We love Better, the new single form Geniie Boy. Singer Alisha Todd employs a catchy vocal delivery, dropping her lines with percussive affect. Full of confidence and laid bare without a lot of effects, the vocal performance is charming. It connects with classic works from Sheryl Crow, and relative to indie offerings from Sharon Van Etten and Haim.
The songwriting supports the comparisons. Fellow bandmate Scott French knows how to embrace Todd’s infectious nature. Upbeat with enough variation to give her room to flex her vocal prowess, Better is a potential NPR hit. The band is tight and the feel is fresh. With our darker musical leanings, it should say enough that we found a lot to love despite its feel good nature. It captures us in the same way we tend to enjoy Lake Street Dive. As they say, “you can hear her smiling.” The sentiment rings true on this indie instant classic.
The video is goofy, and it looks like they had a blast making it. The industry is wild and unpredictable, but when it feels good, you gotta let your joy shine.
Winsome is ready to get Paid. The Sacramento based trio is prolific. The stylistic indie hits from their new album Live Like Your Kids Drive Here delivers front to back. Every song hits a little different while remaining in their stylistic realm. They’ve been carving out a sound bred from classic rock and inspired by the indie machine.
With classic sensibility they would please fans of Dr Dog and Edward Sharpe. There’s a dose of 60s era psych pop a la The Byrds or the late Beach Boys. The single Paid is slightly sad but fun, it’s that weird in-between trippy existence where you alter between insanity and revelation. The new album is a solid collection to support your next altered state. Take Winsome with you.
Blue Lupin knows these introspective vibes need to Soak. The title of her new single gives the project a conceptual foundation. The rich production layers and collective atmospheric affect transmits depth. Soak is meant to engulf you, as the artists soft whispery touch washes over you. Paired with the jagged abstract images of the companion music video, Blue Lupin draws visions of our unconsciousness. It supports the songs dreamy aura. There’s a shoegaze affect to their overall sound. It falls somewhere between the dreamy arrangement of Beach House and the experimental folk of Bon Iver.
Overall Blue Lupin settles in well with the indie music dream gaze revival. They should cast a wide net in the world of indie, appealing to indie pop fans as well as a more experimental audience base in search of diverse productions that bring an array of influence to their art.
Hear Geniie Boy, Winsome, and Blue Lupin now on our Best New Indie Playlist
The Wild Is Calling 