Indie Rock

14 stories

FeaturesSeattle’s Magenta Wave Brings The Well to Colorado This MaySeattle-based rock band Magenta Wave has been putting out indie power anthems for over two years now, and nothing sums up their sound better than their latest EP, The Well.Shane Loewe · May 1, 2026Featuresclementine: Growing Up PunkOrganic Beginnings A young alternative rock band is making waves in the Rockies, with black Sharpie X’s on their hands, handed out by security bouncers at venues across the state.Landon Ungerman · Jun 27, 2024Concert PhotosConnor Kelly & The Time Warp at The Black BuzzardConnor Kelly & The Time Warp played The Black Buzzard at Oskar Blues on 8/27. Photos by Right Eye Photo.Jason Alfaro · Sep 5, 2023FeaturesThe Bones of J.R. Jones: Desert Rhythms and Dancing Through the BluesJ.R.’s life as a touring bluesman came later than some. In his late 20’s, he was living in Brooklyn, bartending and teaching at a pre-school. He had a masters degree in printmaking, but the medium was quickly being usurped by digital alternatives. Still, he needed a creative outlet. A few years before, J.R.’s college roommate had introduced him to a song that made him fall in love with the blues. It was Blind Lemon Jefferson, a 1920’s singer and guitarist who is sometimes credited as the “Father of the Texas Blues.” “I had never heard that raw, gritty passion in anything else,” he said. “It just kind of leveled me.” From then on, J.R. spent his in-between time — in between work, school, relationships and everything else — playing the blues. “There were a lot of DIY venues that popped up in loft spaces or garages. They were perfect for the type of music I was playing,” he explained. “All you needed was a condenser microphone, a picnic table and a cooler of PBR.”Gabe Allen · Jul 14, 2022MusicAlbum Review: Cold Reading – ZYTPrecision has long been one of the favorite descriptors the world uses when talking about the Swiss, and Lucerne, Switzerland-based indie rock quintet Cold Reading certainly don’t…Kevin Johnston · Feb 3, 2020FeaturesDon’t Keep It Like A Secret: Built To Spill Comes To The MishBuilt To Spill was ultimately grouped in with the “Northwest sound” from the outset, a result of being signed to Up Records. Although they left and signed with Warner Bros., they managed to retain their independence. After eight albums, the Doug Martsch-led group are still a mainstay in the indie rock world. “The main key is, of course, luck. But there’s also the fact that I am so simple, I don’t get bored playing these songs over and over again,” Martsch jokes. Built To Spill play The Mishawaka Amphitheatre July 26.Kyle Eustice · Jul 10, 2019PremieresAlbum Premiere: Bellhoss – GeraniumsGeraniums, Bellhoss’ debut record, premieres today via BandWagon Magazine! The ennui of this 7-song bummer-rock collection engages without dragging it’s heels; a credit to Becky Hostetler’s honest, forward-leaning twang which distinctly brightens up the mid-tempo telecaster sway throughout, bringing to mind Pinegrove, ALVVAYS, and even Kurt Vile in feel and frankness.Kevin Johnston · Jun 3, 2019FeaturesLeave It To The Beeves: Erie Rock Trio’s Release ‘Adam And Beeve’ Brings ItThe band needed a name. Matthew Sease pulled the biggest book from his mom’s shelf, opened to a random page and pointed to a word.Valerie Vampola · May 13, 2019FeaturesCold War Kids – The Best Versions Of ThemselvesCold War Kids are a force of nature in popular music. With six full-length albums and several chart-topping hits including the song “First” which peaked at number one on the U.S. alternative charts, the label of indie rockers hasn’t applied to them for years. For lead singer Nathan Willett, looking back on his career (and looking forward) the name of the game is being the best versions of themselves they can be.Jed Murphy · Jun 1, 2018FeaturesOne Flew West – Explicitly ThemselvesTried and true emo-honesty comes off OFW’s chest in spades, but the truth is, more and more of Northern Colorado is all ears. Shout-y open-throated hooks throughout the EP evoke images from its release show last month at The Bluebird Theater, packed with hoodied disciples bopping and shouting along. “One thing we tried really hard to convey on this EP was the energy of our music that we display at our live show” OFW says. “A big part of that was incorporating gang vocals into the recording. We always get the audience to sing along when we play live and we wanted to harness the energy that comes with that into a recorded song.”Kevin Johnston · Feb 1, 2018MusicAlbum Review: Grizfolk– Waking Up The GiantsGrizfolk, a five piece indie rock band that hails from Los Angeles have just released their highly anticipated debut album, Waking Up The Giants via Virgin Records.Jaida Gibson · Feb 23, 2016Concert PhotosMay Play Music Festival, May 1st, 2015 In Downtown GreeleyPhotos by: Kendra Hamman and Dylan AdamsBandWagon Magazine · May 2, 2015MusicCrítica del álbum: La Deriva— Vetusta MorlaVetusta Morla, un grupo musical originado de Tres Cantos, Madrid, es reconocido por sus melodías de género rock alternativo.Crystal Mendoza · Apr 21, 2015MusicAlbum Review: Dub Thompson – 9 SongsIt’s not easy being weird. Bands that attempt it come off as either trying too hard, or simply botch the effort to produce a product that skews too heavily in one direction:…Christopher Sheridan · Jun 24, 2014