Five 2017 Indie-Pop Albums To Check Out
LANY- LANY - Although the band prior to their debut LP release has put out three solid EP projects, this album proves the group has more to show. The main single off of the album, "Good Girls" was a perfect representation of the tracks to come. The band produces simple beats, with a lot of synth interplay and some underlying electric. Lead singer Paul Klein showcases his soothing and soft voice in a strong emotive way throughout the album. The project seems to be focused on the lyrical and storytelling aspect of songs- heavily represented in "The Breakup" and "Dumb Stuff." They focus on the struggles of relationships and romance and it is a romantic album for sure- but certain tracks have pain underlying them-- similar to how Tyler Joseph describes his song "Not Today"- it sounds so representative of a happy track but the entire meaning is something more in depth and about suffering. LANY tells a story of the good times in relationships balanced with the rocky and negative aspects. A solid album with interesting synth work.
Tracks to check out- The Breakup, Hericane, Super Far
Charli XCX- Number One Angel- This mixtape put out in Spring 2017 is a follow up to EP "Vroom Vroom"- which was a very adventurous and experimental project for the indie pop star. The album focuses a lot on glamour and a luxurious lifestyle. The intro song, "Dreamer" is about "stepping out the Beamer" and getting limousines and penthouses, which is indicative of songs to come. The eight-track project has a lot of strong collaborations- most notably "3 AM (Pull Up)" with Mo and a personal favorite off of the project, "Lipgloss" featuring Cupcakke- an on-the-rise female rapper whom most of her lyrics are about sex. The track has a really bright beat and is crazy fun. "Roll with Me" is also a really high-energy track. These songs are all very energetic and badass- a perfect mood boosting or workout album.
Tracks to check out- Lipgloss, ILY2, Roll With Me
Misterwives- Connect The Dots- Misterwives is back with high energy with their second LP entitled "Connect The Dots", a follow up to the lively 2015 debut album "Out Own House." The album was popularized for the fun and bright songs, especially hit single "Reflections", and it appears the party hasn't stopped. The lead single for "Dots", "Machine" is a bad-ass and lively track about not belonging to society's beliefs, a topic that Misterwives dabbles with frequently. The album has a lot of recurring tracks about life on the road, seen most in "Drummer Boy" and "Coloring Outside the Lines." Lead singer Mandy Lee has a solid performance on the album with a bold and lively voice. A high-energy and fun album with a lot of dynamic tracks.
Tracks to check out- Coloring Outside The Lines, Drummer Boy, Oh Love
HAIM - Something To Tell You- The long-awaited follow up to 2013's debut album "Days Are Gone" was released in July. The sister-based trio had a lot to offer after quite a lengthy hiatus. They stated "All we knew for two years was wake up, soundcheck, play the show, go to sleep and fit in a slice of pizza at some point. We needed to turn our brains from touring brains back to writing brains. When we came home, we literally got off the bus, took a nap and went right into the studio." Lead single "Want You Back" dabbled with some synth, but carried over the indie-rock vibe, utilizing a lot of keys and even dabbling a little into the folk-rock genre. The second single "Little of Your Love," carried in a retro piano vibe and is catchy and fun. The whole album mixes folk, a retro sounding sixties piano and modern indie for an impactful album. Some songs may run together and sound repetitive, but the project as a whole is bright and deserves to be right up there with their debut release.
Tracks to check out- Ready For You, Want You Back, Nothing's Wrong
Walk The Moon- What If Nothing- Another long awaited album was dropped just this past week by Ohio-based indie rockers Walk The Moon. Fans have yet to see new music since 2014's "Talking Is Hard" and the anticipation and build up was explosive. Lead single "One Foot" is explosive, dynamic, fun, bright, and a lot of other adjectives. The track is an anthem for moving forward, and it does have a booming reaction when listening. It would be immensely difficult to find a better lead single than that. The album does carry over a lot of electric and eighties inspiration found in "Talking Is Hard", but feels more developed. Some songs do not feel super integrated into the mix (Sound of The Awakening), but Headphones and Kamikaze carry that energetic fast-paced Walk The Moon style, while Surrender and Press Restart dabble into what the band has to offer on the slower end of things. The best song off of the album is no doubt "Tiger Teeth". a song the band has had for over seven years, and finally put it on a studio album. The layers of sounds, and polished vocals mixed with amazing lyrics is a masterpiece to say the least. Singer Nick Petricca's vocals are soothing and synth is off the charts. This album, right here was worth the wait.
Tracks to check out- Tiger Teeth, One Foot, Surrender
