As the year has progressed, more music has been released from the indie genre and much of this music comes from musicians with a dedicated fan base. These albums are very anticipated in the indie genre. This week’s roundup shows beloved bands and artists coming out with music post-pandemic. 

Albums:

Big Thief – Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You

Big Thief has outdone themselves again with their fifth studio album Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You. The album comprises 20 incredible songs with a running time of an hour and 20 min. The album opens up with the slow tempo track “Change.” The theme of the album echoes the uncertain state of the world and how it affects your well-being. Big Thief captures raw emotions in a folksy spirit as the message intensifies throughout the different tracks.

There is passion throughout the album that instantly sticks with the person. Adrienne Lenker is a unique vocalist. I’ve listened to the album repeatedly and I cannot praise it enough. To me, this album is perfect. I cannot get over how Big Thief could capture the unsettling emotions from the last two years. Lenker’s sultry, yet rustic vocals follow along with the rawness from the band’s performance. I cannot wait to see what they do in the future, but for now, I will enjoy this masterpiece. 

Rating: 5/5

Best Songs: “Love Love Love,” “Simulation Swarm,” “Little Things,” “Blue Lightning,” “Dried Roses” 

Rex Orange County – WHO CARES?

Alexander James O’Connor or Rex Orange County is a popular musician in the indie genre scene. O’Connor is free-spirited in his music and will throw an entire orchestra on a track about loving his girlfriend and then completely switch to the next track with an energetic tone with lyrics about his insecurities. 

The problem I have with this album is the inconsistency of the songs. There is nothing wrong with having a variety of different songs, but in this case it doesn’t work too well. Yet this album has its moments that have dream pop elements echoing the classic “feel good” Rex Orange County sound. I enjoyed this album more than the previous album Pony and WHO CARES? feels like a collection of ideas that eventually fade into bliss. 

Best Songs: “AMAZING,” “7AM,” “MAKING TIME,” “KEEP IT UP”

Rating: 3/5

Singles:

Wallows- “At The End of the Day”

The popularity of the band Wallows has immersed the indie alternative scene. Wallows’ earlier efforts, such as the singles “Pleaser” and “Pictures of Girls” had a punch to them making the band stand out. Though as the last two years have gone by, their work has been lost in translation and generic. “At The End of the Day” is a breath of fresh air from the previous singles and last EP. Braeden Lemasters takes lead vocals and gives the song heart. I don’t know what is to come for the Wallows’ second album, but if they stay on this track, I’m sure Wallows’ OG fans will love it.

HAIM – “Lost Track”

The all-sister band HAIM is back with their new single “Lost Track.” Danielle Haim, lead vocals and guitar, claims this song is about a person getting out of something uncomfortable and what happens next. “I’ll never get back what I lost track of,” said Danielle Haim. They slowly paced this song with a simple lyricism that resonates universally. I think the idea of this song is unique and something I could relate to. This track sounds like a B-side from their previous album, Women in Music Pt. III, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

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Alexzandria (She/Her) is a senior majoring in journalism and minoring in psychology. She loves writing about music and playing guitar. In her free time, she enjoys reading and spending time with her sisters.