PLAYLIST UPDATE – December 9: Our final Independent Pop/Rock playlist update of the year contains some super strong guitar based pop and rock across a number of its sub genres and we lead it off with the steady driving rock of Go Fever, the Austin outfit led by Australian frontwoman Acey Monaro. ‘Feel So Much’ comes from their forthcoming self titled debut album due out January 8. Swervedriver are up next with their new single ‘The Lonely Crowd Fades In The Air’ a very tidy way to usher in the veteran Oxford band’s fourth decade. Deerhunter‘s second single ‘Element’ follows from their forthcoming long player Why Hasn’t Everything Already Disappeared? out on January 18 and that’s backed on to by the introspective elasticity of ‘Clone You’ from Leeds based sextet Team Picture. Rounding out the playlist’s first five tracks is the dreamy ‘Stranger’ another Austin outfit Fanclub.
Other brand new tracks come from A. Sinclair, yet another artist out of, yep – you guessed it, Austin, Toronto’s Seth Nyquist aka MorMor, Athens, Georgia’s Pylon Reenactment Society, E.B. The Younger, the solo project of Midlake’s Eric Pulido, Los Angeles based French artist Amélie Rousseaux, aka Sofia Bolt, another Los Angeles based band Small Forward, a new track from Seattle veterans Pedro The Lion, Brooklyn artist Jake Harms (HARMS), New York City trio Deep Sea Peach Tree, Montréal’s Pottery, Austin (yes – again) trio Harlem, German outfit Crabber, Edmonton outfit Housewarming, Nashville trio Frances Cone, Romanian born American out of Jersey City Vlad Holiday, London outfits ISLAND and Chemtrails, Brooklyn quintet TOLEDO, Melbourne based artist Jess Ribeiro, English garage rockers Holiday Ghosts, Baltimore’s American Pleasure Club, Portland band Shadowgraphs, Liverpool artist Liam Brown aka Pizzagirl, the second single from Sharon Van Etten ahead of the Brooklyn artist’s forthcoming record Remind Me Tomorrow out the same day as Deerhunter’s with the final track in the list by Newcastle-Upon-Tyne’s Seeing Hands.
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
Constantly Updated
OLDER UPDATES
NOVEMBER 13 UPDATE: We begin our latest Pop/Rock update with the new single ‘Real Tight’ from Perth outfit Methyl Ethel. Joining them is the musical project of London based German artist Silvi Wersing aka Chorusgirl, veteran rocker and Dinosaur Jr mastermind J Mascis, Providence quartet Deer Tick, Los Angeles trio Cherry Glazer, Southend art rock outfit These New Puritans, Sydney based artist Julia Jacklin, Leeds sextet Talkboy, Finland’s The New Tigers with the new single release of an earlier on the year Top 30 staple ‘Spinoff’, Los Angeles based Floridians Swimm, Oslo outfit Spielbergs, Atlanta’s Deerhunter, Sydney rockers and Rice Is Nice (another of our very favourite Australian labels) Straight Arrows, Brisbane trio Sweater Curse, Austin’s Moving Panoramas, Glasgow’s Attic Lights, the project from Midlake bassist Paul Alexander Two Medicine, San Francisco artist Pat Thomas, Albany genre defiers Drug Church, Madrid outfits Hinds and El Palacio de Linares, Athens GA band Partials, Helsinki’s New Silver Girl, a track from Tallahassee’s Pool Kids whose great debut album Music To Practice Safe Sex To was recently re-released after initial appearance in July, Auckland duo SPAWTS, Rockford IL singer-songwriter Ryley Walker, L.A. artist Mike Krol, English artist Bessie Turner, Sydney based punks Body Type and last but by no means least – ever – The Ocean Party with our current Top 10 listed track ‘What It’s Worth.
OCTOBER 5 UPDATE: Indie Pop/Rock fans! With almost a month since the last written update, as you’d expect our whole Independent Pop/Rock Spotify playlist has been obliterated and there are 30 brand new tracks released over the last three or so weeks awaiting your attention. The first track is going to divide for sure and we might lose some of you before we begin….it’s certainly pop but is it rock we hear you say? In any case, throwing in something from left field and putting a “fly in the ointment” so to speak makes things interesting.
The last musical situation you would have expected to find English trio Kero Kero Bonito in is kicking off a Pop/Rock playlist but that’s where exactly where they find themselves with the chameleon like guitar sounding pop of ‘Make Believe’ from their ultra diverse surprise new album Time ‘n’ Place. New York City artist Joel Stevens is the man behind the Peel Dream Magazine moniker. Today sees him release Modern Meta Physic for Slumberland Records, his first album full of an array of kaleidoscopic influences. The fuzzed out ‘Interiors’ is our pick from the fan of the late and legendary English DJ. Swedish quartet Hater‘s new album Siesta came out last week and the lush emotion of ‘Cut Me Loose’ is next. Following is the not new by any means latest release by Broken Social Scene. ‘Old Dead Young’ is available digitally for the first time having appeared as a bonus vinyl only cut on 2017’s Hug Of Thunder. Melbourne’s wry “alternative drunk pop jazzy ciggies neo country jams band” The Shifters released their new album in Australia back in July and now Have A Cunning Plan has an international release through Trouble In Mind. The gorgeous ‘Straight Lines’ is our pick from it.
California’s The Molochs released their new album back in early September and the jangle pop inspired ‘Too Lost In Love’ is next on the list followed by the honest and earnest ‘I’m Right Here’ from the latest album Keep On Trying by Melbourne based artists Emma Russack and Lachlan Denton. It’s been packaged up together for streaming services with their first record When It Ends released just two months before. Another Melbourne based artist Nat Vazer released her excellent We Used To Have Real Conversations EP a couple of weeks back and the powerful lead track ‘Keep Away From Parks’ follows.
Next is the poignant ‘Tunnel Vision’ is from Jay Som and Justus Profitt who have teamed again for a new EP called Nothing’s Changed. Sweden’s Francis follow with their new single ‘Wild Heart’ and following them is New York artist DD Walker. Although he has a new single out called Psychic Twin’. we’ve plumped for his recently released second ‘Do You Miss It’.
Sydney’s psych pop rockers Richard In Your Mind have been mainstays in this list since the beginning of August and to celebrate the release of their new album Super Love Brain for Rice Is Nice, we’ve included the delightful pastoral tones of ‘Tourmaline’ for your listening pleasure. Following that is the noir driven psych rock of ‘Her Cold Cold Heart’ from Seattle based Texans Night Beats, the new single off their forthcoming long player Myth of A Man out in January 2019. Next is the glistening timing signatures of the title track to Brooklyn band Hypoluxo‘s recently released new album Running On A Fence. Kate Teague‘s brilliant new single ‘Gilly’ currently in our Top 30 follows as does English band Swimming Tapes with their new single ‘Easy Strand.
Slumberland Records loom large in this playlist and another of their signings Papercuts come next with their new single ‘Sing To Me Candy’ from their forthcoming album set for an October 19 release, Parallel Universe Blues. Heavenly Records new signing Unloved made up of partners Jade Vincent & Keefus Ciancia and DJ/Producer David Holmes follow with their nostalgic and sample filled debut single ‘Heartbreak’. Melbourne’s The Ocean Party, never a band for big announcements dropped the first single unexpectedly on us recently. The homely sounds of ‘Off And On’ is from their forthcoming record The Oddfellows Hall out on November 9. Pop/Rock trio Diana Radar, also hailing from Melbourne follow with their debut single ‘Growing’ while Sydney quartet Body Type follow with their new single, the energetic and multi-vocal ‘Palms’.
NYC’s Surf Rock Is Dead are next with their new single ‘Away Message’ and right behind them is Los Angeles band Massage with the wistful ‘Crying Out Loud’. J. Fernandez has resurfaced with the as ever off beat pop of ‘Unwind’ from his forthcoming record Occasional Din while German/Italian singer songwriter Laura Carbone has teamed up with The Pains of Being Pure At Heart for the measured ‘The Flowers Beneath Your Feet’. Another Australian band The Goon Sax have also been mainstays in this list since June. They released their new album We’re Not Talking’ recently and another track we adore, ‘A Few Times Too Many’ takes another spot.
The excelent new album Aftering from Fred Thomas is both a compact and sprawling affair. Its compact first half sports five cuts f excellent pop. The energetic duet, ‘Altar’ with Anna Burch is just superb and that is up next. Kirsten Ludwig‘s new record We Get It Now is a few weeks away and its latest single, the ethereal and nicely timed ‘Back To Bed’ is next. This is followed by another L.A band Line & Circle with their sparkling yet unsettling new single, ‘Full Disclosure’. Will Sheff’s Okkervil River completes this monster full 30 track update with a track that was recorded during the session for their latest album In The Rainbow Rain. The buoyantly emotional ‘New Blood’, is the upbeat half of the new double A sided single it shares with the downbeat introspection of ‘Skiptracer’.
**And thanks to the beautiful Big Love, the best Japanese record store in Tokyo, for drawing our attention to the international release of Melbourne quintet The Shifters’ latest LP.
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.
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.