Music That Deserves Your Attention
By: Meagan Faller
So we’re all trying to find the most obscure band. Due to their accessibility over social media, we are forced wade through endless recommendations of this lo-fi punk duo and that garage-recorded indie artist.
I did the hard research for you, and compiled a list of low-budget bands that are relatively novel, somewhat unknown, and (hopefully) a good listening experience.
A really pretty folk rock band from Portsmouth. It has delicate vocals and simple, evocative lyrics. “Black vs. Navy Blue” is a supremely gorgeous track.
La Horla is a solo project by Ian Hall, the darling of the Huntington Beach/OC youth music scene. This EP is a quick ten minutes but spans a lot from industrial flavors to ambient sweetness and Ian’s stirring vocals, as well as liberal amounts of fun and funky sampling.
Nouns is a sweet indie rock band, wit h a little bit of post-punk edge and electronic sheen. Their label (according to their bandcamp) was started “in their own backyard.” Their music is a mix of hostile and playful; the track “fox wound” is the musical equivalent of a moody pout.
Talons is folk-experimental that describes their music as “new folk music made to resonate now rather than endure for decades.” I don’t know if that’s a fair assessment of their legacy, but with track titles like “My Life is a Beyonce Ringtone” there’s definitely an internet-age sensibility that comes with their music.
Los-Angeles based alternative/punk/grrlpower band that is delightfully aggressive. Listen to this when you want to deconstruct the patriarchy.
Frankie Cosmos makes beautiful music in New York. Her style is self-described as “quiet sad secret stupid” and best exemplified in the wistfulness of “i like you so.” Maybe you’ve heard her new album “Zentropy” streaming on Pitchfork. If not, check it out. She’s about to be (or already is) big in that underground way.
Alex G is a great indie pop project from Philly. It mixes sugary tunes with sad vibes, like in the song “Mis” where playful instrumentation accompanies the lines “she just doesn’t wanna see me tonight, not for a minute, not for a second.”