NEW INDIE MUSIC - WEEK 21 - PART 2 2014

Not gonna lie, I was even sadder than Sad Batman when Part 1 of this week's dose of new indie music came to a conclusion. But turn that frown upside down, Ben Affleck, Kanye West, Keanu Reeves and other sad people who're sad, as today I'm back with a second fix of songs to keep you keeping on. God knows I need it after the clusterfuck that was the Billboard Music Awards on Sunday. So I can't decide which was worse, the Michael Jackson hologram or the Miley Cyrus and The Flaming Lips duet... No seriously, what the fuck is up with The Flaming Lips these days? They used to be one of my favorite bands ever, now Wayne Coyne is just an embarrassing old dude going through a never-ending mid-life crisis. Anyways, here's The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, La Roux, Archie Bronson Outfit and more. Enjoy, hipsters!

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THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART – UNTIL THE SUN EXPLODES

So I'd like to begin by sending my congratulations to The Cure and The Smashing Pumpkins on the birth of their love child, The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart. Hey, I'm not complaining, I fucking love both of those bands! Oh, and I fucking love Jem And The Holograms, too. So this is everything to me, at least for as long as Billy Corgan continues to perform that never-ending ambient jam in his Chicago teahouse. No seriously, some say that he's still there playing “Siddhartha” to a bunch of empty tables to this very day...

LA ROUX – LET ME DOWN GENTLY

Queen La Roux is back after, erm, a long fucking time with a new sound, and far more importantly, new hair. Hairspray is so 2009. But are we feeling the more natural, David Bowie meets Tilda Swinton vibe? Anyways, “Let Me Down Gently” is the first single to be taken from La Roux's upcoming sophomore album, Trouble In Paradise. The fucking epic breakup anthem is everything I hoped La Roux's comeback single would be, and more! Massive synthesizers, massive drums, massive saxaphone solo... To quote from that Watch The Throne song she appeared on that time, “that's my bitch.”

THE ACID – FAME

The Acid are too arty for my superficial hipster brain to handle. The meaning behind this video has gone straight over my head, but then again, maybe that's the whole point? It makes for gorgeous viewing, though, as it features the Los Angeles dance troupe, WIFE, who I introduced you to a couple of years ago. Because I can at least try to pretend that I'm a cultured asshole, asshole! And that's precisely why I maintain The Acid's cover of “Fame” doesn't touch the original by David Bowie and John Lennon. Woah, I'm joking, already... Honestly, what kinda superficial hipster do you take me for?

SHARON VAN ETTEN – EVERYTIME THE SUN COMES UP

Am I hearing things, or did Sharon Van Etten just sing, “I wash your dishes, but I shit in your bathroom?” You're too fucking cute, Sharon. Patti Smith is gonna be jealous she never came up with that one, I guarantee it... As said in the voice of George Zimmer. “Everytime The Sun Comes Up,” the second single to be taken from Van Etten's upcoming fourth album, Are We There, simultaneously makes me feel so alive and like I'm on the brink of death. It isn't all bad, Sharon. Try being Dracula in the midst of an existential crisis!

BROKEN BELLS – CONTROL (LIVE AT THE FONDA)

Maybe if James Mercer manages to convince Danger Mouse to stay on tour with Broken Bells for as long as possible, we may never have to suffer the new U2 album that he's currently producing. Just saying... Anyways, the Bells recently hit up The Fonda in Hollywood with their live show, and lucky for you, that shit was filmed. Here's the duo performing the groovy “Control,” one of my highlights from their sophomore album, After The Disco. Enjoy it while you can, as if the trailer for that upcoming Zach Braff movie is anything to go by, new Shins material is about to take priority in Mr. Mercer's life!

ARCHIE BRONSON OUTFIT – WE ARE FLOATING

Such bright. Very colors. Wow! Arp Cleveland says in the press release that “We Are Floating,” the chugging first single to be taken from Archie Bronson Outfit's upcoming fourth album, Wild Crush, is about “flux, transition, motion, potions, disappearing notions, moving, grooving, hovering, bothering, being dazed but giving praise.” And here's me thinking it was an ode to “Float On” by Modest Mouse... Anyways, it recently came accompanied by a tweaked out animation by Adam Mallett, who drops in on the same press release to discuss the video's “phantoms in the night, moving between horizon lines in a psychedelic world of transmogrification and candy coloured beauty.” Such words. Very confuse. Wow!

LYKKE LI – NO ONE EVER LOVED

Is it me, or does Lykke Li sound more and more like Nelly Furtado with every new song that she releases? You're never gonna listen to Lykke Li in the same way again, I guarantee it... As said in the voice of George Zimmer. “No One Ever Loved” is taken from the soundtrack for The Fault In Our Stars, Josh Boone's upcoming movie adaptation of John Green's novel of the same name. M83, Charli XCX and Tom Odell are among the other artists who're due to feature in the hipster romantic comedy. Move over, Perks Of Being A Wallflower!

REUBEN AND THE DARK – BLACK WATER

Stop everything! Calgary quintet, Reuben And The Dark, release their debut album, Funeral Sky, on Tuesday, and I for one can't wait... No seriously, I feel like this record has been such a long time coming. Big up to Arts And Crafts for delivering the goods on this one. It may be fleeting and unassuming, but “Black Water” is definitely my favorite single to be released from the album thus far. The accompanying video of a bearded hipster dude floating between trashy hotel rooms and abandoned railways perfectly captures the world-weary vibe of the song, which has an almost hymn-like quality about it. Right in the fucking feels.

MONUMENT VALLEY – TATTOOED FISTS

Monument Valley is the alias of Ned Younger, which is a pretty fucking great name in itself, to be honest! “Tattooed Fists” is the first single to be taken from the London songwriter's upcoming debut album, Walking On Skin. Bringing together gentle yet aching acoustics with heart-warming and observational lyrics about his iconic hometown, “Tattooed Fists” serves as an ideal introduction to Monument Valley, who has already supported the likes of Majical Cloudz, Daughter and Benjamin Francis Leftwich on tour. Oh, and did I forget to mention that he also sings in the most fucking irresistible British accent, too? Just saying...

LONDON GRAMMAR – HEY NOW (LIVE AT KCRW)

No words.

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Thanks for tuning into Part 2 of this week's dose of new indie music, hipsters! Don't forget, if you'd like to contribute to my column, then sign up to be a Curator...

About Jess Grant

When Jess Grant isn't writing on music, she can be found playing it – on her guitar, on her ukulele, and on her recently acquired mandolin. Playing it hideously, she ought to add. Jess also studies. She studies the English language, to be precise. Jess is currently on her way to a degree in the subject, and enjoys starting and never finishing novels, screenplays, and poetry in her spare time. She also likes dogs. Lots of dogs.