On the Couch

I’m In Love With Veronica Falls

Posted by musicthevanderwey in Alternative, Emo, Indie Rock, New Releases on January 19, 2012

“You don’t love her like you love me – You don’t look at her like you’re looking at me” Were the lyrics that got me hooked. “Oh Veronica Falls you know exactly what buttons to push” was what was pulsing through my mind when I listen to the track “Wedding Day” for the first time. I occasionally talk to albums like they are sentient beings. But so what? Veronica Falls is an indie rock band out of London. They have released their first self entitled album Veronica Falls.

Bad Feeling, Come On Over, Emo, Indie Rock, Surf Rock, Veronica Falls

Now Presenting: The Ettes

Posted by musicthevanderwey in Alternative, Indie Rock, New Releases on January 18, 2012

X-mas break is long gone. The first week of class has hit and its time to get back in the groove. Over the break, I was able to host Music The Vander Wey once again on KGLT. It was an incredible experience. I felt like child in some kind of a store (my New Years resolution was to try to swear off clichés, which ironically maybe a cliché in of itself). While I was flooding the airwaves of Southwestern Montana with indie rock, I held in my hands The Ettes‘ newest album Wicked Will. It’s a strange feeling to hold something so rocking awesome in your hands.

Excuse, Indie Rock, KGLT, Teeth, The Ettes, Wicked Will

2012 A Preview

Posted by musicthevanderwey in Alternative, Emo, Indie Rock, New Releases, Record Store Day, Rock, The Cribs, The Killers, The xx on December 31, 2011

2011 is nearly behind us. Many other blogs are focused on the past 2011 albums, but not me. 2012 is going to be a great year of indie rock and roll! I’ve compiled a short list of upcoming albums to drool over that should be dropping sometime in 2012.

Indie Rock, record Store Day, Silversun Pickups, The Cribs, The Killers, the xx, Twilight Sad

Now Presenting: Typhoon

Posted by musicthevanderwey in Alternative, Indie Rock, New Releases on August 26, 2011

Back in late July I was at a Decemberists show in Missoula, Montana. The opening act was an indie rock band I had never heard of before by the name of Typhoon. Calling them a band is actually a little misleading. They are much more on par with an indie rock orchestra. Typhoon has a horns section, two drummers, and at least two violins along with the normal accoutrements of what makes up an indie rock band. I actually feel kinda bad for Typhoon. Half the time they are preforming on tiny band stages crammed together, which doesn’t leave enough room to rock out. Even under those cramped working conditions (OSHA anyone?) Typhoon will blow you away.

A New Kind of House, Arts and Entertainment, Indie Rock, Musical ensemble, Typhoon

The Twilight Sad

Posted by musicthevanderwey in Alternative, Emo, Indie Rock on July 20, 2011

Have you ever had that itch to hear Scottish brogue crooning to you with an epic rock band in the background? Good news! The Twilight Sad will surely scratch your itch. They are an indie rock quartet from Kilsyth, Scotland, and their first album, Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters, came out back in 2007 with quite a bit of critical acclaim – both in the UK and in the States. It even led them to partake in a grand indie rock tour of the US and Canada. The Twilight Sad’s last album was back in 2009 entitled Forget the Night Ahead. I stumbled on this album some time ago. As I recall, I loved it but for some reason it passed out of my mind until last week. Now I can’t put it down.

Indie Rock, That Room, The Neighbours Can't Breathe, The Twilight Sad

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Now Presenting: We Became Actors

Posted by musicthevanderwey in Alternative, Indie Rock, New Releases on July 7, 2011

There is nothing like stumbling onto a brand new artist that rocks your socks off. A couple of weeks ago I was spinning some vinyl on my radio show, when I was digging through the new rock albums and ran across We Became Actors. I had to find out who they were. Take a look at their bio “We Became Actors have a hard time standing still. They throw tambourines, clap hands, kick over cocktails. The latter on accident. Usually. Like a Sunday hangover, they’re loud, bright and soaked in gin.” I maintain that any band soaked in gin would be brilliant.

Indie Rock, Something Major, We Became Actors

Unbridled Rock

Posted by musicthevanderwey in Alternative, Indie Rock on June 24, 2011

This week the solstice finally passed us by and summer has finally begun. I don’t know about you, but a lot of my song and band choices change with the seasons. Admittedly, I enjoy slower more acoustic songs in the winter, but during the summer I need to have, as T William puts it, unbridled rock.

This week a couple have bands have taken over my playlists. The band that has melted my mind and my ears, is an epic legendary indie rock band out of promised land of hip indie rockability Portlandia. The Thermals have been turning out stripped down balls to the wall rock for quite sometime. For a couple of summers now, I’ve been cruising around rocking out to The Thermals. Its perfect summer drive time music.

Chris Walla, Indie Rock, KGLT, The Thermals

Radio Lives (in Ohio)

Posted by Laura in Alternative, Indie Rock on June 4, 2011

Does anyone actually listen to the radio anymore? I don’t – at least, not where I live. You’d think the Bay Area, being the Mecca of concerts, clubs and festivals that it is, would have the resources to offer a decent array of local radio options. Unfortunately, Linkin Park has been in heavy rotation on the area’s only alternative station long enough for me to know this isn’t the case. Perhaps I’m being too nostalgic, but I miss the days when we were introduced to awesome new bands by a live DJ instead of Pandora, Sirius, or TV Channel 900.

Alternative, CD101, Columbus, Indie Rock, Joy Formidable, Manchester Orchestra, Ohio, Radio, The Joy Formidable, The Naked & Famous, the naked and famous, WWCD

I’m A Fan of Fan Modine

Posted by T. William Gooch in Indie Rock on June 3, 2011

Gordon Zacharias

The last couple of weeks have been full of crappy weather but for some reason I have had a bounce in my step. Now that the weather is starting to reflect my mood things are really starting to gel together. This upbeat attitude has been reflected in the music I have been listening to as well. For those readers who have checked out to the mixtape I put out last week, T. William’s Get Summer Started Mixtape, you might have seen the correlation beforehand. Today’s post is about spotlighting one of the artists that I included on the mix.

Fan Modine released Gratitude for The Shipper on May 24th, it is the first album in six years from Gordon Zacharias. The new work has reflected some growth by adding a wider array of instruments and a cleaner sound than previous works. You could also describe the feel of the album as consistently bright, melodic and hook-happy. Perfect for days at the park or on long walks on nice days like today

Fan Modine, Gratitude for the Shipper, Indie Rock, Julu Road, Through the Valley