uk indie

Various Artists: The New Indie (Alive & Amplified For 2005)

Over the past twelve months, indie music has shot from the depths of dark and dirty underground clubs into the limelight of the mainstream.

Various Artists: Crash! Indie Anthems 1982-2004

1982-2004 22 years of indie? Did indie really begin in 1982? Who cares, don't let the title stand in the way of this rather good (but rather predictable) compilation.

Blah Blah Blah: Death To The Indie Disco

Chirpy cockney new-boys Blah Blah Blah have written a great single with 'Death To The Indie Disco'. The song has a classic Clash funky feel and while it isn't political, it still has a message in mocking the mainstream music scene.

Various Artists: Elevate, 21 Pop And Indie Gems From The Underground

The beauty about underground albums like 'Elevate' is that they can really surprise you. There are no preconceptions about the artists.

The Printed Sound: The Announcement / Lips

First thing that comes into mind is The Killers crossing paths with The Kings Of Leon, so nothing overly original here.

The Conway Story: Lunatic Perfume

Current music trends are always something you either ignore, or in this case, try to fit in as much as possible.

Oversol: Speed

Easy listening but none the less entertaining. Starting like an upbeat Elbow song or one of the latest Athlete offerings - 'Speed' goes from strength to strength and isn't as linear as you first may expect.

Tin Soldiers: Wait For You

'Wait For You' by Tin Soldiers is a solid, light-rock ballad that follows firmly in the footsteps of Snow Patrol, Coldplay, and the like.

The Pigeon Detectives: Say It Like You Mean It

Seemingly free from pretension The Pigeon Detectives are back with what they do so well, a 3 minute indie-pop song about love, lust and romance with a repetitive, catchy chorus.

Larrikin Love: Happy As Annie / On Sussex Downs

Somehow, somewhere, you can just imagine Pete Doherty in his little hat bobbing along to Larrikin Love.

Ida Maria: Stella

I first encountered this artist on 'Later...' with a suave top hat on, singing in an aggressive yet intelligent manner in front of some of the most influential people in music and the genius that is Morrissey.

Franz Ferdinand: The Fallen

If you hadn't noticed, Franz Ferdinand have been rather successful these past couple of years. The Fallen is another Indie disco hit straight off the FF production line, stamped with their trademark optimistic upbeat swagger and containing a sure fire air-guitar moment for all the family.

JJ72: She's Gone

After recruiting ex-Fangs bassist Sarah Fox, I wanted to see what JJ72 had come up with in their long absence.

Superelectric: I Like It Too Much

With no biog and no current info available on the old entirenet, Superelectric are an Indie Electronica mystery.

The Maple State: The Joanna EP

In complete contrast to their press release, The Maple State do not specialise in "pulsing keyboard riffs", "sharp guitars" or "super tight rhythms".

Garlic: Not Over Yet

Strange one this. You'll probably remember this song from a couple of years back when it was an enormous house classic around the world for an artist going by the name of Grace.

Riotmind: Out Of Your Mind

Pretty middle of the road, harping back to 90's indie drawl here folks. It's not altogether that bad, I suppose.

Annuals: Be He Me

Originally released last year in North America, Be He Me is the type of experimental indie rock which has already seen the Annuals compared to Canadian giants such as Arcade Fire and Broken Social Scene, though a much closer assessment would be to probably think along the lines of a more sonically substantial and sterile version of fellow US counterparts Animal Collective.

The Rain Band: Knee Deep and Down

Hailing from Maannchestuur!! The Rainband don't half support their Mersey heritage. Hear with me the Roses and New Order, and the now extinct Food artists - Space Monkeys.

Stuffy and The Fuses: Where's The Captain?

I was disappointed by this to be honest. I've seen Stuffy and The Fuses live a few times around Leeds in the last year or so and their enthusiasm and attitude has always come across as a definite plus point to me especially in the current "taking itself a bit too seriously" indie climate.

Soberskin: This Is A Calling

This is electro-indie with a bit more indie than the electro. Classic "first tack on demo" sounding, it has balls and insists on dragging you in and making you listen.

Miss Black America: Talk Hard

It's wrong to compare, but what first attracted me to this band was a rock rush, the crash of a song, in an unashamedly indie way.

Relay: Untitled

Barnsley based Relay carry off an accomplished and familiar sound. "Different to anything else around at the moment" says a quote from the accompanying biog, written by someone who clearly hasn't listened to The Rain Band, The Music, The Cooper Temple Clause, The Verve, Mansun, Primal Scream and countless others that have mixed the dancier / funkier side of rock with Indie.

Kinesis: Forever Reeling

Kinesis. One of those bands whose name keeps popping up, but I have no idea what they do or sound like or even if they have horns and tails.

The Dirty Skirts: Feeling The Pressure

First impression of 'Feeling The Pressure' is that it tosses together bits of indie and electronica and expects them to sound coherent with minimal effort.

Mynas: Untitled

Barnsley trio Mynas offer up three tracks of melodic, easy-on-the-ears indie with just enough undemanding hooks to make for enjoyable listening.

The Hot Puppies: The Girl Who Was Too Beautiful

A large slab of infectious grrrl-pop from Aberystwyth. That's a phrase you probably thought you would never hear, but if you hear it only once then it is a testament to this little pop gem.

Tokyo Police Club: In a Cave

'In a Cave' is taken from Tokyo Police Club's debut album 'Elephant Shelf,' and if this track is anything to go by then the current chart-bothering indie giants had better watch out.

Being 747: The Girl Who Fell Asleep Whilst Watching Her Life Flash Before Her Eyes

'Bom, bom der-der-der-der, Bom, Bom der-der-de-der-der, Dum dum dum dum'. That's the genius of this song.

Turnbull ACs: Untitled

Any band that has no drummer, but a 'keys/ beats' man must be kind of interesting, right? Well, Turnbull ACs certainly think so.

The Brent Flood: s/t

It's hard not to think the worst when a band talks on their website about making "the big push" and send a proud-as-punch biog that name drops supports with James Blunt.

Polytechnic: Won't You Come Around?

With their permanent bed head and adorned in cardigans, Polytechnic are an Indie wimp's wet dream. Having previously witnessed a particularly lacklustre live performance that had about as much energy as one of the losing toy bunnies from the Duracell advert, hopes for this single were decidedly low.

The Stations: This Globe Can Be Upgraded

With catchy songs, bold lyrics and raw vocals The Stations' second EP stands firmly in the category of "New-wave Indie", (as opposed to "Shoegazeing", 90s-style Indie).

Three Man Amp: Untitled

Three Man Amp's take on the genre of indie rock is one that has been heard before and will most likely be heard again, thanks to the never ending supply of bands that are churned out by record labels to meet the demands of the lazy MTV2 fans, who base their musical tastes on the NME chart.

Grammatics: The Vague Archive

Grammatics, hailing from Leeds are an interesting mixture of cellos with indie pop rock. Having a real soft spot for classical music myself, I was slightly apprehensive at this unusual cello/indie mash up.

Rotating Leslie: No Requests

Reading Rotating Leslie's biog you'd be forgiven for being ever so slightly disappointed when you actually come to hearing the accompanying CD.

Every Move A Picture: Heart = Weapon

It seems that for every excellent darkwave indie infused rock band that have turned up on the mainstream's doorway in recent years, a veritable backlog of similar, wholly uninspiring bands have formed a bottleneck behind them.

Black Nielson: Love Song To Chan Marshall

The words "best kept secrets" in anyone's biog may as well read "Never really made it... yet" and the story of Black Nielson would certainly go some way to supporting the theory.

Beat Route 62: Untitled

Promising name I thought. Very Jack Kerouac, but with cunning regional twist with the old M62 and that.

Redwire: Untitled

Redwire declare on their website to be "the most exciting band to come out of Bradford ever!" Considering at the minute the only other Bradford band I can think of are Embrace...

The Tamborines: What Took You So Long

Despite the misspelling, The Tamborines have a name as obvious as the day is long. Far more interestingly the 3 piece consist of two Brazilians (the nationality not the haircut) and one French drummer, which makes the wall-of-sound Indie influenced by the likes of Teenage Fanclub and The Jesus & Mary Chain all the more surprising.

Vatican Jet: Bronze Demo

Vatican Jet are a bit special. Verging on special needs special perhaps, but special nevertheless. Opener 'Olio' (a 'spiced stew' according to the dictionary, might be relevant, might be not) is a completely detached from the realms of normality, nearing on the pompous indie opera tale, culminating in a soaring Pavarotti-esque roar.

1990s: Cookies

My initial thoughts and worries for 1990s was that they were going to sound exactly like the other thousands of indie alternative bands that seem to have descended upon us so far in 2007.

Superelectric: Everything's Fuzzy

Everything's Fuzzy welcomes the return of the psychedelic, indie dance vibe of Superelectric and follows last year's sampler E Is For Effort, A Is For Attainment.

Maps: You Don't Know Her Name

Maps is the bedroom product of James Chapman. He has cut quite a cult figure as his MySpace fan-base swells and this looks set to be another release that will further propel him towards a wider audience.

The Yards: s/t

Chris Helme came to most peoples attention as the singer in Jon Squire's post Roses flop The Seahorses.

The Smokin Jones: Untitled

It seems this EP is soaked in past experience and endeavours, a creation of years of gigging, frequent band additions and changes, and a whole heap of direction shift and renewed vigour.

I Am Kloot: From Your Favourite Sky

I like a good heartbreak song. For years I thought that Tony Bennett was the only man alive who could sing it better than anyone else, and I've yet to be proven otherwise, but this bunch of Mancunian misfits come damn close.

The Bravery: Unconditional EP

It's happening, I can feel it in my waters, bubbling beneath the surface, a new genre will infest the radios, TVs and magazines of the UK in the year two 00 five, led by Franz Ferdinand, Razorlight and The Killers, this is the bastard offshoot of what came of The Strokes inspired NY explosion at the turn of the century, ladies and gentlemen feel free to dance again because indie dance rock is back and it's catching like a fire in a hay factory.

Piranha Deathray: Dolly Dolly

Piranha Deathray are four camper than camp indie fops who look set to steal the Scissor Sisters' crown for most gloriously tongue in cheek band around.

Decoration: Candidate / Job In London

Northern new-jangle masters Decoration continue their campaign to catch the eye of the world with another release from their excellent debut album.

The Silent Parade: Undercurrents

The Silent Parade are a Manchester quartet who, by their own admission, take influences from Muse, My Vitriol and The Mars Volta, as well as Manchester compatriots Doves and Oceansize.

The Gold Fever: California / Hear My Voice

Oh no it's that dreaded genre, a genre in which a band can be very very good or damn shite! Strangely enough The Gold Fever are neither, they have simple Ramones style guitar riffs mixed with indie melodies and vocals, yes kids, here we have another Indie-punk record, a genre which has confused us all.

Hot Club De Paris: Everyeveryeverything

Yet another mouthful of a title, Hot Club De Paris prove they have the goods to back up this pedantism with another distinctive and adventurous slice of jerky, Scouse indie-pop.

Tempting Kate: Falling Off Buildings

The latest release, "Falling Off Buildings", has confirmed my faith in the ability of Leeds/Stirling outfit Tempting Kate to knock out some excellent indie guitar-pop songs.

The Prime Movers: Party Favours

This EP seems from what I can gather to be arty indie funksters The Prime Movers' debut, and from that angle I suppose it ain't half bad.

Two Gallants: Las Cruces Jail

For anyone that might be put off by the fact Two Gallants are signed to everyone's favourite indie emo label don't be; Two Gallants aren't standard Saddlecreek fair.

This Et Al: Sabbatical

Track 1 'Sabbatical' smacks of everything that the said collective stand for: retaining the sound which has garnered them a huge fanbase and critical acclaim from all echeleons of music press.

The Cribs: Martell

The third offering from our very own Wakefield trio's second album 'The New Fellas' is yet another slice of charming indie pop responsible for securing the hype surrounding the so-called 'New Yorkshire' movement at the moment.

The Occupation: Untitled

The Occupation roar into your speakers! With soaring post brit-pop guitars and pounding beats befitting big venues and po-going indie-rock crowds.

The Blood Arm: Angela

Having converted the many fans of We are Scientists and The Sunshine Underground as a support act on both these band's UK and Ireland tours late last year, The Blood Arm are back to try and win over some more followers with the second single from their new album, 'Lie Lover Lie'.

Sleeve: Untitled

Yet another indie/ rock four piece are here to stifle our souls. Hooray. This time it's Sleeve, a Sheffield formed band that "live in a dream." There's a bit more to them than the usual Oasis sound-a-likes.

The Cribs: Hey Scenesters!

Witchita have been grooming Bloc Party, making them into everyone's favourite indie band. While this has been going on, unbeknown to most of the indie community, another of Witchita's bands, The Cribs have been recording some songs with the legend that is Edwyn Collins.

I Am Kloot: Maybe I Should

Mutually parting company with your record company would probably knock the wind out of most bands' sails but not for Manchester trio I Am Kloot.