alt rock, post grunge, indie rock

The Strange Vines is based in and around Geneva, Switzerland - but their sound will cause waves of nostalgia for anyone who was listening to alt rock radio in the 90s and early aughts. Frontman Valere de Riedmatten has a voice that will garner instant comparisons to Live’s Ed Kowalczyk, and the band’s compositions would fit perfectly into that era.

The album does a good job of capturing the live feel of The Strange Vines - who are a proper band in an age of solo projects, and it serves as proof that they know how to craft punchy, gritty, and catchy set pieces made for the stage.

Worth checking out for any fans of rock music, but certainly for anyone who has been jealously eyeing the cash-in festival lineups recently featuring all the bands that dominated their angsty teenage radio listening years.

folk, ukelele, indie

A delightful collection of vignettes about everyday life, stitched together by Toronto songsmith Jason Pilling’s clever and cutting lyrics, his earnest and vulnerable vocal delivery, and a sparkling set of arrangements and expert production from Gabrielle Papillon.

Pilling built the record around simple ukelele-and-voice compositions, which remains the foundation of these tracks. Atop said foundation, Pilling and Papillon have constructed a series of veritable mansions, each serving as a perfect frame for the idea at the core of each song.

From the modern phenomenon of “ghosting” to the meditative nature of long drives, from losing a friend to internet conspiracies to losing a friend to the Great Beyond, Pilling covers a bit of everything in this brilliant and beautiful album.

acoustic, folk, indie

This lovely collection of songs from Canadian painter and songwriter Alex Southey came out this summer and we totally missed it because (in a move that’s becoming more common and which we both support and encourage) it wasn’t released to Spotify.

One of our favorite songwriters in his own right, Jason Pilling, brought the record to our attention and submitted this review as the first installment of Reader Reviews - another wonderful initiative we fully encourage!

Southey has a way with words and a steady hand in the “studio” - which is really just his home - and this is a beautiful selection of songs for any fans of thoughtful, tasteful, minimalist folk music.

acoustic, indie folk, soft

Colorado based singer songwriter Clarice Backus has one of the most soothing, authentic, and all-around beautiful voices you’ll ever hear, and she’s become a reliable creator of simple, song-forward folk music. Full of vulnerability, grace, quiet defiance, and a self-confidence that feels hard-earned, the music of Paridae will stick with you long after the final notes evaporate.

Groove Art Universe contributor David Clark Carroll reviews the latest collection of original songs from this phenomenal artist, released as a Bandcamp Exclusive - we encourage everyone to get a Bandcamp account and use it to support independent music. Paridae’s Fluvius is a great place to start.

power pop, alternative, indie rock

Red Cavalry will induce waves of nostalgia in folks of a certain generation. Comparing themselves to The Smiths and REM among others, they have a shimmery and unpretentious vibe, keeping the melody upfront and the vocal delivery earnest and sincere.

They are out on streaming today with their full length album Alas, So Long - an 11 song love story that feels like watching an opium-ravaged Romantic poet ranting through a cloud of smoke at a Barmaid who has stopped listening.

If that sounds dubious, just give it a shot. We are particularly fond of “Unread Books” and “Last Wish” at the moment.

Bluegrass, folk, traditional

This new album is decidedly more traditional and classic than the previous offering from David Clark Carroll (Daring Coyotes).

Where The Aftermath featured something like doom-grass instrumentals with deeply ominous undertones slathered in layer upon layer of sparkling strings, here we get arrangements that should feel more familiar to fans of mountain music. The album features deft performances from both Carroll and his collaborator Ryan Seiler (Broke String) on bass.

Taken as a whole, Tales From Mount Tom is a pretty big step forward in the Daring Coyotes catalog, a beautifully performed and produced, entirely cohesive, full-length collection that finds the project expressing confidence on all fronts.