01|22|24 [Pacific Northwest Takeover, Aliens and Brass Brass Brass]

Sick and tired of independent music blogs promoting “new music” only to be unsurprised by mainstream artists? Tired of hearing the same shit over again? Desperate to discover tracks you haven’t heard before without the hassle?

Let me help! Open your ears, close your eyes and let the music take over.

Here are FIVE new songs to listen to from artists with under 1,000 monthly listeners to widen the horizons of your musical journey:

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Mr. Beautiful, “I’m Going to Die in Eureka, CA – Live”

To be honest with you, this one has been on my radar for a while. Mr. Beautiful, a band based out of Portland (the best music comes outta here!), gets down and nasty with help from the tasteful groove of saxophone, groveling guitar and CRAZY dark drums pushing in like a fog. With only 97 monthly listeners but their songs racking up thousands of listens Mr. Beautiful bid the music scene adieu in late 2023. This track, though, is pure magic and encapsulates the raw energy of the indie live music scene through the cheers of a crowd feeling the music! Keep listening til the end of the track to hear some of the most insane scratching I’ve heard on guitar.

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Lounge on Fire, “I’m Alive”

If you had told me there was some wicked love child of hip hop and psychedelic rock I probably would’ve thought you were crazy or just extremely experimental. Funnily enough, that’s exactly what this song is; a mesh of a sassy brass section, a borderline rapping, fast-talk vocalist and a pure gold bass line. It feels like two styles that don’t go together but that most definitely do once you hear Lounge on Fire‘s song. This six-piece is missing absolutely nothing and the cherry on top is the perfectly congealed serenade at the end between solos on electric guitar and THAT star brass section. Emphasis on “that” because they fucking nailed that shit. Pacific Northwest strikes again.

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The Moose, “The First Real Encounter”

The Moose, by way of Kansas City, did what not many bands tried to do in 2018; tell the story not just through music but through plain and simple sound. Well, soundscapes that is. Their first-born album centers not just on a theme but a plot wherein aliens go from speculated to seen and with “The First Real Encounter” being the first track, listeners set forth on a musical journey. The first minute and a half of the track features an ominous skit (I’m not going to spoil it but take a guess…) filled with trippy audio panning and transitions into a mysterious piece of art. No lyrics on this one because plain and simple the music does all the talking with the keys somewhat hidden but still front and center, decoding a message from space…or just talented musicians.

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The Orange Goodness, “Settle Up Settle Down”

Now, I’ve been straying away from more upbeat indie rock but it’s about time I saw my way back and The Orange Goodness did it for me. The drums start this one off on a high note, they’re not too explosive not as cavernous compared to some indie rock of 2021. Carried on throughout the rest of the song we get hit with electric guitar slightly reminiscent of 1990s and early 2000s pop punk which gives the groove some dimension by taking the song higher. The layering of different textures in this song serves as an engaging vessel for the vocals and lyrics. Hailing from Minneapolis, you can feel the distinct Midwest sound seeping out of whatever speaker you’re playing this on. It’s funny that their name is “The ORANGE Goodness” cause the sound they play is as particular and bright as the color itself.

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PSDSP, “Geology”

Last, but not least, PSDSP hits a hallucinogenic homerun with their song Geology a modern flowing piece of rock-and-roll. If grunge music is your shit or you’re just looking for a total experience of a track I highly recommend listening to this song. Bay Area hits different musically with obvious picks like Green Day, Primus, or Grateful Dead; the future of music seems so promising when it comes to San Fran. Vocals reminiscent of Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell, sing doomy lyrics and it might be hard for some to find meaning in the words but they fit the overall feel of the music like a puzzle piece. The striking entrance of the modular chord progression every so often leaves you wanting more. It’s like having a whole feast in front of you and only getting a taste of each dish. Listen to this song, and listen to it again and again and again until you’ve made out each instrument and the path it takes. You won’t be disappointed.

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One last thing–I’ve linked the songs directly to Spotify but I do HIGHLY encourage everyone to check out the Bandcamp’s of any of the sick artists featured to directly show some love!

Peace.