed into the funky riff wielding rock house you hear on their upcoming release “Love Is How We Will Survive”. Current lineup Josh Allen (lead guitar/ lead vocals/synth), Mark Lomas (Drums, Keys), and Jason Nash (Bass) tracked this 11 song album during the 2020 Covid-19 lockdown after their plans to tour on 2019’s double EP “3s1 and 3s2” were put on hold due to the pandemic. Unlike many of their peers who put writing and rehearsal  on hold for various reasons, Blonde began writing immediately  and used the pandemic as motivation. The result is a beautiful bombastic cathartic pop experience headed by title track “Love Is How We Will Survive”.  Various Blonde has brought their mesmerizing live show to stages with Spoon, Grizzly Bear, Deerhoof, of Montreal, Broncho, Moving Units, Dead Rider, El Ten Eleven, WHY?, De lux, Russian Circles, Free Moral Agents, Zechs Marquise, Dead Meadow, Imaad Wasif, Thursday, Fang Island, Murder By Death, Matt Pryor, Electric Sixx, Crystal Antlers, Nick Waterhouse, and many more.

“Any degree of darkness isn’t as foreboding as it is inviting; it’s something The Weeknd manages to pull off well, to offer a tangential comparison.”

Tuned Up

“Just under three minutes long, ‘Love Is How We Survive’ is a glistening single with layers of character.“

FLEX