SEPTEMBER 7 UPDATE: It’s been a while since we checked back with an update of all things guitar based in our pop/rock playlist but there’s always a great deal going on new music wise with additions most days and 18 tracks have been added since then. They begin with the almost noise pop like ‘Call Me’ from New York partners Mass Gothic off their new album I’ve Tortured You Long Enough on Sub Pop released today. Canadian artist ELLIS is next and follows up ‘The Drain’ with the dreamy chords dominated ‘What A Mess’, her self released new single. The cautionary and dark new single from Washington D.C. based outfit Den-Mate, the band led by Jules Hale with their new single ‘Charlotte’ from the upcoming album Loceke on Babe City Records out 28th September. Following that is Art Rock outfit Saintseneca with ‘Ladder To The Sun’ from their latest record on Anti, Pillar Of Na.
Next sees Sydney garage rockers Straight Arrows begin a quick one two punch with the abrasively groovy first single from their forthcoming album On Top out October 26 on Rice Is Nice and the blow is completed by equally heavy hitting ‘Diet Coke Head’ from MISS WORLD from her forthcoming debut LP Keeping Up With Miss World out September 28 on PNKSLM.
‘Canyon On Fire’ by Jack Tatum’s Wild Nothing from his new album Indigo out through Captured Tracks is next while Sydney psych pop quintet Richard In Your Mind‘s inviting ‘I Hope You Weren’t Waiting Long’, the second Rice Is Nice single from August, follows. It’s from their forthcoming album Super Love Brain set for a September 21 release. Seattle’s Whitney Ballen is next up with ‘Fucking’, a track about cheating amidst a swirl of low self esteem from her debut record, the tellingly named, You’re A Shooting Star, I’m A Sinking Ship on Father/Daughter. That precedes the latest and third single ‘We Can’t Win’ from We’re Not Talking by The Goon Sax. Chapter Music will be releasing this gem in the 14th September.
Malmø’s Hater are next with the nostalgic ‘Fall Off’ from their forthcoming second full length Siesta out September 28 on Fire Records before Valley Maker‘s exquisite ‘Don’t Let Go’ from his new album Rhododendron out October 12 on French Kiss. Austin duo Charlie Belle recently self-released their jaunty yet super smooth new single ‘Essay’ and that is followed by Tokyo band Prince Graves who we were alerted to through an email from their label de.te.ri.o.ra.tion with the dreamy lo-fi psych of ‘Take Me To Your Planet’. Brisbane artist Jaguar Jonze comes after that with her musical polymath of a debut single ‘You Got Left Behind’ on Deena Lynch and precedes the catchy wistful glide of the self released ‘Freewheeler’ from New Zealand’s Siena Stone.
Liverpool’s SPINN have the penultimate spot of the 18 new tracks with the glistening and angular ‘Shallow’ on Modern Sky before the Custard (country version of) like ‘Cactus Country’from Melbourne’s Cool Sounds rounds out proceedings. It’s the title track on their forthcoming new album set for October 26 on Osborne Again.
For past tracks read the older updates below the playlist.
This Pop/Rock playlist is part of a revolving genre based series of seven 30 track playlists we share on the Spotify streaming platform. Tracks are roughly ordered by release date and will be replaced by new tracks we like as they become available. To change things up from time to time we may change tracks from the same artist and release. All playlists are regularly updated and limited to original tracks only.
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NEW INDEPENDENT POP/ROCK: AN INDIE30 PLAYLIST
Updated September 7, 2018
OLDER UPDATES
AUGUST 16 UPDATE: New tracks from two Australian bands to start with. Melbourne punk quartet School Damage ‘Meeting Halfway’ and Fremantle garage rock duo Spacey Jane ‘Cold Feet’. They’re joined by Toronto via Hamilton DIY artist linnea Siggelkow aka Ellis ‘The Drain’, the new single from London’s Still Corners ‘The Message’ and Lyme CT art rock trio The Brazen Youth ‘Burn Slowly / I Love You’.
AUGUST 13 UPDATE: Multi instrumentalist Katherine Paul is set to deliver the debut album Mother of My Children for her new project Black Belt Eagle Scout through Saddle Creek on September. It’s first single, the enticingly raw lo-fi sludge of ‘Soft Stud’ gets the updates rolling in our Pop/Rock playlist. Following that is the dramatic post punk of ‘Distance In The Line’ the second ever single from Melbourne outfit Dark Fair and out through Poison City Records. It’s their second ever single. The third new track is from David Loca’s Part Time who has teamed with Ariel Pink for the yearning ‘I Can Treat You Better’ off his upcoming album Spell#6 set for a November 2 release on Burger Records and Tough Love. English five piece Llovers are fourth up with their new single ‘Go Get Her Go Getter’ out on Modern Sky.
Next up is ‘Shallow Water’, the new and third single off Indigo will be the last from Jack Tatum’s Wild Nothing before that album drops August 31. That’s followed by London outfit Cosmic Strip, who have a new self released single out called ‘Heavenly’. It’s the first track to come from an as yet to be announced debut EP out later this northern hemisphere summer. The upbeat and optimistic ‘World’s Last Payphone’ is next from Washington DC trio Dot Dash who recently released their new album Proto Retro on Beautiful Music. New York’s Wild Pink released their new album Yolk In The Fur in late July and the latest single ‘Love Is Better’ completes the update.
JULY 30 UPDATE: Half the playlist turned over with 15 new tracks added over the past week or so and leading the charge is the newest of them in the form of the scruffily sublime and psych inspired new single ‘Still Let You Down’ from Oakland guitar pop auteur Jackson Phillips, aka Day Wave. Following that opening salvo is the pacy garage and psych inspired pop/rock of Chicago’s Clearance with ‘Another Arrow’ off their new album At Your Leisure followed by the inviting and resonant pop ‘Good To You’ from Alabama artist Kate Teague which is out on 7″ vinyl through Muscle Beach. London’s Value Void take a nostalgic approach on ‘Babeland’ their new single that follows the sparse motorik stylings of previous track ‘Back In The Day’ while Jessica Zambri takes the vocals for the affectionate second single from Mass Gothic, ‘How I Love You’ off their forthcoming album I’ve Tortured You Long Enough. Shy Boys are next with their jaunty harmony laden new single ‘Something Sweet’ from their new album Bell House due this Friday on Polyvinyl.
The strident melodies of ‘Whatever Seems Less Wrong’ from Swedish artist Johan Weber aka Weaver. comes next before The Goon Sax provide the pick of the bunch with their new single ‘Make Time 4 Love’, another economical and expertly written piece of pop brilliance from their upcoming second record We’re Not Talking out in September. Elizabeth Stokes led Auckland outfit The Beths are next with ‘Great No-One’ the standout track from their new album The Future Hates Me, out next month before Angie McMahon’s thrilling vocals enter the fray to add a unique zest to the disciplined raucousness of her new single ‘Keeping Time’. Cincinatti quartet The Ophelia’s offer up another piece of introspective 90s inspired pop/rock with a verse to die for with ‘Lunar Rover’ from their excellent new album Almost released a couple of weeks back.
Sydney trio Phantastic Ferniture released their self titled debut album last week and the latest single, the rocking ‘Bad Timing’ is next before the second single ‘Partners In Montion from Jack Tatum’s Wild Nothing sparkles into view. It’s from his forthcoming full length Indigo set for August 31 on Captured Tracks. The final two tracks have been sitting in the playlist for a while. The first is from strong melodies of Bounders’ from Denver’s Flaural while the final new track is the glistening power of ‘Cable Car’ from Melbourne progressive quartet murmurmur.
JULY 13 UPDATE: Nine instantly appealing and incredibly strong new additions to the pop/rock playlist this week. Melbourne quartet Frida lead us off with the reflectively deep ‘Badlands’ off their new EP. these are all the things we have found. That’s followed by the gorgeous and crystalline ‘Köm Ihag’, the new single from Umeå pop quartet Honungsvagen. And the goodness keeps coming in the form of ‘Unawake’ the new double A single from Bear Grass, the Troy, NY based quartet led by vocalist/guitarist Katie Hammon.
Falmouth, Cornwall dream pop quartet L I P S just released a grand new hope filled single ‘Walls’ while Norwegian veterans Beezewax also have a new single out with the wistful ‘Rainbows’. Next up is the upbeat ‘Until The Last Time’ by Calicoco, the project moniker of Giana Caliolo who just released her new album Float last week. This track best highlights her powerful voice and angular guitar work. Brighton’s Orchards just released their new mini album or double EP Losers/Lovers. The poignant yet insistently defiant and expertly delivered ‘Drama King’ is our pick from it.
London collective Oi Va Voi take their eclectic cues from everywhere and Eastern European and Jewish roots can be heard on their new melancholy and affecting single ‘Big Brother’. Washington State’s Whitney Ballen just released the exquisite ‘Go’ from her forthcoming debut album You’re A Shooting Star, I’m A Sinking Ship. Track number ten and the final of the new ones comes from Clayton Walker’s project Rock Europa. The part sprightly part scruffy pop of ‘In Between’ actually replaces his earlier single ‘It’s Gonna Get Better.
UPDATE JUNE 29: New tracks by Brighton’s Black Honey and Malmö’s Hater. And we’ve finally and belatedly caught up to Sydney’s Phantastic Ferniture.