Indie & Alternative

I’m the first to say alternative and indie can be a little hard to pin down. Yet I’ve got a cluster here that are indicative of the genre in ways I didn’t think possible. Emotional, raw, breezy, whimsical, you get the full gamut of emotions these addictive genres have to offer. I’ve got one in particular I’ve been dying to share, so I think I’ll use it to start off the list…

If alternative and indie aren’t your thing, glance back at some of my previous Sharing The Goodness posts where I looked at soul and funk, R&B and chill-pop!

1. “Guidance” by Yeah Boy ft. Ryan Keen

I am overdue for sharing this absolute gem of a piece. A song that makes your soul lift straight out of your body. Not in the ‘I’m dealing with secondhand embarrassment and I can’t handle it anymore‘ way, but the ‘God, I feel like I could touch the sky‘ way.

A breezy summer day somehow condensed into four minutes, this is the definition of bottling up some musical magic. The outro is nothing short of stunning and easily the most incredible part of a strong package. A soft chorus builds and builds and builds with a rolling guitar in the background that’s as grand as it is whimsical. Something I love doing is reading the comments on a video (don’t worry, I don’t read too far) and seeing if people feel similar emotions.

Judging by the amount of commenters saying the song makes them feel nostalgic or like they’re destined for something special…to that I say: yeah, boy!

I really need some guidance

It’s gone way too far

2. “Easy Yoke” by Favela

For those that like The Lumineers and Bon Iver, you’ve got a favorite you haven’t even listened to yet in Favela’s ‘Easy Yoke’. How can you go wrong with a tight and tense violin right off the bat? You can’t, is the answer to my rhetorical question.

Listen to that coarse instrumentation! That dance between a classic sound and a very modern production! Hell, just soak in the poetic lyrics and squeeze out a dozen interpretations on a subject that’s mundane yet presented in the most florid of manners. For those that regularly chew on indie to get them through the week, this’ll be your bread and butter.

It’s no heavy load, it’s an easy yoke

It’s no heavy heart, it’s an easy part

3. “Didn’t I” by HONNE

Honne defines their music as a sort of ‘futuristic soul’ and I can see where such an awesome sounding sub-genre title could come from. While they shake it up enough that I feel comfortable slotting them into the alternative and indie section, they take a lot of their influence from these lovely sources.

This song is a bop, through and through. I can’t help but swing my head to the hook that starts right from the beginning and just sways throughout the entire piece. Sure, the lyrics can induce an eyeroll or two (there are definitely some old-fashioned expectations as to what a man should offer in a relationship with a woman-), but it’s hard to care overmuch when it sounds this damn good.

I bought you cars, clothes, a home

When things were rough for me I kept on

4. “Fancy B” by The Bougies

The heat is starting to fade, but ‘Fancy B’ is determined to capture the essence of what makes a dreamy summer experience.

A touch wistful and with a memorable hook, The Bougies are starting to carve out a path for themselves in the indie circuit for their heartfelt approach. Just like the simple instrumentation and composition, the lyrics prefer being earnest to being complex. The singer talks about the little elements that add up to falling for someone while not quite falling in love. How time seems to fly. The joy of giving someone your number for the first time.

It’s all about the little things and The Bougies have turned it into an art form all over again.

You’re my fancy B

I’m just glad you’re my key

5. “faded” by VAGUE003 ft. 333

‘Faded’ may require a bit of patience for some, what with its sleepy atmosphere and slow start, but it’s also rather short and, in my opinion, it doesn’t need it. I’ve fallen head over heels in love with the sheer rawness on display.

Just like the songs above felt like a breezy summer day or a carefree hour on the beach, so too does this song feel like a vulnerable moment somewhere quiet and dark. It’s drowsy, the vocals echo and the guitar is incredibly organic. The outro is brilliant, to boot, shifting from a disaffected sway to a layered crescendo that doesn’t feel a bit out of place. Soundcloud is filled to the brim with hidden treasures and ‘faded’ is no exception.

I must have been faded if I found you

Forget about you if I had to 

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Like what you hear? Got any suggestions? Stay tuned for the next Sharing The Goodness where I’ll either pull up a feature or finally dig around in the realm of pop. Yes, I’ve done over a dozen of these and haven’t done any pop music! That’s talent.