ifitbeyourwill S05E10 • Tim Rutili of Califone

Ever wonder how the humming of air conditioners could inspire an entire album? Tim Rutili, the creative force behind Califone and former member of Red Red Meat, takes us deep into his unconventional musical world where everyday sounds become extraordinary compositions.

Rutili's musical journey reveals a fascinating evolution from his early punk roots to his current experimental approach. "In everything there's tonality," he shares, explaining how he once tuned his guitar to match the collective drone of neighbors' air conditioners while recording in Austin. This philosophy of finding music in unexpected places permeates his creative process, whether he's capturing rainfall on outdoor microphones or repurposing mechanical noise from nearby buildings.

What separates Rutili's work is his embrace of happy accidents and willingness to follow unexpected paths. He describes how Califone's songs often emerge through improvisation rather than traditional composition – band members responding to intriguing sounds, creating hours of experimental audio that later gets shaped into finished pieces. One standout track from their recent album "The Villager's Companion" began this way, incorporating environmental recordings that would never have existed through conventional songwriting methods.

The distinction between Rutili's deeply personal work with Califone and his professional film scoring provides fascinating insight into his versatility as a musician. "With scoring, it's like you're serving a story," he explains, contrasting it with Califone's music which can sometimes be so personal "it might be inaccessible to other people." His approach to performance follows a similar philosophy – treating songs as living entities rather than trying to perfectly recreate studio recordings.

Want to experience Califone's mesmerizing soundscapes in person? Catch them on the East Coast this May, or at their upcoming benefit show for California wildfire relief in Long Beach. As Rutili continues to find renewed joy in his craft, his music stands as a testament to the endless possibilities that emerge when conventional boundaries dissolve.

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ifitbeyourwill S05E09 • Avery Friedman

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What happens when lifelong musical appreciation finally transforms into creation? In this candid conversation, Brooklyn-based musician Avery Friedman reveals the surprisingly recent journey that led to her debut album "New Thing," set for April 2025 release.

From her earliest memories singing alto in her Ohio school choir to becoming a devoted music fan and reviewer in college, Friedman's path to making her own music was marked by one significant obstacle: debilitating performance anxiety. Despite loving harmony and understanding music deeply, she couldn't imagine herself as the performer rather than the audience. "I was a goalie in soccer," she reflects, "so it's not like I was totally averse to being in the spotlight in some way, but I was really, really scared."

The turning point came just two years ago when Friedman decided she had to try songwriting or risk permanent regret. That first attempt—simply playing chords and humming melodies—unlocked something profound: "How have I waited 26 years to do this?" Her creative process quickly evolved, typically beginning with guitar chord progressions that express her emotional state before weaving in melodies and lyrics that help process overwhelming feelings.

What makes Friedman's story so compelling is how she conquered the anxiety that had kept her voice hidden for so long. Through supportive relationships and deliberate mindset work, she gradually found confidence to share her music publicly. Now with two singles already released—"Flower Fell" and "Phone Booth"—and a full album on the horizon (available on vinyl and tape following the digital release), Friedman embodies what's possible when creative fear is finally confronted.

Discover how a late-blooming musical journey can produce work that feels both naturally inevitable and remarkably brave. Listen to Avery Friedman's singles now and mark your calendars for "New Thing" in April 2025—because sometimes the most authentic voices are the ones that take the longest to emerge.

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“Singer-songwriter Avery Friedman delivers a potential cult classic with ‘Flowers Fell’.” – REAL GONE

“Having frequented bills with artists such as Sister. and Dead Gowns for the past year, Avery Friedman has consistently left an impression on those that have caught her sets, oftentimes performing solo, creating a space in which her vivid imagery and tender melodies greet new ears with welcome and understanding. Produced by James Chrisman (Sister.) and with contributions from Felix Walworth (Told Slant, Florist), “Flowers Fell” plays to the in-between moments as Friedman defines new beginnings.” – THE UGLY HUG

“With her natural ability to channel personal chaos into compelling storytelling, Avery’s debut signals the arrival of an artist ready to make a meaningful mark.” – AMPLIFY THE NOISE

“There’s this beautiful feedback buzz coursing through, and then the bottom falls out, hurtling you into this beautiful dreamland of pop magnificence.” – AUSTIN TOWN HALL

“She makes good use of this orbit to enlist some of New York’s most interesting musicians on the album. James Chrisman (Sister.), Felix Walworth (Florist/Told Slant), Ryan Cox (Club Aqua) and Malia DelaCruz (CIAO MALZ) all lend their talents, and together create a sound nuanced and ambitious enough to achieve Friedman’s vision.” – VARIOUS SMALL FLAMES

ifitbeyourwill S05E08 • Fionn Montague of Bedrooms

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Fionn Montague from the Dublin-based band Bedrooms takes us on a journey through their musical evolution culminating in their 2024 album "Perfectly Still." The conversation opens with memories of childhood weekends filled with disco, soul, and ballads—musical foundations that unconsciously shaped his approach to songwriting and melody.

Meeting vocalist Dev in high school (coincidentally the same school where U2 formed), the pair began crafting songs influenced by melody-focused artists like The Smiths, R.E.M., and U2. What began as punk-infused indie rock gradually transformed into something more atmospheric and distinct. A formative summer in Seattle exposed them to the Pacific Northwest's rich musical landscape, planting seeds for what would become their signature sound.

The turning point came through collaboration with producer Bill Ryder-Jones on their 2021 EP "Afterglow." This partnership allowed Bedrooms to consciously shape their sonic identity—creating space for Dev's unique vocals while incorporating elements of shoegaze and folk influences from artists like Duster, Galaxy 500, Big Thief, and Slow Pulp.

Without label support, Bedrooms self-funded "Perfectly Still," prioritizing artistic fulfillment over commercial considerations. For Finn, success manifests in creating music he genuinely enjoys and receiving authentic appreciation from listeners. The sold-out album release show at Dublin's historic Wheelans venue proved particularly meaningful, with fans traveling specifically to see them perform.

Looking ahead, the band hopes to release their album on vinyl while continuing to explore new sonic territories. As Finn notes with a laugh, "Every artist wants to have their David Bowie Berlin phase where it's like I'm going to go completely obscure and do something totally different."

Discover the beautiful, atmospheric world of Bedrooms on Bandcamp and immerse yourself in their meticulously crafted soundscapes that bridge nostalgic influences with contemporary indie sensibilities.

https://www.instagram.com/bedroomsband/

“If you’re gearing up for the upcoming Summer of Love. the bittersweet Irish dream-pop guitars of Bedrooms offer a perfect soundtrack to all the doomed crushes you’re about to have.”

Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone

“If heady guitars and a dose of atmospherics are what you want to soundtracking these current rather reflective days, then Dublin’s Bedrooms have exactly the track for you.”

DIY

“We’re hearing elements of slowcore group Codeine, the snowdrift charm of Galaxie 500, and even the DIY songsmithery of Alex G, all distilled into something potent and unique.”

Clash

Avery Friedman • New Thing • 2025

“I wrote ‘New Thing’ in one sitting after riding the subway home alone at night for the first time since being mugged at knifepoint months prior. I was shocked and disoriented by the anxiety I experienced doing something so routine—I felt foreign to myself. It’s one of the first of my songs that I truly loved, which is part of why I chose it as the title of my upcoming record. I’m grateful for how this song continues to bring me back into my body.” – Avery Friedman

It’s a little bit of a new thing

It’s a little hard to predict

And I can’t quite describe it

But it’s like a magnet flipped

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Nick Bendzsa • Emotional Creampie • 2025

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Lily Seabird • Trash Mountain (1pm) • 2025

On Lily Seabird’s new album Trash Mountain, she continues plumbing the depth and humanity beneath life’s grimiest surfaces. Her lyricism is more incisive and intensely imagistic than ever. Grief, as presented on closing track “The Fight,” is “dozens of shoes never to be worn again”; elsewhere, there are unflinching lyrics, like “I gave myself this black eye / Loving you didn’t make me do that” and “Just hold me to one thing / And let it be loving you”—language that lodges itself into your skin like bits of glass. paste

Sarah Mary Chadwick • Soundtrack • 2025

“Harrowing and emotional with just the power of Chadwick’s voice and piano.”
— BrooklynVegan

“Poetic and raw.”
— Under the Radar Magazine NZ

“Chadwick performs her signature sucker-punch, an elegant kill switch from poetry to blunt reportage, intrinsically linked and blood related to the almost chintzy, dark drama of her piano.”
— Guitar Girl Magazine

“‘Take Me Out To a Bar’...a tragic short story in the form of a song – and intensely relatable.”
— Rolling Stone AU/NZ

“‘Take Me Out To a Bar’ is a devastating, jukebox-worthy heartbreaker.”
— AudioFuzz

“An intense composition in which Chadwick’s raw and powerful voice and piano create a deeply emotional atmosphere … blending childhood memories, identity conflicts, and the search for meaning.”
— TECO APPLE

“...the collection crackles with a spirit of deep spontaneity, deep emotions and an undercurrent of humor that further establishes Chadwick as a singular voice in the contemporary music scene."
— NPR

ifitbeyourwill S05E07 • Danny Bateman of FROG

Danny Bateman's musical journey unfolds like a richly textured composition – beginning with classical piano at age seven, where he discovered the profound connection between player and composer. "I'm experiencing what Mozart's body feels like 200 years later," he reflects, highlighting how this early training built the foundation for his innovative approach to songwriting.

The pivotal moment came during his first recording studio session as a teenager. Witnessing the magic of production techniques—overdubbing, multiple takes, vocal doubling—crystallized his future path. "That was when I knew this is what I want to do for the rest of my life," Bateman shares, though he admits his real education came through hands-on experience rather than formal training.

What makes Bateman's creative process uniquely compelling is his embrace of improvisation and structure simultaneously. "Form creates the walls that you sit in," he explains. "Without form, nothing means anything." This philosophy manifests in his latest project with FROG, "1000 Variations on the Same Song," inspired by Lil Wayne's mixtape approach—marathon recording sessions yielding dozens of improvised pieces. With his brother Stevie on drums, Bateman captures spontaneous creative moments, later selecting the most memorable to re-record on his increasingly lo-fi eight-track tape machine.

The results speak for themselves—sold-out shows at venues like Bowery Ballroom and an upcoming West Coast tour with rapidly disappearing tickets. For aspiring musicians, Bateman offers crystal-clear advice: "You need to fail a lot, iterate, attempt." He emphasizes that accumulating "reps" through prolific creation is the only path to mastery. Most importantly, "If you're not having fun, then the song isn't good. If you are having fun, then the song is good."

Ready to experience FROG's unique sound? Catch their West Coast tour kicking off next week, or dive into their extensive catalog featuring some of indie music's most joyfully authentic compositions. The beauty of Bateman's approach lies in its simplicity—creating music worth making for its own sake, with each new recording building toward something increasingly extraordinary.

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Following the critical and commercial success of 2023's ‘Grog,’ cult New York duo Frog return with ‘1000 Variations on the Same Song,’ their sixth album.

 

'1000 Variations on the Same Theme' is an eclectic, emotional, and lyrically vivid collection. These songs see Daniel Bateman refer to My Chemical Romance, Gucci, Stillwell deals, fatherhood, and the 6 train (“I was listening to a lot of Mozart, Kodak Black, and Prince, but it doesn't really sound like any of those.”). 

 

Musically, songs like “TOP OF THE POPS VAR. I” and “DOOMSCROLLING VAR. II” touch on the frenetic Indie Rock that defined their earlier work, while the idiosyncratic Alt. Country of ‘Count Bateman’ and ‘Grog’ can be heard on ‘WHERE U FROM VAR. III’ and ‘ARTHUR MCBRIDE ON THE LOWER EAST SIDE VAR. X.’ Singles like ‘JUST USE YR HIPS VAR. VI’ and December’s ‘DID SANTA COME VAR. IX’ also introduce a smoky lounge element to Frog’s sound.

 

However, as Daniel explains it, these are all just variations on the same song:

 

“1000 Variations on the Same Song is a theme and variations—there are times in your life as a songwriter where you'll start a bunch of stuff that all sounds alike, which can be a problem, something that you want to excise from yourself. This time, I decided to embrace it and take it as far as it could go.

 

"The first four variations were recorded in one long take, ("HOUSEBROKEN") is the last one in that sequence. I added piano and doubled the vocals, etc, but basically, all those songs were done in one 15-minute stretch. If you’re working quickly and your goal is to finish an entire album or more in one night, amazing things can happen. How many songs can you write using the same chords? How many songs can you record and finish in one day? The answer to both is near-infinite with the right environment and mindset.”

television skies • Time of My Life • 2025

https://televisionskies.com/

Television Skies is a New York City based duo blending infectious pop rock energy with a vintage, feel-good vibe. Known for their anthemic hooks, raw emotion, and rebellious spirit, they create songs that hit with both nostalgic intensity and punk rock heart. Television Skies is redefining alternative pop music on their own terms — staying true, and free from disguise. Inspired by artists like The 1975, Coldplay and Arctic Monkeys, the duo craft intoxicating songs that speak to universal themes of love, identity, and perseverance. 

The Bones of J.R. Jones • Shameless • 2025

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“‘Shameless’ is taking the long way home to retread your past,” says The Bones of J.R. Jones (aka Jonathon Linaberry). “The inevitable inner conflict and perhaps guilt that rise up from past decisions, that were maybe made in haste and in passion. I think we all struggle with the ‘what could have been’ question. What arrogant fool can’t look back and wonder? I am just trying to recognize that in this song.”

Agora Sci-Fi • sloppy • 2025

Crafted for a bright, dreamy day,  "sloppy" offers a relatable narrative for those stuck in a rut. Untangling the desire to escape from the social, economical, and psychological restraints of contemporary life, "sloppy" flirts with dynamics by gradually getting louder towards the end of the track, as Agora Sci-Fi highlights the injustice of the metaphorical shackles we are chained to.

https://www.instagram.com/agorascifi/

Womb • One Is Always Heading Somewhere • 2025

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“In a day-to-day sense, feelings can be quite elusive to me,” says Cello Forrester. “I think it’s such a blessing to have art as a means to explore what a feeling is trying to say before using words and sound to put those feelings in context while reflecting your internal world into the external.” A singer-songwriter, guitarist and string player, Forrester is the frontperson of Womb, the Tāmaki Makaurau and Whakatū-based dream-pop band they share with their siblings-cum-musical collaborators, Haz Forrester (synth, guitar) and Georgette Brown (drums). RS AU

CocoRosie • Girl In Town (feat. Chance the Rapper) • 2025

http://www.cocorosiemusic.com

CocoRosie, the sister duo of Bianca and Sierra Casady, release their eighth studio album Little Death Wishes (Joyful Noise), today. In advance of their 42-date European tour, they will celebrate the album release in New York tonight with an event aptly titled: CocoRosie's Jubilation Ball: A Tits Out Ecstatic Rave Celebration at rollerskating rink Xanadu here.

CocoRosie announced Little Death Wishes with the existentialist and meaning-seeking songs "Cut Stitch Scar,” “Yesterday,” and “Least I Have You,” and the album includes the genre-bending track “Girl In Town” with Chance the Rapper.

Late last year, CocoRosie started the next chapter with the single and video  “Least I Have You,” an ecstatic ode to sisterhood and the purest distillation of CocoRosie’s 20-year-long career to date, alongside the announcement that they would be joining Joyful Noise Recordings (Deerhoof, ONEIDA, Kishi Bashi, WHY?, etc).

Stella Bridie • Speaking Terms • 2024

Just as her earlier single ‘He Didn’t Mean It’ made clear through playlisting on triple j and Unearthed, praise across Rolling Stone, NME, Ones To Watch, Spotify’s Fresh Finds and Apple Music’s New Music Daily, Heaps Local, Antidote; a stand out BIGSOUND debut and supports for Telenova and Lola Scott - Stella Bridie’s music leaves a lasting mark.

David Lowery • Frozen Sea • 2025

Over the years, many have encouraged me to write an autobiography. However, it never really appealed to me.

So, in lieu of an uninteresting written autobiography I’ve made this record. I do this not so much to tell my own story but to pay tribute to my mother, father, sisters, extended family, friends, and those who have shared their lives with me.

Fathers, Sons and Brothers available to pre-order now 3-LP Ltd edition Red, White & Blue vinyl gatefold set with 12-page booklet, a 2-CD set with 20-page booklet.

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David Lowery, chief singer-songwriter and frontman from the aforementioned bands, is now taking a much different approach to his songwriting and is singing about something he's really never dug that deep into - himself. 

On his latest sprawling 28-song solo album, Fathers, Sons and Brothers, Lowery lets his memory, and pen, traverse back to some of his earliest memories as a child in an English seaside town ("Frozen Sea"). Throughout the length of the album, he chronologically takes us through his youth (attending a Spanish bullfight with his family, where he asks "Papa, do they really kill the bull?") and carries on through his coming-of-age period (re-locating to California's Coachella Valley with his family in the '70s, as well as a humorous tale of landing in Disneyland jail after getting sh*t-faced on vodka and mushrooms at the theme park, and standing up to bullies in his disabled sister's defense).

David recalls moving away from his loving parents' home ("Mom, I'm Living the Life"), starting a band ("I Wrote A Song Called Take The Skinheads Bowling") and then goes onto detail an early love that sadly disintegrated due to his own self-described anger and selfishness on, perhaps, the album's most moving track ("Mexican Chickens").

The album further delves into the ups and downs of his music careers with both groups (tapping into CVB band tensions on "We Hate You" and Cracker's quick rise to fame in the early/mid '90s on "It Don't Last Long"). He recalls hooking up with his future ex-wife in Richmond, VA ("Pretty Girl from Oregon Hill"), and details friends (Sparklehorse's Mark Linkous on "Mark Loved Dogs and Babies"), family, children, divorce and more. 

By the end of this lengthy, insightful album, you get the feeling that you really know this artist, how he thinks, and have a good sense about who he really is... warts and all. Just as every good autobiography worth its salt does. Thankfully this one just happens to be bound with some truly gorgeous melodies and songs. 

Click here for Album Credits and Lyrics

ifitbeyourwill S05E06 • Charles Daneau of EggS

Dive deep into the indie rock world of French band EggS with frontman Charles Daneau, who joins us from Paris to unpack the band's musical evolution and creative philosophy. Charles reveals how discovering American lo-fi bands like Guided by Voices and Beat Happening fundamentally shaped his approach to music, showing him that expression matters more than technical perfection.

The conversation explores EggS' collaborative songwriting process, where Charles brings acoustic foundations that transform through the diverse influences of his bandmates. We witness how negotiations between his Big Star sensibilities and his colleagues' more contemporary tastes create their unique sonic identity. Charles candidly shares how a simple lineup change—moving their drummer to guitar and bringing in a punk drummer—completely transformed their sound, finally achieving the "wall of sound" they'd been seeking.

Between their 2022 debut "A Glitter Year" and 2024's "Crafted Achievement," we track how EggS evolved their arrangements, creating more space between instruments while maintaining their raw energy. Charles offers fascinating insights into his English-language songwriting, their recording process with trusted studio partners who understand their vision, and their ambitious plans for new music created with open tunings and a revamped demo approach. For fans of indie rock with substance, Charles Daneau's musical journey demonstrates how authenticity and creative evolution can produce something truly special. Listen now and discover why audiences across France—and increasingly internationally—respond with smiles and dancing to EggS' distinctive sound.

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  La formation parisienne EggS, fanfare pop autoproclamée née dans l’esprit de Charles Daneau, avait frappé fort en 2022 avec la sortie d’A Glitter Year, son premier album.

     La bande, passée à 8 membres (ou 10, on ne sait plus trop), prépare aujourd’hui son retour avec un second album particulièrement attendu, Crafted Achievement, à paraître le 1er novembre chez Howlin’ Banana (FR) et Prefect Records (UK). On y retrouve les influences habituelles de Daneau, majoritairement situées du côté de l’indie américaine des années 80 et 90, dans 8 nouveaux titres toujours aussi immédiatement accrocheurs.

Caroline Strickland • Martha's Calling • 2025

"Dreamy, impassioned, and melodramatic, “Martha’s Calling” is the cathartic release of a heavy heart and weathered soul; a beautifully tender alt-folk eruption that is at once relatable, and yet so intimate to the artist, speaking to her own inner reckoning and painful reflections." ~ Atwood Magazine

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SHOPFIRES • You Can't Live Without Me • 2025

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Pale Blue Eyes • New Place • 2025

paleblueeyes.co.uk

The third album from Pale Blue Eyes is called New Place – invocation of fresh horizons; swapping creamy Devon for the synth central of Sheffield. The album arrives on the back of extensive and emotional transit. For PBE, 2024 started with a wonderful tour of 12 European countries with Slowdive. Over 12,000 kilometres. Snow and deep cold in Norway and Poland. Drought-stricken landscapes in France and Spain. On and on, joyously so. The year’s end brought more movement for the married couple at the core of Pale Blue Eyes, singer and guitarist Matt Board and drummer and synth queen Lucy Board. Sadly, family tragedy catalysed a move from South Devon to South Yorkshire.

Pale Lights • Pale Lights • 2025

fiercely independent label and mailorder that specializes in indiepop, power pop, indie rock, lo-fi pop, twee, and pretty much any other kind of fun pop music that we fancy...