Hello and welcome to our fortnightly indie artists column. Head here if you missed the previous instalment, featuring Bad Bangs, Mess Esque and OK EG.
Every fortnight, we round up the best new Melbourne/Naarm bands and artists making waves online, underground and on the airwaves.
For those looking to keep an ear to the ground with the best emerging acts, this column will have you covered every two weeks with Victoria’s finest.
This fortnight, we’ve been digging the ‘90s indie rock vibes of Good Morning, the psych-pop of The Florets and the fuzzed-out garage rock of Tam Vantage.
Keep up with the latest music interviews, news and reviews here.
Good Morning
Good Morning recorded their new album Barnyard in the US, at Wilco’s studio, The Loft, in Chicago. They seem to have captured the essence of Jeff Tweedy’s crew in the process, as ‘Country’ – the album’s anthemic closing track – has all the hallmarks of cult ‘90s indie rock.
Between its hooky guitars and Grandaddy-esque keys (there’s a big ‘AM180’ vibe here), ‘Country’ is a breath of fresh air – a banger primed for springtime singalongs once lockdown is finally over. It’s a confident step up from the lo-fi ‘70s rock’n’roll of their last album Basketball Breakups, feeling more polished and self-assured than anything they’ve done before.
Barnyard is out October 22 via Polyvinyl.
The Florets
Continuing the ‘90s indie rock trend but shooting it through with blues and psychedelia is The Florets, who have a new release – Permanent Glow – now available on Bandcamp. Sporting a similar art rock style rhythm section as Good Morning, The Florets are more foggy mornings than cloudless skies – opening track ‘Paradise’ is effortlessly cool, and wouldn’t be out of place on the soundtrack of a pop-up funfair in Brunswick.
There’s a serious knack for melody that’s obvious across the eight-track record. With vibrant choruses, psych-y guitars and a pop bounce that’s not too dissimilar to Glass Animals, The Florets could end up being a summertime staple on triple j before long.
Permanent Glow is out October 1 via Bandcamp.
Tam Vantage
Tam Vantage is back this November with his third album, Laughing Gas & Apple Pie. The Melburnian expertly bridges the gap between college radio indie and fuzzy lo-fi punk – a bit of Ty Segall, a bit of Eddy Current Suppression Ring (shoutout to Mikey Young who mastered the record) and a bit of straight-up garage rock for good measure.
As lead single ‘Living On The Outside’ demonstrates, it’s a concoction that goes down extremely easily – there’s a hell of a song here underneath all the fuzz and reverb.
Laughing Gas & Apple Pie is out November 5 via Still Traveller Records.
Want more new music? Check out the latest instalment of our singles column.
