The Big Indie Playlist: This week’s best new music – April 2023
The world is strange, and music is matching it stride for stride in a fine act of art imitating life. Indie favourite Mac DeMarco has released his latest album, a 199-song near-nine-hour effort featuring mainly random noises. You couldn’t make it up—which, incidentally, is the album title that Ben Howard has opted to slap on his forthcoming album.
AI has also reunited Oasis much to their chagrin, and the sad dads in The National have denounced the fallen king of the sad dads, Morrissey. Alas, it’s not all fun and games, the divisive new release grabbing the headlines has been the decidedly serious effort from Benefits which has caused a rift in the Far Out camp.
But aside from all that chaos, there’s also been a string of measured beauty amid the storm this week. We’ve had gorgeous new efforts from Moon Panda, a bit of poppy fun from BC Camplight to lean into summer, and a rousing rattler from the post-punk lads in Squid. This all makes the traditionally sparse month of April – stationed between the winter releases and festival bangers – seem like one of the most interesting around.
So, without further ado, check out our collated list of this week’s best new music below, and find a playlist where we’ve wrapped them all up in one place at the foot of the piece. Enjoy…
The best new music this week – April 2023:
The best new folk songs:
‘Couldn’t Make It Up’ – Ben Howard: Ben Howard has teamed up with producer Nathan Jenkins – who helped to deliver one of the best records last year with Orlando Weeks’ Hop Up – and it shows. There is an upbeat prettiness back in his work and it welcomes summer into stride like a sunny Saturday in a beer garden. Backed with a load of textured delay, this is a little bed of peace. (4/5)
‘Faraway Skies’ – Dean Johnson: On Dean Johnson’s latest single he tells us he’s a cowboy even if he doesn’t look like one, and we’re inclined to believe that given how liltingly he pulls off painting a picture of some peaceful pastures over yonder. Unlike the racist movies of old, this cowboy’s view is rather uneventful, but that just makes it easier to casually admire. A cool breeze of a track. (3/5)
The best new indie songs:
‘Starfruit’ – Moon Panda: Groovy duo Moon Panda are back with their latest twilight coastal drive track, ‘Starfruit’. Complete with synthesised twinkling and a fine composition that coasts towards a swelling chorus, this new effort shows how polished Moon Panda are with their work. This is music for a private headspace. (3/5)
‘Little Sister’ – Willie J Healey: Willie J Healey was planning to release his third album in March. However, Bunny, has now been delayed until August, but the new single, ‘Little Sister’, is another fine teaser of the forthcoming record courtesy of the singer-songwriter. The new track is trademark Healey, and infused with an infectious bundle of soul. (4/5)
‘20200817 Proud True Toyota’ – Mac DeMarco: As mentioned in the intro, Mac DeMarco’s new record is positively pointless, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t some classic indie gems amid the nine-hour release. This B.J. Snowdon-like appraisal of a new Toyota might not be your typical pop fodder, and we love it all the more because of that. (3.5/5)
‘Kicking Up a Fuss’ – BC Camplight: Cheesy disco riffage will always have its place in the world. BC Camplight make no secret of their new romantic inspiration behind the toe-tapping new effort ‘Kicking Up a Fuss’. However, after a gaudy synth intro, the band quickly whisk the track towards something more mystically abstract with references to Dickinson’s Real Deals and an aura akin to Donnie Darko. (4/5)
‘Council Skies’ – Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds: Liam Gallagher recently quipped: “How can such a mean spirited little man write such a beautiful song,” regarding ‘Dead to the World’. Well, he’s due to be upset again when he listens to ‘Council Skies’. With a mystic chord, Noel weaves together a seamless piece of jazzy pop.
‘Troubled Son’ – Miles Kane: This week, Miles Kane has announced details of his new studio album One Man Band. Additionally, Kane has also shared the lead single, ‘Troubled Son’, which he co-wrote with Blossoms frontman Tom Ogden. The pair previously duetted the track during a concert in Manchester last year. The new track is a no-nonsense rock ‘n’ roll throwback with a thrilling hook, and Kane doing what he does best. (3.5/5)
‘Sad To Breathe’ – The Japanese House: The Japanese House, the musical moniker of Amber Bain, has unleashed the break-up banger ‘Sad To Breathe’. Bain has used her heartache as the fuel for her forthcoming album End It Always Does, which is released on June 30th through Dirty Hit. “I wrote ‘Sad To Breathe‘ some time ago, it’s one of the oldest songs on the record,” Amber said of the new Phoebe Bridgers-esque song. (4/5)
The best new alternative songs:
‘Don’t Let The Devil’ – Killer Mike ft El-P & thankugoodsir: Run The Jewels rapper Killer Mike provides a soulful teaser track from his forthcoming solo album Michael. For the new song, Mike has teamed up with El-P, his partner in crime with Run The Jewels, who co-produced the track alongside No I.D. and Little Shalimar. Mike’s new song also features thankugoodsir. While the track is very much from the same world as Run The Jewels, that’s certainly no bad thing. (4/5)
‘Blades’ – Arlo Parks: Following her Mercury-winning debut, Collapsed In Sunbeams, Arlo Parks is continuing to ready the release of her new album, My Soft Machine. If the previously released tracks, and haunting latest single ‘Blades’ are anything to go by, then Parks’ sophomore effort will be another record-of-the-year candidate. This tale of collapsing friendship is a wallop to the chops in the gentlest way. (4/5)
‘Big Shot City’ – Makaya McCraven, Interpol: Makaya McCraven says she has “interpolated” Interpol’s brooding rock track ‘Big Shot City’ with her muscular new remix. This twist adrenalises the track, taking it from an anthem that could score the contemplative moments before the heist to the frenzy afterwards, just about retaining melodic composure. (3.5/5)
‘Veronica Lake’ – Sparks: The oddest band in town are back, and ‘Veronica Lake’ sees Sparks get satirical. Backed by quite a mad sound akin to a tricky Super Mario mission, the inherent playfulness that the band have always happily fostered is allowed to roam free with this heightened tempo. At this stage in their long career, you still can’t say that the ideas are drying up. (3/5)
‘Picture This!’ – The Bug Club: The Bug Club are back with another new release. Continuing in their scratchy realm with witty poetry laid over the top, the band know exactly what they’re about and in an age of engineered originality, that is a huge credit to them. This is yet another tragicomic tale of modern life with an apathetic sound that fits it like a glove. (3/5)
The best new rock and punk songs:
‘Undergrowth’ – Squid: Ahead of the release of their forthcoming album, O Monolith, Brighton’s experimental post-punk extraordinaires have shared the new single, ‘Undergrowth’. The mind-bending Twin Peaks-inspired song, which boasts a running time of over six minutes, couldn’t be made by any other band in Britain, and is another example of Squid disregarding the traditional songwriting tropes that an trap a band. (3.5/5)
‘Clean Up Your Act’ – Gnawing: While a tad underproduced, Gnawing, the Virginia outfit that describe themselves as “a loud rock and roll band that wishes they were a country band” have hit upon a bit of a punky ditty with ‘Clean Up Your Act’. Lying beneath the punchy lyrics and scratchy sound is an undeniable hook that even a pop princess like Kylie would be pleased with. Most importantly, in an age of ‘bedroom sounds’, you can picture this one being a riot live. (3.5/5)
‘Hard to Love’ – Bully: With ‘Hard to Love’ Bully have boldly made a sensitive subject sexy in a show of cathartic defiance. You can be what you want to be and make it sultry. As Alicia Bognannon explains: “Growing up never fitting into society’s constructed gender stereotypes and expectations, I often felt as though different equals bad or wrong. I was confused about my place in the world, not fully identifying with any one particular gender or sexuality. I was ashamed, and I blamed myself.”
‘Nothing Matters’ – The Last Dinner Party: The Last Dinner Party are destined to be one of the biggest acts of their generation. Prior to officially releasing a note of music, the London five-piece had already supported The Rolling Stones and their debut single, ‘Nothing Matters’, warrants the hype surrounding the group. Produced by Arctic Monkeys collaborator James Ford, ‘Nothing Matters’ is unapologetically sensual, brimming with hooks that instantly lodge themselves in the memory. (3.5/5)
The best new live / remastered / unreleased songs:
‘Baby’ – Donnie & Joe Emerson: The music industry is an area fraught with so many circumstantial pitfalls that some tracks, no matter how brilliant they may be, never stand a chance. Donnie and Joe Emerson grew up in Fruitland, Washington, a place with a population of 751. You could just about fit the entire town on the same flight, thus, when it comes to gathering up the necessary organic hype to make a wider impact the brothers were heavily handicapped from the get-go. But thanks to reissues, they’ve been given a second chance, and the world can be thankful for that because their gift is one of the most beautiful, sexy songs ever. (5/5)
‘Do You Realize??’ (Live on BBC Radio 1) – The Flaming Lips: This 20th anniversary reissue might be a year overdue, but the wait is worth it. For a band who have always put the power of sonics to the forefront of their work, this deluxe edition offers a wild new insight into their efforts. When it comes to an anthem that aims to deliver the sort of transcendent catharsis that floats the listener towards lofty deliverance, then a live version only seems fitting. (4.5/5)
