A guitar that sounds better because it isn't perfect.
A handmade sleeve. A tiny label. A song recorded in a bedroom.
A record passed from one friend to another.
But perhaps most of all, indiepop has always been intimate.
This compilation brings together songs from different corners of the indiepop world, connected by the same spirit: melody, independence, friendship, intimacy, and the simple joy of making and sharing music.
There are no rules about what indiepop should sound like. It can be jangly, noisy, sweet or melancholic. What matters is the feeling the sense that these songs were made because someone had something they wanted to say, sing, or share.
And maybe that's why the pop kids have always found each other.
Oakland, California power pop outfit The Goods return July 22 with “Summer's Almost Gone,” the first single from their upcoming LP Goodbye Summertime, due September 16 on Dandy Boy Records. Less than a year after releasing their debut full-length Don't Spoil the Fun, songwriter Rob Good pushes the project into new territory, folding Beatles-esque psychedelia, jangling folk rock, sunny indie pop, and the melodic punch of classic power pop into something far bigger than what came before. For fans of The Lemon Twigs, Teenage Fanclub, Matthew Sweet, Young Guv, and The Apples In Stereo, “Summer's Almost Gone” is the first glimpse of an album written during a period of dramatic personal change and creative obsession.
Bedhead, American Analog Set, and other Texans set into motion a Lone Star branch of a national movement led by Galaxie 500, Codeine, and Low that utilized negative space in sound and songwriting. AC
‘Kick Stones (The Boys)’ is a propulsive, heady track that encapsulates the four-piece’s innate ability to hit you in the chest with their transcendent indie. Drummer Paddy Murphy notes that the true crux of the song is “as much about how we made it as the lyrics”.
There's a version of music-making that doesn't care about the algorithm. No release schedule optimized for Spotify editorial. No singles engineered to hook in three seconds. The Flip Phones — Lindsay and Ryan, a married couple turned band — make music on their own clock, and it shows in the best possible way. Their new EP, Spinning Adrift, is the document of that philosophy.
Two People, One Sound
Lindsay brings a classical background and a journalist's precision with language. Ryan traces his listening from 60s pop through Britpop. You can hear both at once: melodic instinct that feels inherited, lyrics that feel reported. What they've built is an acoustic-led sound held up by harmonies, melodica, and a stubborn commitment to writing songs that say something specific.
Where the Songs Come From
A guitar fragment. A notebook line. Something half-remembered and left to sit longer than it probably should have. Spinning Adrift spans years of accumulation — pandemic-era writing, older material that finally found its shape. Some drafts, they explain, deserve time to ripen. In 2025, that reads almost like a radical act.
The Room the Record Was Made In
A trusted producer who drums. A bassist who colors the edges. A visual artist whose cover art feels inevitable. The studio process favored flow over speed — including a deliberate decision to close on the record's darkest note. It doesn't surrender hope. But it doesn't lie about where the light is, either.
The Deeper Aim
The dream of a TV or film sync is real and spoken out loud. So is something harder to quantify: songs that outlast the week they're released. Fewer. More considered. Built to last longer than a social post.
After the conversation, we close with Where The Space Falls Away. Stay for it.
Follow the show, share it with someone who misses when music felt like it had somewhere to be, and leave a review if you have two minutes.
A packed car pointed west, and a travel-size instrument wedged between sleeping bags—this is how records get made when life is crowded and the need to create won’t wait. We sit down with Brian Russ of Hand Gestures to trace the long arc behind a self-titled album that sounds lived-in, melodic, and unforced.
Russ maps a route from college shows in Philadelphia to AmeriCorps on Pine Ridge, then into Brooklyn’s warehouse-show ecosystem, where CMJ weekends blurred into community and bands kept each other afloat. Along the way, he built Campers Rule Records—a micro-label with pragmatic ideals: small cassette runs, break-even math, and hands-on help that gets music over the line.
The mechanics matter. Voice memos from a cross-country drive became song kernels; late nights with an interface turned sketches into arrangements; a remote drummer locked in the pulse. Brian tracked guitars, bass, keys, and vocals himself, then sequenced the record for an arc that rewards close listening.
There’s life in the margins, too—two teachers, two kids, and a creative practice built one quiet hour at a time. We talk rebuilding a live band post-COVID, why the album title became the band’s name, and how to stay sane about press and reach. For anyone invested in DIY recording, Brooklyn indie circuits, sustainable labels, or the alchemy of turning notes into songs, this conversation offers a clear, hopeful blueprint.
To me, this song is about anticipation. Aching for something, then waiting for something truly significant to happen. However, waiting in earnest, and not overhyping it or looking past the importance of fully living through the waiting, isn’t easy. Like Tom Petty said, ‘the waiting is the hardest part.’ Sometimes we build ourselves up only to let ourselves down. As a kid, you’re waiting in line for a ride at a carnival, or for a prize in the mail after 25 cereal box tops. What’s more fun — the anticipation or the payoff? Perhaps the waiting is an integral part of the overall experience.
I thought about different drugs and spiritual quests, all with that ‘kick in’ period. We’re sold versions of change that rarely deliver, but maybe that’s because humans are fueled by hope. On the other hand, the song is also about friendship — finding that one person to walk through the unknown with. You’re stronger together. And sometimes, it’s just yourself you’re waiting for to kick in. You already know what to do. If you can let yourself get there, you can break down walls and shake the whole town. The real kick in is believing in ourselves. fame mag
"a warm and spirited blend of indie rock that has elements of bands like Woods, Real Estate, and The Feelies" - We All Want Someone to Shout For
“Hand Gestures could actually become your new favorite band.” - We Love That Sound
“Hand Gestures doesn't feel like a new band, but rather a new chapter in American songwriting.” - Lost in the Manor
“pulsing with urgency but anchored in heart” - Fame Magazine
“For fans of reflective, melody-driven indie-rock that blends warmth with tension, this single is a quiet triumph.” - FLEX Magazine
“warm and breezy indie-rock textures, lofty atmosphere, and spellbinding hooks layered throughout” - Mystic Sons
“It is a spontaneous yet intricate exercise of guitar driven psych pop, a reality check wrapped in a quilt of gently shifting instrumentation.” - Here Comes the Flood
“What stands out most to me is the atmosphere they create. It’s simple, but not in a lacking way, it’s more like they know exactly what to leave in and what to leave out. That balance makes the whole thing feel alive.” - Cheers to the Vikings
Oakland power pop band The Goods return with Don’t Spoil the Fun, their first full-length album, arriving October 24th, 2025 via Dandy Boy Records. Written and produced by frontman Rob Good (Ryli) in his Oakland studio, the record captures the band’s signature mix of jangling guitars, big melodic hooks, and heartfelt songwriting. Joined by bassist Cherron Arens and guitarist Gabriel Monnot, Good channels the classic shimmer of The Byrds and Big Star with the energy of Teenage Fanclub and Matthew Sweet - crafting songs that feel both familiar and fresh.
What happens when a musician rediscovers their creativity after a 15-year hiatus? Neil Hill's journey with his project SHOPFIRES answers this question with a soul-stirring blend of reverb-drenched melodies and DIY ethos.
Unlike many musicians, Neil grew up in a home devoid of musical influence. No parental record collections, no instruments lying around—just the chance encounters with music through television and radio that would eventually shape his artistic sensibilities. The turning point came through John Peel's legendary radio sessions, introducing him to post-punk and experimental sounds that resonated deeply with his emerging musical identity.
After early musical explorations followed by a lengthy break, Neil returned to creating music with a beautifully minimalist approach. Armed with nothing but "a cheap laptop and the same acoustic guitar from the 80s," he began crafting the intricate, layered soundscapes that define SHOPFIRES. What makes his music truly remarkable is how he creates rich, complex arrangements using just one inexpensive Hohner guitar purchased decades ago for £25.
The result is a sound both nostalgic and fresh—interweaving melodic lines that dance around each other, created through his distinctive technique of recording multiple guitar parts and drenching them in reverb and delay. His latest album "We Are Not There, But We Are Here" represents an evolution toward more mature, cohesive songwriting while maintaining the dreamy atmosphere fans have come to love.
Beyond SHOPFIRES, Neil maintains another project called NEUCLOUDS, his self-described "vacation band" where he challenges himself to write songs under two minutes. This parallel creative outlet showcases his versatility and commitment to exploring different facets of his musical expression.
Listen now to discover how limitations can spark creativity and how sometimes the most beautiful sounds come from the simplest tools. Share your thoughts with us about Neil's unique approach to making music and what inspires your own creative endeavors!
Some albums are made to dazzle. Others, like "We Are Not There But We Are Here", seem to simply exist quietly, honestly, and deeply, as if they’ve always been with you. Shopfires, the recording project of British songwriter Neil Hill, returns with a collection that’s both delicate and self-assured, weaving stories of memory, youth, distance and affection through the hazy light of jangly guitars and softly whispered melodies.
The stock of Shopfires/Neil Hill has significantly increased in just eighteen months since he began releasing music in his vibrant corner of Bandcamp. Fortunately, this release, We Are Not There But We Are Here, demonstrates that his artistic vision is not confined to uniformity, which is essential for achieving lasting musical success.
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.
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.
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...
Bobo Integral Records announces the Deluxe Edition of "Dead Calm," the debut album by The Boys With The Perpetual Nervousness, available September 13, 2024. This edition enriches the original tracks (now remastered), which were met with immediate success and critical acclaim, with new material and acoustic demos. Also incorporates an expected insert with all lyrics.
“The most perfect voice in jangle/power-pop at present (sorry Teenage Fanclub fans!)” - Janglepophub
“A brand new international pop overthrow is afoot and The Boys With The Perpetual Nervousness are at the vanguard" – Post-Trash
“Las guitarras cincelan armonías celestiales en canciones que te arreglan el día en cuanto empiezan a sonar” – El País
The band's musical touchstones are squarely situated in the timeline of doomed Thatcherism that followed from the late '70s to late '80s. "Wish You Were Here" and "The Iron That Never Swung" jangle with a razor-edged rapid strum to rival The Wedding Present; "That's Him on the Daft Stuff Again" and "Travel Agent's Windows" nod to the Television Personalities' naive, kaleidoscopic mod melodies streaked with cynicism; "Steven Proctor Bus Conductor" slowly unfolds from verses in the dark, rhythm-forward spirit of Josef K to transcendently Pastels-esque pop choruses with sugary-sweet backing vocals from bassist Lauren Matsui. Perfect C86 sounds for often hellish C24 times! - Erika Elizabeth
Austin, Texas's Semihelix is a '90s leaning dream and psychedelic pop trio formed in a cloud of fuzz and delay in 2012. With melodic, yet loud, sounds that harken to influences as broad as the Pixies, Black Tambourine, Sonic Youth, and even the Kinks, the band released their last full-length, Recoil, via Mariel Recording Company on October 1, 2021. The release garnered international recognition from tastemakers both near and far.
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