Recently, indie pop duo Courtship. released the music video for their track “Guy Stuff”. With a female protagonist, the video highlights the absurdity of societal norms by allowing a gorgeous, arm candy-worthy, domesticated woman to run around smoking cigars, dancing, and acting out in a way you wouldn’t expect with an initial glance. It’s a joyous video, and shot beautifully. Dive in below!
Keep up with Courtship. here.
Baby I’m not wasting no more time,Drag my heart down one too many times,Hold me steady give me one more try,I made up my mind, I’m wasting no more time.
Be sure to check out Royal Teeth’s upcoming album Hard Luck, and keep up with them here.
Los Angeles-based indie pop duo slenderbodies brings us a groovy new tune in “dewdrops”, laced effortlessly with their quintessential relaxed sound and ethereal vocals. It seems to go well with the midwest weather this time of year, as April showers seem to be extending into the month of May. But we’re entranced completely by this song, and all about the soundscape that surrounds you when you allow yourself to delve into it.
Wrap yourself in “dewdrops” for a bit, why don’t you?
Keep up with slenderbodies here.
The musical duo Mrs. Greenbird have created a deeply soulful sound with lyrics to match in their latest album Dark Waters. The folksy harmonies of Steffen Brückner paired with Sarah Nücken’s unique voice are what makes this a truly beautiful record. It’s reminiscent of another duo’s sound — Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová of The Swell Season and Once fame. While Mrs. Greenbird has a similar aesthetic, they manage to create something that is entirely their own. Their voices, along with the gentle guitar and melancholic lyrics, result in the kind of music that is brutally honest as well as poetic.
The album is quite well-rounded in terms of theme. The darker, more cynical sides of life and love are highlighted in songs such as “Careless Heart,” “1965,” and title track “Dark Waters,” while others like “One Day in June” and “Learn How To Love You” are more idealistic and romantic. One of the stand out songs is called “The Simple Things.” While every song is hauntingly beautiful, something about this particular one struck a chord in me. It’s about experiencing loss and trying to find yourself afterwards, how we tend to forget the pleasure of simple things in life.
Dark Waters is a feat of folk indie pop with a hint of country and a splash of blues, yet it works to form a great record. It’s perfect for almost any mood — a scenic walk, a long drive, a rainy day, a time to let out a much-needed cry.
Be sure to check out their latest album on April 12th, and keep up with the latest on Mrs. Greenbird here.
With the single “Spelling Lessons” garnering over 15k plays on SoundCloud, artist Birch is ready to take the indie pop landscape by storm with her debut album. She has been making noise in the Brooklyn music scene for a couple years now, but the NYC-based feminist is ready to break out nationally. Producing, songwriting, and singing come naturally to Birch, something that is rarely said about any artist these days.
With echoing vocals and the perfect amount of synth, Birch is able to hone her indie pop sound over the course of the nine track record. femme.one is full of impact statements that are motivated by the feminist movement. As stated on her website, Birch is “Incredibly motivated by raising the female voice in society, Birch brands her music as feminist synth-pop. Female empowerment and gender equality are two causes very important to Birch. She often participates in marches, donates to Planned Parenthood, and strives to use her platform to make a difference.” With this being said, Birch’s music is not only for those who believe in these righteous causes, but also for those who truly enjoy indie pop. It is for those who may not necessarily know how to express themselves. Also, it is for those who may not want to share their incredible talents with the world, similar to how Birch was early in her music career.
femme.one comes to us at the perfect time. When activism and controversy are at the forefront of our society, Birch stands out as an artist who stands for what she believes in, expressing it through beautiful music. Birch is of a dying breed, artists who will not conform for stardom, but she might just get that for being herself.
You can listen keep up with Birch at her website http://www.birchmusicnyc.com/.
UK-based band Saltwater Sun’s newly released EP may only have three songs, but each one is unique and provides a truly electric listening experience. “Trying” is the funky opening track with some really great guitar riffs paired with a showcase of lead singer Jen Stearnes’ strong vocals – especially towards the end of the song as she belts out a disclaimer about somebody she can’t seem to forget about:
“It goes to show that’s the way I go on, still thinking about you.”
“The Great Deceiver” serves as the title track and has a more subdued vibe compared to the rest of the EP, but that doesn’t mean the lyrics are any less biting. As the title suggests, the song is all about how we are our own great deceiver. And amidst the indie pop sound, the lyrics explore the ideas of self-worth and confidence.
The final song, “Blood,” was my favorite of the three tracks. It opens up with an atmospheric ten seconds before bursting through with an alternative rock song that fills you up with a catchy guitar jam and deeply existential lyrics. It’s energetic in the way an uplifting pop song is, but deals with the angst of personal loss. Stearnes’ voice sings out for those we’ve lost, but her lyrics also bring about an important message – that those who die never really leave us:
“Every thought, every time, this is how you never die.”
The Great Deceiver is a truly beautiful collection of songs with an undeniable vigor, approaching things like self-worth, love, and grief in an unconventionally upbeat way that allows their listeners to feel a sense of hope by the end of it.Be sure to check out their music, and keep up with Saltwater Sun here.
Parisian indie pop collective Orouni recently released their new track “Former Lorry Driver”, and it’s the gamer-friendly, upbeat single that just might pull you out of your “first half of the week” rut. Good news? Their accents are palpable, which is perfect for francophiles. The song itself is hopeful as well, as it is about a man who was told he only had six months to live and survived his own cancer scare.
Try it on for size. Then let us know what you think in the comments on Facebook!
Partitions is out April 19th. Keep up with Orouni here.
Justin Kibbel is a saint. OK, perhaps that’s stretching it… but only a teensy bit. The man is a well-known music industry player in Madison, WI, works for an incredible new venue, runs his own label, and manages a unique and magical indie pop duo named Seasaw. When (if) he has free time, he tends toward international travel, so he’s got some tricks up his sleeve for us on today’s podcast.
What you can probably glean from all of this as that good people exist, you just have to find them. We are so proud to have worked with Justin in the past, and cannot wait to see what the future holds for This Means War!
Dig into our previous episodes of the podcast any time at imperfectfifth.com/podcast!
Today, Toronto indie pop four piece Tallies – comprised of Sarah Cogan, Dylan Frankland, Cian O’Neill, and Stephen Pitman – released their highly anticipated 11-track, self-titled stunner. We haven’t been this excited about new music Friday in quite a while, and we’re thrilled to have this album in our back pocket. From the very beginning of first track “Trouble”, there is a palpable energy that urges you to keep spinning. Second track “Mother” is a little more surf pop in its sound, while “Midnight” hits us with a more whimsical appeal. The vintage dance track beat to “Have You” makes the fourth song – slightly slower than its predecessors – something you might find in a 1980’s teen movie.
One will note – regardless of soundscape – that Cogan’s vocals are stand out, drenched in reverb and befitting of the “ethereal” label. While “Not So Proud” has the pace befitting of a leisurely stroll, her vocals absolutely soar, creating more of a ballad effect for the fifth track. “Trains and Snow” feels late 80’s, early 90’s-inspired, and is the first song in the offering that seems to enhance the instrumentals over the vocals. “Eden” carries the same pace, setting the stage perfectly for our hearts to thaw and grow from “three sizes too small” during “Beat the Heart”. (Seriously, this is our jam.) And while “Giving Up” has a slightly more melancholic feel to it, they end on a high note with both “Rocks” and “Easy Enough”, paving the way for more miracles to come!
Overall, Tallies in its entirety delivers a grandiose soundscape that could easily be found in a nostalgic and well-shot teenage romcom. It’s a gorgeous soundtrack to reminisce to, and we can’t wait to see this act on tour!
Keep up with Tallies here.