Declaration of Independents: Five Indie Acts In the Spotlight

With the blurred lines between indie and major record labels, today’s music environs are seeing the ever increasing presence of bands that are working within the confines of small independent labels or simply making music on their own. All too often, however, these artists aren’t given the attention they deserve due to lack of the resources needed to ensure visibility. Nevertheless, good music deserves to be heard, so we’re doing our part to shine the spotlight on artists worthy of recognition.

Videos by American Songwriter

Fruition | Wild As The Night | Independent

Broken at the Break of Day | Independent

It takes a certain amount of chutzpah to release two records simultaneously, but taken in the context of companion EPs, Wild As The Night and Broken at the Break of Day offer a nice complement to one another and show the increasing agility and ability of a pop band that can claim 10 albums to its collective credit. Formed in Portland, Oregon, a dozen or so years ago, Fruition understands the importance of embracing melodies with a delivery that resonates in ways that leaves listeners both waiting and wanting to hear more. The EPs are a complementary combo in every regard, with each of the band’s five members sharing vocals and contributing equally to the musical mix. Wild As the Night is the edgier of the two, but both EPs offer their share of exuberant entries and quiet, contemplative ballads. (BandCamp page)

Maria McKee | La Vita Nuova | Fire Records

It’s been 13 years since most of the world last heard from Maria McKee, famously known as the singer at the helm of the pioneering Americana outfit Lone Justice. She hasn’t been idle, having spent much of her time working alongside her husband, Jim Akin, co-producing and scoring music adapted for independent films. She’s also been adapting to a multitude of changes in her life, including moving to London and coming out as bisexual. It’s no surprise then that La Vita Nuova pays tribute to Dante’s classic homage to unrequited love, a transition McKee experienced through the dissolution of her marriage and its later reboot. The music echoes that fierce desire and determination, thanks to a series of songs that sound larger than life, flush with orchestration and dramatic vocals that sound like they’re well suited for an operatic stage or cinematic performance. The album is as cathartic as it it is compelling. Consider it the first actual opus of the new year. (Bandcamp link)

Seamus Egan | Early Bright | THL Records


Seamus Egan boasts an impressive resume in opening up new avenues for Irish music in America. As leader of the Celtic supergroup Solas, he introduced audiences to a traditional sound reimagined for today’s audiences. With his first solo outing in 23 years, he offers up an array of instrumentals that are so beautiful and beguiling that vocals aren’t missed at all. A multi-instrumentalist, Egan and his accompanists (a string quartet among them) create a an ever-shifting array of tones, textures and mesmerizing melodies that keep the listener enthralled throughout. Here again, the music was inspired by some life-changing circumstance — a hiatus from his day job with Solas and his decision to trade his long-time home in Philadelphia for the rural environs of Vermont. “Both things coalesced not by design,” Egan has said, “but they came together at the same time. I liked the symmetry of it.” Early Bright is as radiant as its title suggests. 

Jake Shimabukuro/Nolan Verner/Dave Preston | Jake Shimabukuro Trio | Music Theories Recordings

Jake Shimabukuoro has come quite a long way since a YouTube video of him performing George Harrison’s “Here Comes the Sun” on ukulele made him a cyber sensation. The affable native of Hawaii has gone on to record a number of decidedly adventurous albums — one of which was produced by Alan Parsons — and delight audiences with his virtuosity on an instrument many still consider a toy at worst and a novelty at best. “I actually love the fact that people don’t take ukulele seriously,” he previously told this writer. “I think it’s the perfect tool for people who don’t feel they have any talent. But you give them a ukulele and they say, ‘That looks like fun! I can do that!’” His new self-titled album, a collaboration with bassist/pianist Nolan Preston and guitarist Rachel James, may change that perception, especially given its complex compositions and array of sounds that veer from lithe New Age-y melodies to deeper designs that borrow from prime Pink Floyd (“Wish You Were Here”) and include a reimagined (vocal) take on Fleetwood Mac’s “Landslide.”

Wolf Parade | Thin Mind | Factor/Sub Pop

It’s been noted the Canadian quintet that goes by the name of Wolf Parade is actually a supergroup in reverse, given that its individual members have achieved wider recognition while performing on their own. Nevertheless, the band has made significant noise in its own right with a career that extends back more than 15 years. As evidenced by its new album, Thin Mind, the group’s sound is sprawling, ambitious and flush with dramatic, anthemic fury. Consider Wolf Parade the indie version of U2 with the amorphous elements of Arcade Fire thrown in for good measure. No wonder then that Thin Mind doesn’t stick to the narrow parameters its title implies. An upcoming tour with Bob Weir provides further proof that this is a band whose ambitions can’t be contained. (Bandcamp them)

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