indie

With his band The Comas on hiatus, Andy Herod's self-produced new project, Electric Owls, embarks on an exploration of musical experimentation while dwelling on the distinctly dark and cryptic with the release of the Magic Show EP.

Aptly titled, the four tracks propagate the mystical spirit of Halloween with many macabre references in songs such as "Cannibal Superstar" and "Darken Me," both lyrically dredging up feelings of death and dethronement put against a backdrop of slightly offbeat--yet melodic--pop hooks and intertwining harmonies. Less heavy songs also appear on the release, such as the unusually jaunty … Read more

With help from producer/songwriter Britt Daniel (Spoon), Anya Marina's hit single "Move You" has that indie-meets-pop feel, which is hard to pull off. It's hip yet catchy enough for TV--and perhaps that's why it was featured on Grey's Anatomy.

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Soul-jazz is the coolly palatable launchpad for this Chicago trio's experimental musings. From there, the group cycles through a patchwork of sketchy vocal themes. It's equally friendly with Deerhoof and a smoky jazz den, and makes "avant-garde" sound a whole lot less intimidating.

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Now that Daylight Savings Time has ended, it's that odd time of the year when it gets dark while we're still at work (at least for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere with day jobs). Sun worshippers may be bummed, but night owls should be psyched about the extra hours of darkness. Either way, it's a good time for everyone to get out and embrace the nightlife!

Listen to our free playlist "Night Moves" featuring Bloc Party, New Order, Black Sheep, Metallica, Kid Cudi, Juliana Hatfield and more. To launch, click the green button … Read more

Male/female duos are hot right now (see She & Him and The Raveonettes), and this upbeat Berlin-based group raises the bar even higher. It's A Musical's orchestral indie pop is both catchy and clever at the same time.

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The Parisian indie duo brings Lekman levels of twee joy to bear on galloping, Mexicali-touched ditties. So what does it mean to fall between, say, Belle & Sebastian and '50s hero Richie Valens? We're not quite sure, but we think it means these are true pop purists.

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A defining contributor to the indie-rock sound of California's Central Valley, Earlimart has expanded into an ambitious and accomplished band. Having retained the experimental edge and DIY approach of its earlier recordings, Earlimart still peppers its songs with layers of distortion, strings, and keyboards, but with more finesse and complexity.

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One thing a lot of indie bands lack is classic rock's brawling spirit. That doesn't seem to be a problem for this Vancouver group. The group fills in a capacious soundscape--it's New Wave-ish in size--with chugging basslines, sneering vocals, and ponderous guitar licks.

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Southern indie rock, when being true to both its Southern-ness and indie rock-ness, can be a darn lovely thing. Joining the likes of MMJ and the Whigs in this dashing duality are Paper Route, blenders of wide-open vocal spaces and gleaming guitar melodies.

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