

One of the best parts about my time living in a DIY punk house was being able to see a ton of bands before they “make it big.” Over the course of the four years I’ve been involved in the space, I have seen some incredible bands come through my former basement, and every once in a while I am completely blown away by a performer. To that end, my friends like to poke fun of the face I make when I am impressed by a band, and I can’t really blame them: The face they’re talking about is usually just a big fat grin that you can spot from a mile away. As a teenager, I played in a DIY punk band, so I am able to bring to the table a unique understanding of the difficulties of playing in an independent band in a digital market flooded with bands on Bandcamp and Soundcloud. That’s the reason I spend quite a bit of my time working with some of the bands that blew me away in that basement, helping them bring their music into the world and putting the songs into the hands of people that I know will dig it. As such, I am very excited to have collected a few records and EPs that might have flown under the radar of the collective indie rock hivemind, presented for your listening pleasure below. 10. Daymoon, Strange Ranger

It’s hard to pin down the sound of Strange Ranger in one succinct “genre.” Hailing from the Pacific Northwest, each of Daymoon‘s fifteen tracks somehow sounds completely different, ranging from lo-fi pop to alternative, indie rock. The result is a record that is uniquely compelling, at the same time sounding familiar and entirely original. Strange Ranger have accumulated a great following over the last year since the release of their debut Rot Forever, in part thanks to consistent touring, but mostly because of the ever-evolving sonic landscapes they bring to the table. The interlude “Doggies,” for example, features a sparse, but dramatic piano line intercut with sounds of dogs barking. Sure, this is a concept that sounds ridiculous, but it is somehow executed in a way that perfectly evokes the perfect setting for consumption of this record: A suburban bedroom surrounded by deafening silence interrupted by, well, normal sounds. This is not to say that Daymoon is comprised entirely of animal noises; a track like “Sophie,” on the other hand, is a perfectly crafted lo-fi pop song, while “Subaru” is one of the heaviest (and shortest) songs on the record. Stream Daymoon here. 9. Burst & Decay (An Acoustic EP), The Wonder Years

For most bands, an acoustic EP would just mean replacing electric guitars with acoustics. The Wonder Years, on the other hand, took the time to revisit the song’s arrangements as a whole for the Burst & Decay EP, allowing them to translate their hard-hitting punk sound to something a little less chaotic, focusing on melodies instead of catharsis. It’s with this project that the band has allowed themselves to step further outside the boundaries set by their classification as a pop-punk band, and once again craft a release that appropriately reflects the changes in their lives as they begin to settle into the arms of full-fledged “adult life.” Burst & Decay takes its name from a line in the EP’s closing track, a reimagined version of No Closer To Heaven‘s “You In January,” the first true love song that the band has penned. It’s an experimental way to end an experimental project, and it pays off wonderfully. Placed in context at the tail-end of tracks plucked from the band’s string of three near-perfect LPs rooted in themes of existential dread and manic depression, “You In January” shines as a glimmer of hope, a sign that things truly can get better. Stream Burst & Decay (An Acoustic EP) here. 8. I Love My F**king Pets EP, COMPs

Short but sweet, COMPs’ four-song EP was crafted in a Michigan bedroom. However, despite the limitations of solo bedroom production, Geoffrey Webb was able to piece together some incredible hooks and beautiful guitar-driven pop songs. It’s a collection of very basic tracks revolving around programmed drums, but is nonetheless exceptionally captivating and serves as a testament to the power of the bedroom recording.

From the first seconds of “Lil 1,” each song on this quick EP is instantly lovable. The lo-fi nature feels very intentional, and Webb’s ability to harmonize with himself makes this release a special one. The highlight of I Love My F**king Pets comes with the closing “Fast Hands,” a wonderfully-constructed folky pop track that sees Webb narrativizing his internal monologues when meeting new people, unable to move past the warmth of their handshake. “Remember be kind,” Webb tells himself in the first post-chorus refrain. “It’s easy to miss out on all the good times.” Stream I Love My F**king Pets here.

7. Cowgirl Blues, Katie Ellen

From the ashes of acclaimed punk act Chumped, Anika Pyle birthed a new band called Katie Ellen, delivering a debut album of epic proportions in Cowgirl Blues. It’s a record that sees Pyle telling a story of conquering a hardship and discovering the confidence that comes with it. Throughout, she recounts interactions and thoughts that filled her head as she navigated everyday life, the tracks anchored by her beautiful and bubbly voice. The songwriting is simple and straightforward, lines like “I am miserable with you, miserable without you” from the fourth track “TV Dreams” all but summing up the narrative through-line of Cowgirl Blues. Right smack in the middle of the record is its standout track, “Sad Girls Club,” with a chorus that expresses Pyle’s reservations about marriage, citing her resounding belief that “sad girls don’t make good wives.” It’s all incredibly simple, but the personal nature of the lyrics casts Pyle in a vulnerable light, and makes each track increasingly more relatable — the ideal balance for a punk song. All told, the performances throughout the record are exceptionally tight, and Pyle makes a name for herself outside the project that put her on the map. Stream Cowgirl Blues here. 6. Spark Thrush EP, Monster Bad

Spark Thrush starts off slow, opening track “Xeno” building a wall of electronic sounds, frontperson Chris Graci’s impassioned Robert Smith-esque wails letting the listener know right off the bat that this EP is going to be something special. It’s only five tracks, but Spark Thrush covers a lot of ground sonically and thematically, documenting the sometimes debilitating realization that being in a relationship means being part of a greater whole that you can’t entirely dictate. In the words of Marty McFly, “Whoa doc, that’s heavy.” As such, “I Luv Yr Aggression!!,” feels like the perfect soundtrack for a reckless teen movie party scene (although the lyrics might say otherwise). Musically, the verses building toward a chorus that would see the party jumping around, drinks in hand, most likely in slow motion. Regardless of whether this track is actually played at a party, when Monster Bad plays it live, it’s sure to encourage a similar scene. If this EP is any indication, Monster Bad has a hell of a lot to offer when their next LP arrives. Stream Spark Thrush here. 5. With Your Belly, Bonzo

I was at Bonzo’s first show, and have watched the band grow across their four LPs, spreading their wings from an emo trio to a genre-defying quartet. Their latest effort With Your Belly is multi-layered, showing the band gaining their footing and maximizing their sound potential. Songs like “Belly” see Bonzo working to deconstruct their massive sound, with the track slowing down to almost half speed in its second half to allow room for incredibly impressive drum fills between chords. The following track “Team,” on the other hand, has the quartet flexing their evolving understanding of the loud-soft dynamic, going from heavy and fast to dissonant and slow. Strategically placed at the center of With Your Belly is “Godstopper,” the album’s strangest — and most intricately impressive — track. In the middle of the song is a break from the reverb-drenched offering, replaced by a frantic repeating guitar and drum line that is bound to confuse and enrapture, before leading into one of the album’s heaviest moments to round out a track that truly goes the distance. Stream With Your Belly here. 4. Spin, Tigers Jaw

Hailing from the punk scene of Scranton, Pennsylvania, Tigers Jaw’s last couple of efforts fell a little bit flat for me. However, Spin was a true return to form for the band, showcasing some of their best work since their self-titled 2010 debut. Combining ballads (“Escape Plan”) with faster tracks that are sure to rouse a mosh pit during a live show (“Guardian”), the record is meticulously crafted with the help of Will Yip and sees the band focusing in on melody and composition.