B-Side Guys

*This first paragraph is a copy of a previously written synopsis of the point behind the new section, The Flock.*

We have two goals here with our blog and our podcast; we want to help you find a bunch of new artists that you love, and we also want to support those artists. We came up with a new idea for a post where we take a genre, and give you a few artists within that genre. That way, it helps everyone. If you come here because you love one artist, you’ve got five more that you’re probably going to love now. That helps you load up your playlist with tracks that will impress your friends, and it also helps the artists hit untapped markets and possibly network with likeminded artists they didn’t know existed. Without further ado, I present “The Flock.”

The Mooks – Fools

Mook – a stupid or incompetent person – isn’t the term that comes to mind when listening to the heady indie rock from the Toronto based trio. With straightforward instrumentals and a singer with the range most folks dream about, this band sounds a lot more seasoned than they actually are. The band formed in November of last year, but has a feeling of a modern day Velvet Underground; everything is very straightforward, everyone has a lane to fill, and they’re both storytellers. The Mooks are already on my 4th of July playlist for the beach this year, and I expect them to find a home on playlists all across the country.

 

Indian Askin – I Feel Something

Indian Askin, the Amsterdam based indie rock band, released their single, I Feel Something, earlier this month, and it has been creating a lot of buzz. Chino Alaya, the lead singer of the group, has a great mixture of silk and rocks in his voice, so it creates absolutely beautiful moments where the silk slides to gravel throughout the song, giving his voice and the song human characteristics. The song dives into what happens after a traumatic event. You feel like you are at the edge of everything, looking into the abyss of what comes after, and with time, you realize that you can feel something again.

 

The Braves – How the Money Rolls In

A gritty look at how a lot of the rich get their money off of the backs of the poor, How The Money Rolls In is a song that is full of nails and venom. Deep grit and sandpaper round out the vocals of Kelly Watson, who shares the chanting chorus with bandmates, Jesse Bolte and Ethan Lerversha. With a style that is equal parts The Clash and Gogol Bordello, The Braves bring storytelling to a tangible level, and have absolutely no apologies if they don’t check off all of your boxes. They are raw, they are moving, and they are real.

 

The Nova Darlings – I Like Crashing My Car (Into Yours)

This is that summer song that hits me right in the teeth. An introspective look at how we are usually our own worst enemy, I Like Crashing My Car (Into Yours) is the “bummer jam of the summer.” To add to their point about self-destruction, this song has been added to all of my summer playlists. Nothing like hiking through the woods to clear my mind only to feel it with all of my shortcomings as a human being. Rarely is the first verse of a song my favorite verse (at least if I like the writing all the way through, and they didn’t phone in the second half of the song… but I digress), but the first verse of this song is an absolute gut punch and sets the stage for self-exploration and a look into just how shitty we all are. Emotive vocals with a timbre that feels like it’s on the edge of breaking down keep you on the edge of your seat, ready to run out in front of traffic, and the shopping card keeps you firmly planted in your seat out of sheer curiosity.

 

Paddle Paddle – Speak Your Mind

This French indie/electro rock group is absolutely mesmerizing. I listen to a lot of new music, and I tell people constantly that they need their songs to be more full or have more layers if they want to aim for this style of music. Speak Your Mind is a shining example of what I mean. The song has as many rich textures as the album art, with everything working off the melody, but seemingly following its own track. The lyrics are something that we definitely need in an age where people struggle to share their ideas for multiple reasons, and hide behind everything from political ideology to computer screens.

 

Hugo Fowler – Faking Lately

Huge Fowler’s new track, Faking Lately, has that same groove to it that made Portugal. The Man a household name. With a similar timbre of John Gourley, Fowler has a gift for playing around with the beat, moving freely from quarters to sixteenths while keeping the pedal to the floor. The new single is out now, with the EP following up on the 26th. Make sure to keep tabs on this guy, because he already has his fingers on the pulse of proven success.