Revivalist Rockers Family Worship Center erupt from the onset of their new single Kicked Out Of The Garden. This clan of rowdy outlaws breed classic Southern vibes with new modes of modern indie intellect, the kind of raucous flash that would make the Black Keys jealous. They’re more classic than the Black Crowes and more intense than The Heavy Heavy. They’re more Creedence Clearwater than The Rolling Stones but they bear a fragment of all of these.
A big group with curious intentions, it makes you wonder if the kids are really alright. One things for sure, they’re having a blast and they know how to rock. If Procul Harem evolved into the Mad Dogs and Englishmen you might get something close to this. Those Delaney and Bonnie style backing vocals add nostalgic shine honored within a proper composition. Everything is in its right place and the scope of fandom is extensive. Indie rock and Americana fans alike can’t deny how it’s making them feeling. Freakin Awesome, to be exact.
Family Worship Center are featured on our Best New Rock Playlist.
Dirt Buyer caught our attention with their new single Gathering Logs. Stylistically they blend a grunge aesthetic with new movements known to slowcore. It’s unabashedly sad but ironically entrancing. It’s a testament to the convincing vocal performance, as the singer’s voice trembles with conjured hurt.
The video amplifies the cycle and adds context to the dramatic build. Gathering Logs is a rare composition that stands alone. It should connect with fans of both indie rock and fifth wave emo. Somewhere between vintage Pearl Jam and Alex G.
Gathering Logs is featured on our Best New Rock Playlist.
Friendship Commanders effectively blend their influence of heavy rock in an indie rock framework. Their new single Still Life honors their rapturous nature while adding a harmonious aesthetic unique to them. Historically there have been other iterations of melodic rock but they seldom land this pretty.
There’s an element of Soundgarden or Foo Fighters heard in their dynamic, but Friendship Commanders has a lead singer smoother than Grohl or Cornell. She retains a raw intensity while sounding like she’s hitting the notes with an effortless conviction that offers her the ability to sustain the melody powerfully. The video is equally convincing, showcasing their high energy appeal and adding to their buzz as potential saviors within Hard Rock.
Friendship Commanders are featured on our Best New Rock Playlist.
Emerging Philadelphia songwriter Gabe Adels enlists the help of his friends from PWR BTTM and Palberta to record his breakthrough single Broken. Its an all hands on deck community effort that delivers, and for us it reflects the Philly Indie sound known to new scene icons like Kurt Vile and Alex G.
Of course Gabe adds his own touch to that vibe, but it honors this areas influence on its sonic exports in the same way that Manchester or Austin have been immortalized as underground stylistic havens. The secret is out and Philly is the alt-indie center of the universe. Broken is one of the best jams we’ve heard from the scene this year. The recording is vibrant and has a lively in concert essence. It’s authentic in tandem with Gabe’s own candid vocal delivery as he patiently tells this tale of self loathing. Philly to the core. We love it.
Hear Broken now on our Best New Rock Playlist.
The Wild Is Calling 