Browsing Tag

Elliott Smith

Inside Starlight Fever, Isaiah Angel Hubbird Found Pop’s Softest Nerve and Made It Shine with the Starlight Fever LP

Posted on 3 June 2026

Starlight Fever, the debut album from the Chicago-hailing singer-songwriter Isaiah Angel Hubbird, teases indie folk pop into the framing of classical arrangements without altering the quintessential instrumentation or architecture. The diaphanous sweeps of choral chamber pop through the melodies and the way his voice harmonises on an octave that would send shivers down the spines of celestial beings bring rare arcane grace to 12 singles which refuse the parameters of contemporary pop.

The album aligns more with Y2K and 2010s stylings, from the era when intimate candour was celebrated and Plain White Ts reigned supreme in the footsteps of vulnerable singer-songwriters such as Elliott Smith and Jeff Buckley. Each release is profound with wonder, tenderness, and the wide-open soul of an artist who uses his innate ability to feel deeply to share his gift through sound. It is almost as if starlight refracts straight through his soul-salving scores of scintillation.

Born and raised in Chicago, Hubbird began writing music in 2014 under DreamsofYou before releasing projects including Boundless Rose, Finding Our Way, and I Am Dead (Without You). Since reclaiming his full name in 2020, his acoustic singer-songwriter world has become a vessel for expositions on anxiety, depression, love, hope, and emotional release.

Starlight Fever is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify. 

Review by Amelia Vandergast

‘All I Want’ by Freebozzy Carried Stadium-Sized Tenderness Through Indie Rock Euphony

Posted on 9 September 2025

If you fused Sam Fender with Elliott Smith, Mumford and Sons and Slowdive, you’d be left with the same paradoxical blister of euphoric heartbreak that bursts in Freebozzy’s latest single, All I Want. After gentle angular guitar notes lull you into the quiescence of the opening, Freebozzy tears the stillness apart with full-bodied choruses that crawl behind your ribcage, catch in your throat, and surge conflicting emotions into your veins.

There’s a melancholic heft behind the proclamation of “it’s you that I want, nothing else”, where the diehard vulnerability bleeds through the radio-ready polish, as though the recognition of not holding the cards is tangled with the surrender of giving everything you had to the admiration of another. The textures and timbres shift like tides, euphoric and stirring where they need to be, tender and unguarded in all the rest.

Behind the moniker Freebozzy is Freeborn Eguabor, a multidisciplinary artist whose foundations in science and public health contrast the raw self-expression found in his songwriting. After discovering his passion for writing in 2016, he refined his craft into a form of musical medicine, channelling themes of hope, healing, and human connection. Already championed by BBC Introducing, All I Want solidifies Freebozzy’s place within indie by offering a track that balances lyrical vulnerability with stadium-sized energy.

All I Want is now available on all major streaming platforms – including Spotify. 

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Clay Goodman Let His Lyrical Vulnerability Echo in the Lo-Fi Reverie of ‘Hello’

Posted on 4 May 2025
Clay Goodman

Clay Goodman made a soft yet indelible entrance with his debut single, Hello; a fitting title for the lo-fi acoustic release that quietly beckons listeners into his alt-indie introspection. The short, sweet, and saturated-in-delay track resounds in the raw vein of Elliott Smith, using gentle yet emotively aching guitar lines to create the atmosphere that the seraphically ethereal vocals drift into. It may be a very brief introduction to Clay Goodman, but it is one that makes an affecting impression and one that proves that once he’s ready to take the leap with a less abstract single, he’s going to take the alt-indie scene by storm.

After a decade of writing in rural Virginia, Goodman’s decision to launch with a track that holds itself back from grandeur is a statement in itself. Every part of the track, from the minimalist production to the distant vocal presence, was shaped entirely by Goodman himself, revealing not only his artistic intent but his restraint.

Rather than using polish to mask the fragility, the production lets it breathe. There’s no demand for resolution—only a request to listen closely. As the reverb trails behind each phrase, the weight of creative solitude lingers, making this lo-fi lullaby feel like a secret you weren’t meant to hear, but needed to.

Discover more about Clay Goodman via their website. 

Review by Amelia Vandergast.

Ben Joyner’s ‘Audrey (Nice Name)’ is a love letter scrawled in indie folk blues threads

Posted on 12 December 2024

With Audrey (Nice Name), Los Angeles-based filmmaker and musician Ben Joyner twanged his Southern roots into an indie-folk soundscape laced with bluesy undertones. Joyner’s North Carolina upbringing whispers through the raw, weathered production, evoking the nostalgic warmth of back-porch serenades. Yet, there’s a cinematic depth to his storytelling—unsurprising from someone who knows his way around both a melody and a narrative arc.

The single feels like the love child of Elliott Smith’s emotional vulnerability and Bob Dylan’s effortless breeziness, with a rugged charm that never veers into self-indulgence. The simplicity of the arrangement amplifies its emotional punch, striking listeners with the same visceral authenticity that made Grandaddy and The Flaming Lips cult favourites in indie circles.

While the track humbly avoids overwrought polish, allowing the magic to permeate through the endearing imperfections. Like a page torn straight from Joyner’s diary, the lyrics unashamedly bare the heart of a diehard romantic, exuding an effortless intimacy that many polished productions fail to capture.

It’s rare to encounter a track so uncontrived in its affections, yet refined enough to avoid straying into cliché, but sure enough, with Audrey (Nice Name), Joyner more than lives up to his name.

Stream Audrey (Nice Name) on Spotify now, and connect with the artist via Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Sepia-Tinged Serenity: GOODTIME’s ‘Damsel Eyes’ Dances Between Tenderness and Nostalgia

Posted on 26 October 2024
GOODTIME

GOODTIME, a rising artist from New York City, affirmed his tonal mastery in his single, ‘Damsel Eyes’. The warmth bleeding from his guitar and the soul carried by his harmonies create a sonic landscape that lands somewhere between Nick Drake and Elliott Smith. He doesn’t just replicate indie folk’s past; he redefines it with a unique blend of traditional acoustic songwriting and atmospheric elements. His ability to seamlessly weave nostalgia with his signature ‘twisted lullabies’ invites listeners into soothing subversion that can easily become a sanctuary.

The haunting crescendos in ‘Damsel Eyes’, paired with the smoky sax lines, pull you deeper into its intimate atmosphere; with a melody akin to Oasis’ ‘Half the World Away’, the song nestles into an emotional place where beauty meets bittersweet reflection. It’s the kind of track that could make anyone misty-eyed, proving that GOODTIME has more than earned his place on the indie folk scene.

After tending to his creative spark as a percussionist at the age of 5, he earned more instrumental stripes at age 15 by self-teaching himself guitar, piano, bass, and banjo. Today, he crafts, produces, and mixes all his work from his home studio. After dedicating himself to his craft, his live performances have earned him a spot alongside artists such as Will Paquin and Dana & Alden, performing at iconic venues like The Bitter End and Mercury Lounge. Yet perceptibly, the best is yet to come for the lyrical lumiary.

Damsel Eyes will be available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify, from October 25th.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Gaze into the introspective kaleidoscope of leo hc’s seminal indie folk release, the shades EP

Posted on 23 August 2024

leo hc’s debut release, ‘the shades EP’, elegantly strips music back to its most elemental form, serving as a pure conduit for emotion which resonates through the instrumental textures and the lyrical narratives.

The opening track, the aptly named ‘the shades’, introduces us to a semi-lucid reverie where the angular, fingerpicked guitar notes intertwine with leo’s reticent, whispered vocals. Each motif transcends sound to become experiences shaded in deep introspection, allowing listeners to immerse their own melancholic emotions into the abstract depths of the production.

The subsequent track, ‘two wrongs’, transitions into a more indie folk aura, with vocals that echo Elliott Smith, soaring within a seraphically toned lo-fi backdrop. This piece epitomises intimacy, transforming the listening space into a personal enclave of reflective peace.

Track three, ‘i’m the man’, continues the narrative with a progressively gratifying indie lullaby. It allows for a dynamic interplay of intensity, with artful flourishes that let emotional currents ebb and flow, underscoring leo’s mastery in balancing sonic peaks and valleys.

The EP rounds off with ‘lovers hilltop’, a stunning demonstration of acoustic indie songwriting. Here, the poignant strains of coming-of-age yearning are captured through evocative fingerpicked guitars, drawing influences from classical Spanish guitarists while paying homage to artists like Jose Gonzalez and Hot Left Pole.

Overall, ‘the shades EP’ by leo hc is a pacifying synthesis of introspection and musicality, offering a sanctuary where each track invites personal reflection amidst evocatively crafted soundscapes.

Stream the shades EP on Spotify now. 

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Softener became 21st century icons of indie grunge with their debut single, Brindle

Posted on 28 May 2024

The Fresno, California-based up-and-coming outfit, Softener, used grunge as a conduit for their intimate amenability in their alt-indie debut single, Brindle, which hit the airwaves on May 17.

The submissive lyricism revolves around a tender mantra of “I just wanna be your dog”; Iggy Pop may have popularised that desire, but Softener brought brand-new meaning to the iteration of intent by projecting a sweet declaration of surrender that you can’t help catching feelings for. The heartfelt vulnerability in the lyrics and vocal performance, paired with the grunge-infused instrumentation creates a consoling aural escape that you’ll always feel safe within the confines of.

Whatever they have in the pipeline for their sophomore release, we already have high hopes for; they set the bar high with the sludgy melodies that are sure to be music to the ears of any fans of Elliott Smith, Teenage Fanclub, Pavement, and Sparklehorse.

Stream the debut single from Softener on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Simon Ewing serenaded through the eras in his acoustic indie folk triumph LULLABY

Posted on 23 April 2024

Simon Ewing’s latest single, LULLABY, artfully blends a spectrum of musical epochs with a mastery of guitar play that fans of folk and beyond will find irresistibly compelling. The track is a confluence of lo-fi charm and intricate guitar work that nods to The Maccabees’ Toothpaste Kisses while embedding a distinctly Americana vibe interlaced with blues’ soulful essence.

LULLABY won’t sing you to sleep; instead, it vibrates with life, signifying the Bristol-based troubadour’s knack for weaving narratives that affirm the sensibility of the soul. The song’s architectural simplicity in structure belies a complex, layered emotional resonance that hooks the listener from the first chord.

Ewing’s ability to synthesise swathes of genres into a seamless, flowing piece shows not just versatility but a deep reverence for the roots of each genre. Each note reflects a rhythmic exploration that feels both classic and innovative, making LULLABY a testament to Ewing’s ability to transcend traditional storytelling through music.

If Elliott Smith’s songs had veered away from melancholy towards this vein of succinct sweetness, they might have touched the same bright corners of the soul that Ewing reaches with this track.

Stream LULLABY on SoundCloud and YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Rosso Rosso echoed the paradox of euphoria and ennui through their tender Tour De Force, Niamh

Posted on 4 February 2024

The Brooklyn-based fourpiece, Rosso Rosso’s discography could only be described as mercurially eclectic. When they’re not extending the legacy of NY punk, they’re enchanting the airwaves with their sticky-sweet evocations of melodic classic rock and conjuring aurally affecting alchemy in the same vein of the Kinks, Big Star, and ELO.

With their latest release, Niamh, the band that has been honing its sound as a collective since 2022, debuted a release that will tie your heartstrings in knots while allowing your soul to transcend with the endlessly ascending melodies that will be a hit with fans of the Beatles, Grandaddy and Elliott Smith alike.

With multi-layered vocal harmonies which give the Beach Boys a run for their money and lyricism that proves how deeply Rosso Rosso delves into the phenomena they explore, Niamh is a tender Tour De Force that will pull you back and forth between the brink of tears and the cusp of euphoria.

With the promise of more releases to follow in 2024, Rosso Rosso is more than worth a spot on your radar. Even if they can manipulate your emotions as efficaciously as a Patrick Bateman-esque narcissist.

Niamh is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Tyler Street’s latest indie-folk confession, ‘Faith, Wisdom, You’, is spiritual poetry in melodic motion

Posted on 31 December 2023

Candid, confessional, and captivating in equal measure, the latest single, Faith, Wisdom, You, from the Dallas-born, Napa-based singer-songwriter Tyler Street is poetry in melodic motion.

After the raw yet euphonic timbre of the acoustic guitar strings, the up-and-coming luminary cuts straight to the crux of the lyrical essence of the single, which resonantly explores a melancholic exposition of an inability to control the tides of emotion. The gentle vocal performance provides a scintillating juxtaposition to the lyricism, which carries the admission of uncontrollable anger.

With hints of Frightened Rabbit and The National within the indie folk production fused with the soulful warmth of Jack Johnson and the emotional intimacy of Elliott Smith, Tyler Street cultivated his sonic style to complement his soulful aura, which echoes the self-awareness and mindfulness inspired by his spiritual awakening. Take notes of the Eckhart Tolle-esque introspection while losing yourself in the transcendence of the guitar notes as they’re artistically amplified by the presence of chamber strings.

Faith, Wisdom, You was officially released on December 21. Stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast