BEST INDIE SONGS - WEEK 20 2014

This time last week I was complaining about the lack of love in indie music. But have things improved this week? Of course they fucking haven't! The Flaming Lips versus A Flaming Lip war rages on, Portishead are STILL pissed off at The Weeknd for being more relevant than they are, and The Black Keys, yet to grasp the concept of “pick on someone your own size,” continue to throw shade in the direction of Justin Biebs. And this week, even BitCandy has a certain beef of its own... More on dat later, though, as it's time for yet another dose of best indie songs from Lana Del Rey, Arctic Monkeys, Say Lou Lou and more.

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LANA DEL REY – WEST COAST

The wait is over. The official video for Lana Del Rey's “West Coast” is finally here. Lana smoking Marlboros? Check. Lana flirting with an old guy? Check. Lana surrounded by crappy CGI flames? Chec...wait, WHAT? Not gonna lie, I'm feeling this song so much. It has silenced lot of the haters, too, of which I was one. Or maybe I was just in denial the entire time? I'm excited for Ultraviolence, simply so I can skip straight to “Fucked My Way Up To The Top,” which I'm hoping contains more lines like “My pussy tastes like Pepsi Cola.” Fuck it. I LOVE LANA DEL REY!

ARCTIC MONKEYS – FEELS LIKE WE ONLY GO BACKWARDS (TAME IMPALA COVER) (LIVE)

Alex Turner is such a slimy bastard. I FUCKING LOVE IT! “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards” has been covered to death. This is one of my favorite covers so far, though, so there's that. Arctic Monkeys make everything sound like an Arctic Monkeys song (see their cover of “Hold On, We're Going Home” by Drake). That ain't a bad thing, no Sirrey. Miss da original's bassline, though. UNF.

BIG FREEDIA – EXPLODE

Don't even care if this is “indie music” or not. Big Freedia is bringing da bounce and every man, woman and child needs to RELEASE THEIR WIGGLE! “Explode” is the first banger to be previewed from The Queen of New Orleans' upcoming album, Just Be Free, due out in June. Take my word for it, everybody who's anybody is gonna be twerking their butt cheeks off to it this summer. P.S. Make sure you go and see her if she's bringing da bounce to a town near you. You won't regret it.

LUCIUS – DON'T JUST SIT THERE

Lucius are trolling me, aren't they? AREN'T THEY? This song has a grand total of like, 12 words. A lyric video is hardly a top priority. They should've put the budget towards a proper music video starring Lucius in “quirky” vintage clothing making thinly veiled references to blow jobs in the form of licking up ice cream cones. As you've probably surmised by now, I'm really not a fan of this band. Layla explains everything here. But apparently you guys dig them, so, ENJOY!

SAY LOU LOU – PEPPERMINT

Say Lou Lou, on the other hand, are the epitome of SASS. They're so elegant, beautiful and alluring. What I'm really trying to say is, I completely relate to them. Lol. Plus there's no thinly veiled references to blow jobs in sight. So that's nice. Btw, “Peppermint” is taken from the Swedish twins' upcoming EP, Everything We Touch. Yes, another EP :(. When are they gonna release their debut album already? RAAAH!

DNKL – BATTLES

Sweden BITCH! Pretty sure music wouldn't exist without it, along with IKEA and hot blonde babes. Stereotypes BITCH! DNKL (pronounced “dunkel”) are a “noir electronic pop trio” from said Nordic land. Their proper dark second single, “Battles,” has this week come accompanied by a proper dark music video-turned-commercial for The Illuminati's escort service. Conspiracy BITCH!

SEINABO SEY – HARD TIME – CURATOR BECA

One more Swedish artist isn't gonna do us any harm, right? RIGHT :)? Seinabo Sey already had me at her debut single, “Younger,” but this week she has returned with an EVEN stronger second single, “Hard Time.” Her vocals are FIERCE, let alone without all of that crazy percussion going on in the background. It sounds like some mythical, Phil Collins “In The Air Tonight” type shit. Epic epic EPIC!

MOODY GOOD (FEAT. REJJIE SNOW & JOSHUA IDEHEN) – GRUMBLES 'N' SPARKLES

Remember the Björk approved dance duo, 16Bit? It was a GIGANTIC bummer when they split up a few years ago, but it's all gravy as one half of the duo, Eddie Jefferys, is now back making music as Moody Good! Dude has that same kinda creepy and abrasive vibe as TOBACCO. A debut album is coming out in June on Chase & Status' label, MTA Records, and here's the lead single featuring the Irish-but-totally-doesn't-sound-Irish rapper, Rejjie Snow, and the British-but-totally-does-sound-British spoken word artist, Joshua Idehen.

MARIKA HACKMAN – BATH IS BLACK (LIVE)

Marika Hackman went to boarding school with Cara Delevingne and has modelled for Burberry. Both of these things scream “middle class phony with rich parents,” but believe me, this girl is far from a middle class phony with rich parents. Her breed of folk music is genuine, full of emotion, and frankly, I can't get enough of her EP, That Iron Taste. BITE ME! Shout out to The Wild Honey Pie for yet another awesome free live session *cough* unlike Daytrotter *cough*.

BEN KAHN – YOUTH

Hang on, where's the video embed? Oh wait, I forgot, last time we tried to share Ben Kahn's music, he completely SCREWED us over by giving us a strike on our YouTube channel. Despite contacting him several times in an attempt to solve the issue, he didn't bother to respond. Heads up, Ben, we're never, ever, ever gonna support your music EVER AGAIN! A tip. Don't hate on those who're trying to help you out, it isn't gonna get you anywhere in this world.

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That's it for yet another dose of best indie songs. Any chance we could hug it out and shit now? PLEASE! I'm in need of some love after all of dat hate...

About Jess Grant

When Jess Grant isn't writing on music, she can be found playing it – on her guitar, on her ukulele, and on her recently acquired mandolin. Playing it hideously, she ought to add. Jess also studies. She studies the English language, to be precise. Jess is currently on her way to a degree in the subject, and enjoys starting and never finishing novels, screenplays, and poetry in her spare time. She also likes dogs. Lots of dogs.