k4's Music Corner

These folks would probably be up your alley:



From LA, despite the name and the Sarah Records association. Start with this compilation if you haven't heard them before.

 

reviving this ancient thread but instead of synopses of bands I liked when I was a wee lad in college, I am going to post random selections from my very advanced and cultured taste as a salaried employee

for starters, the songs and bands below have restored my faith in modern rock music, which I have not really paid attention to for a long time. it's surprising the most promising groups all appear to be from the UK

this just came out last week. throwback '95/'96 dream pop sound in the vein of Smashing Pumpkins or Belly



and then the same band made this which sounds completely different



I like some of St Vincent's stuff but not a superfan or anything. however the song below is basically as close to perfection as you can get in a pop/rock song today. the melodies, the harmony in the chorus, the lyrics, the production, the aesthetics (of the song and the instrumentation), even the music video are 10/10.



I think you've heard of this band if you're following new rock releases at all as a lot of people are raving about them. spoken word, poetry-derived vocals over post-punk instrumentation and song structure from pretty talented players



new single from one of my favorite bands from the 2000s. nothing really new musically, I can't say it had the same affect on me as the songs above, but I like it

 

continued due to 5 video limit per post

a bunch of kids from the UK listened to Slint and wanted to make their own Slint record. pretty good



this release is from 2020 but it's so good I had to include it here. I can count the number of modern rock albums I want to listen to in their entirety on one hand, this is one of them. I also have a soft spot for Irish bands. killer bass line.



last but not least, all female band, also from the UK. I dunno what you would call this, blues-informed punk? neo-psychedelia? the album was full of filler but the good tracks really stand out. I love the synth transition in this one

 

my top 10 of 2022 in reverse order. an amazing year for indie and rock music. I saw all but 2 of these artists live.

10. Warpaint - Radiate Like This


I thought this was shit the first time I listened to it but it grew on me to the point where it was my default play for bike rides for most of this year. Very chill, very melodic album. They put on a killer show in Toronto that only grew my appreciation for it.

9. Tomberlin - i don’t know who needs to hear this...



A small singer-songwriter from Kentucky who got big enough to open for Tegan & Sara this year. An album of beautifully arranged and heartfelt songs. Saw her live with Jana Horn in May.

8. Angel Olsen - Big Time



I slept on Angel Olsen until this year. We saw her two nights in a row during the Wild Hearts tour with Julien Baker & Sharon van Etten. Her set was the weakest of the three but it intrigued me enough to go through her catalog. This is a very strong release and an easy end-to-end listen.

7. Horsegirl - Versions of Modern Performance



The indie darlings of 2022. They may or may not be industry plants. Their music is derivative of Sonic Youth and Swirlies but they are super young and will probably grow into their own sound. They were fun live.

6. Been Stellar - Been Stellar EP



I never heard of these guys until I saw them open for Just Mustard who are #2 on this list. They were as good as the main act. Powerful 5 track EP, short and sweet.

 

top 10 continued

5. Pretty Sick - Makes Me Sick Makes Me Smile



New to me artist for 2022 from youtube recommendations. Very raw album. The production makes it difficult to listen to the entire thing, the guitar sound gets a bit soggy, but the lyrics and energy make up for it.

4. tummyache - SOAK



This album is so bad it's good. It has a lot in common with pick #5. There is a fair bit of plagiarism here, apparently the artist is a big fan of Radiohead and it shows. The production and mix are all over the place, I think these songs were all self-produced over a number of months on different setups. The vocals are completely buried a lot of the time. Despite these flaws, I like it because it is raw, for lack of a better word. A small artist trying to reinvent themselves and spilling their guts onto a record. My favorite for car stereo listening.

3. Fontaines DC - Skinty Fia



Probably the 'blockbuster' release of 2022. Not much to say except that I saw them live and the frontman was on molly or speed or something, which was entertaining. Check out all the live recordings on YouTube.

2. Just Mustard - Heart Under



I saw them open for Fontaines and actually liked their act more. Very talented shoegazers with a heavy heavy industrial sound and a cute singer.

1. Sadurn - Radiator



Probably the best thing I've ever heard live and the best working band out there right now. I can't get enough of this album. A tight-knit group of friends from Philly making intimate and honest indie music. Love the harmonies, love the fucked-up guitar tone, love the lyrics. Make sure to check out all the live sessions on YouTube.

 

Great list, these albums all have amazing tracks