This is a release I owe to my brother, a connoisseur of fine garage rock, among a slew of other genres. Messer Chups come from Saint Petersburg, Russia, and have a sound the brings together garage rock, rockabilly and surf in a campy, lo-fi way.
Indie
Rocketship – A Certain Smile, A Certain Sadness (30th Anniversary Edition)
30 years. I was still working off and on at record shops when this came out, and for an indie record, it has held up remarkably well. This will appeal to fans of Hüsker Dü and The Pixies.
Damon & Naomi – The Sub Pop Years (1995-2002)
Damon Krukowski and Naomi Yang have about the best pedigree any indie rock band has ever had, being part of such legendary projects as Galaxie 500 and Luna. Their catalogue under Damon & Naomi is equally impressive, and this Sub Pop compilation gives a nice snapshot of their work during Continue Reading
Yumi Zouma – No Love Lost to Kindness
Oh, this one is a treat! Yumi Zouma are from Christchurch, New Zealand, home to many incredible lo-fi indie bands, but this one is a touch different. Think Lush, Siouxsie & The Banshees, and a rawer Blondie rolled up into one band. One of the best surprises of 2026 for Continue Reading
Srdjan Ivanović Blazin’ Quartet – Sleeping Beauty
What a pleasant and elegant surprise this album is! The Blazin’ Quartet offers up a late-night smoky jazz with a hint of ECM Records‘ sonic aesthetics, early Durutti Column and a more instrumental Tindersticks. True whiskey-and-cigarette music.
M. John Henry – Early Songs, Of Late
Somewhere on the borders of indie rock and folk music sits Scottish singer M. John Henry. From his Bandcamp site: “…founder of the band De Rosa. Between 2006-2016 De Rosa released three critically acclaimed albums on the Chemikal Underground and Rock Action labels. Henry released his first solo LP in 2011, Continue Reading
Mother Mother – Hayloft I (Official Video)
It’s been years since I watched a relatively new music video. As someone old enough to remember when MTV first started (“Video Killed The Radio Star,” indeed…), I used to love the cheesiness of the early videos. Filmmakers, however, caught on to how great a new medium the music video Continue Reading
Bloemfontein – Improvisational Sessions Volume Three
Unfortunately, the Canadian band Bloemfontein is no longer active, as they appear to be on a permanent hiatus. Still, the band produced several albums of excellent post-rock music—not the metal variety, but rather the atmospheric instrumental style that I personally prefer much more.
American Football – American Football (25th Anniversary Edition)
From the band’s Bandcamp site: “American Football cut its first—and, for a long time, only—LP in four days, as the spring of 1999 slid into summer. Steve Holmes, Steve Lamos, and Mike Kinsella were college kids who knew that as soon as their album of spacious and tenderly sad songs Continue Reading
Cloud Canyons & Studio Kosmische – Under Neon Stars
After a rather tough week, I needed to hear something more cheerful. Thanks to Cloud Canyons for collaborating with the band Studio Kosmische on this two-track single, which is full of motorik grooves reminiscent of Neu! and Stereolab.