Unlikely Indies & The New DIY

Host Alec Bemis shares his favorite late 2014/early 2015 selections of "indie" tunes, noisy tracks, and an eclectic melange of R&B. Mixed in with the playlist, you hear Bemis and Clocktower curator Joe Ahearn discuss new and old influences on the DIY and indie music scene.

The playlist includes contemporary songs that borrow from the style handbook of '70s and '80s singer-songwriters (i.e. Ryan Adams, Natalie Prass, Lord Huron, Phoebe Bridgers, Father John Misty, This Is The Kit), some surprisingly noisy tunes from underground bands (Girl Band), pop stars (Sia) and artists that fall somewhere in-between (St. Vincent) and, finally, a block of eclectic R&B (D'Angelo, Gabriel Garzón-Montano). Ahearn outlines the surprising connections that hit makers like Future Islands, I Love Makonnen, and Rihanna have to DIY culture, while Alec wonders why indie's buzziest tunes sound a lot like mainstream radio from 30+ years ago.

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