Indie Rock
Sufjan Stevens in 10 Songs
This article originally ran in 2015; we’re dusting it off in celebration of Sufjan Stevens’ birthday on July 1st. Ever felt overwhelmed by an artist’s extensive back catalog? Been meaning to check out a band, but you just don’t know where to begin? In 10 Songs is here to help, offering a crash course and entry point into the daunting discographies of iconic artists of all genres. This is your first step toward fandom. Take it. It’s been nearly 30 years since Sufjan Stevens first appeared on the music scene as a solo artist, but it’s still difficult to think of him as a real person. The man films videos of himself playing banjo on a farm with a curled baseball cap on his head. He dances awkwardly in neon duct tape and strands of lights. He faces audiences with a set of feathered wings strap...
Yard Act Recruit Fan Sir Elton John for New Version of “100% Endurance”: Stream
Sir Elton John is just one of many who have hopped on the Yard Act bandwagon. The Rocket Man himself features on a new version of the UK band’s single from May, “100% Endurance.” John sang praises for Yard Act while speaking to NME back in October, specifically complimenting frontman James Smith’s distinctive speak-singing: “I can’t do it but I love it and I wonder how they do it.” Yard Act thanked John in return a couple months later by covering “Tiny Dancer,” essentially confirming what would become a real-life friendship. In a press release, Smith explains how a series of phone calls led him to giving John a spur-of-the-moment invitation to the studio with Yard Act: “Within our camp we have a saying: ‘Mad shit happens when you do art,’” Smith adds. “You make stuff becaus...
Momma Break Down New Album Household Name Track by Track: Exclusive
Momma, Consequence’s July Artist of the Month, return today (July 1st) with the release of their third studio LP, Household Name. Spearheaded by longtime friends Etta Friedman and Allegra Weingarten, Household Name is the Brooklyn act’s fuzziest, catchiest album yet. Initially bonding over a mutual obsession with Alex G, Friedman and Weingarten began writing music together while attending high school in California. Even as they graduated and subsequently attended colleges multiple states apart, the two continued creating under the name Momma. Now rounded out with Aron Kobayashi Ritch, Momma continue to ascend with Household Name. Inspired by the absurdities of the music industry, different relationships, and the archetype of the ‘90s rockstar, Household Name finds Momma embracing the influ...
Spielbergs Preview 2022 Mad Cool Festival Performance: “We’re Going To Try and Make as Much Noise as Possible”
Norwegian rock trio Spielbergs were set to have a massive 2020. After their 2019 debut LP This is Not the End received some rave reviews, the band was scheduled to hit the road in Europe over the summer, complete with an appearance at Madrid’s Mad Cool Festival. Of course, everyone’s 2020 plans were diverted and postponed, but luckily, Spielbergs maintained their spot on Mad Cool’s 2022 lineup, which features Metallica, Florence + The Machine, The Killers, Jack White, Glass Animals, Muse, Alt-J, The War On Drugs, Carly Rae Jepsen, CHVRCHES, Nathy Peluso, and many, many more. Even better is the fact that Spielbergs have new music in tow — and they’re some of the most powerful songs the trio has ever released. The anthemic “When They Come For Me,” which we recently named as an honorable ment...
Artist of the Month Momma Are a Household Name for the Coolest of Households
Artist of the Month is an accolade given to an up-and-coming artist or group who is poised for the big time. For July 2022, we’re celebrating Momma as they take a swing at fame with their new album Household Name. “I wanna be your next big thing.” So opens Household Name, the latest album from ‘90s revivalists and DIY champs Momma (out Friday, July 1st). And though they seem intimidatingly cool — like success in the music industry would be, like, totally whatever, man — the sentiment is far from ironic. Even if they don’t always take themselves too seriously, Momma is taking the namesake of their record very seriously. They’re going to be household names, or die trying. Inspired by endless label meetings headed nowhere, thousand-dollar-suit execs saying nothing, and a type of rock stardom ...
Foals’ Yannis Philippakis on Making a Dance Record with a Deeper Meaning
Listen via Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Amazon Podcasts | Stitcher | Pocket Casts | Radio Public | RSS Foals frontman Yannis Philippakis tells us about the band’s latest album, Life Is Yours, on this episode of Kyle Meredith With… Advertisement Related Video Philippakis talks about the experimental mood the band found themselves in that led to a more synth-driven record. He also discusses working with multiple producers, making a dance record with deeper meaning, looking back at the sometimes destructive behavior of his youth, and the need to connect with one’s past. The lead singer also touches on “Wake Me Up” and the ways that lyrics can take on new meanings, taking inspiration from Caribou and Und...
Maya Hawke Announces New Album Moss, Shares “Thérèse”: Stream
Maya Hawke, star of Stranger Things and eldest child of Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke, has announced her sophomore album, Moss. It drops September 23rd, and as a preview she’s shared the lead single, “Thérèse.” Hawke announced the follow-up to 2020’s Blush during an appearance on The Tonight Show this week, where she also said, “Fuck the Supreme Court,” and claimed “I don’t remember” what happened in Season 4 of Stranger Things. When host Fallon asked about her new song, “Thérèse,” she explained, “There’s a painting at the Met, and it’s called Thérèse Dreaming, and it’s the name of the girl in the painting, and it’s a song about the girl in the painting, who in my head is me.” The single itself is folksy and whimsical. “I go to see Thérèse dr...
Jim James Announces Deluxe Reissue of Debut Solo Album Regions of Light and Sound of God
Jim James has announced a deluxe reissue of Regions of Light and Sound of God, his 2013 debut solo album. Ahead of its release on July 29th via ATO Records, the My Morning Jacket singer also shared the previously unheard track “Read Between (Begin Again).” Regions of Light and Sound of God (Deluxe Reissue) includes the original album alongside a bonus LP containing 12 rare B-sides, previously unreleased demos, and alternate takes. The 2xLP will come in clear vinyl enclosed in a deluxe gatefold jacket with new artwork. Pre-orders are ongoing. “I have changed a lot since then, many times over,” said James in a statement. “So, in a lot of ways, it’s like a time machine, thinking about these songs, remembering what life was like back then. What I have gained and lost since. It m...
The Big Climate Thing 2022: The Roots, HAIM, Sheryl Crow Playing Inaugural NYC Fest
The Big Climate Thing Festival is the, uh, next big thing in New York’s live music scene. The Roots, HAIM, and Sheryl Crow are slated to perform at the inaugural three-day event this September 16th-18th at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens. Khruangbin, The Flaming Lips, and Gary Clark Jr. are also among those billed for the green-focused fest, presented by Climate Control Projects and benefitting Brian Eno’s EarthPercent. Additionally, the lineup includes Courtney Barnett, Princess Nokia, Antibalas, Bonny Light Horseman, Guster, Mykki Blanco, Pom Pom Squad, Sunflower Bean, The Weather Station, Valerie June, with more special guests to be announced. “The purpose of the event is to serve as a unified call to action for artists, fans and the music industry itself,” a representative for Climate C...
67 Essential Tours to Catch in Summer 2022
We may be midway through the year (already?!), but we’re only at the start of peak concert season. Summer brings with it numerous opportunities to catch your favorite musicians — many of whom who have been waiting two years to put these shows on the road. So get ready for a summer filled with live music as 2022 tours wind their way through North America. Below, we’ve listed off 67 acts that you won’t want to miss at your local venues, amphitheaters, stadiums, or Vegas casinos. For more on the latest news in live music, make sure to check out this page for continuous updates. Alan Jackson Advertisement <img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1195599" data-attachment-id="1195599" data-permalink="https://consequence.net/2022/03/how-to-buy-alan-jackson-ticket...
Pearl Jam’s Stone Gossard and Ani DiFranco Connect on New Song “Disorders”: Stream
Pearl Jam guitarist Stone Gossard and fellow ’90s icon Ani DiFranco have teamed up for a new charity single entitled “Disorders” in support of women’s rights to reproductive health care. “Disorders” starts off with soft guitars accompanying DiFranco’s lyrics taking on the patriarchy: “Watching you weaponize/ Your ejaculations.” Before the track is done, however, thrashing electric guitars and pounding drums match her impassioned vocals. All proceeds go to the National Network of Abortion Funds, which serves to remove financial and logistical barriers to abortion access for those who need it the most. Advertisement Related Video “With the imminent overturning of Roe v. Wade, women in every Republican stronghold in this country are left treading in a sea of unnecessary suffering, just trying...
Julien Baker, Faye Webster, and Tomberlin Contribute to Charity Compilation Through the Soil II: Stream
The underground indie pop charity compilation Through the Soil II has been released featuring new material from Julien Baker, Faye Webster, Tomberlin, and more to benefit The Trevor Project. Stream it below via Bandcamp. The album spans 37 tracks with contributions from artists raised in the DIY and indie scenes across genres including Squirrel Flower, Parannoul, Ratboys, and Lala Lala. Organized by original TTS co-creator Andres Villogas, the compilation hosts original tracks like Knifeplay’s aptly titled “Trevor Project Benefit Compilation Song,” IAN SWEET’s unreleased demo of “f*ckthat,” a live cut from Faye Webster, and Julien Baker covering Billy Bragg’s “Milkman of Human Kindness.” Through the Soil II finds the nascent series flourishing after its first installment in 2021 ...
