Tag: Candid

100 Best Indie Songs of 2024

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Song Lists24 Comments
Photo courtesy of FREEP!K

At the end of each year, I publish a list of my Top 100 Songs, representing my picks for what I think are the best songs – my favorites actually – for the entire year. This year, at the suggestion of John Gilbert, guitarist and lead vocalist of Missouri folk rock band Voodoo Planet, I’ve also compiled a list of my 100 favorite indie songs of 2024 (their song “Adrift” is included in this list). Because I follow, and am followed by, many indie musicians and bands on the various social media platforms, I want to highlight some of the really outstanding music being made by them that’s every bit as good as that from mainstream acts.

These are not “indie” songs in terms of genre (though there are many that fall into that overall category), but songs by independent or unsigned music acts. Some are in fact signed to music labels, but they’re usually small, independently owned labels. There are 89 acts represented in this list, the majority of which are from the U.S., Canada and the U.K., but also from Australia, Malaysia, Norway, Spain, Germany and Ukraine. Of course, I must make note of the fact that this list contains only songs I’m aware of, and that there are likely hundreds or even thousands of other songs that deserve to be here, except that I’ve never heard them.

Though they’re ranked from #1 to 100, it doesn’t mean that a song at #30 is better than one at #70. That said, the ones closer to the top are my very favorites. And though I’d love to write a narrative about each song and artist, given my limited time and energy, not to mention people’s short attention spans, I’ve decided against that. I’ve created playlists on both Spotify and YouTube, which are included after the list itself. Enjoy!

  1. LIKE YOU DO – Talk in Waves
  2. ALL I DIE FOR – SWiiMS
  3. THE FAITHFUL HEART – Wons Phreely + The Horses
  4. WINTER COWBOY – Frank Joshua
  5. A FORETOLD ECSTASY – Mayflower Madame
  6. ATTRACTION – Wild Horse
  7. I’VE GOT LOVING FOR YOU – Bottlecap Mountain
  8. KOOL AID BLUE – The Sylvia Platters
  9. WHAT IF I FEEL LIKE THIS MY WHOLE LIFE? – HULLAH
  10. FOR US ALL – Asgard Raven
  11. DIAMOND AND THE MISSING SON – Unquiet Nights
  12. YOU JUST PLAYED MY MIND – Oli Barton
  13. BLUSH – Vazum
  14. TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT – Dead Slow Hoot
  15. FIND MY WAY – Ships Have Sailed
  16. WAR – HEALER
  17. GOLD – Caitlin Lavagna
  18. HONEY – Mr Bewlay
  19. MIND GAME (3:33) – Collette McLafferty & John Serrano
  20. TOO MUCH OR NOT ENOUGH? – Candid
  21. YOUR WORLD NOW – Marc Schuster
  22. WAKING LIFE – Nicholas a. Milillo, Dee Wolf, Bobby Jasso & Gabrielle Marella & the voice of Tony Milillo
  23. VICES – 5ilas & Shimmer Johnson
  24. ADRIFT – Voodoo Planet & Mikey J
  25. BICYCLE AWAY – Sam Rappaport
  26. PERMANENT RECORD – GG Fearn
  27. AUTUMN LEAVES – Secret Postal Society
  28. HOLOGRAM – Raker
  29. GOOD TIMES GO – The Kid and I
  30. JUST WANNA SLEEP – Halfloves
  31. IT’S OVER NOW – Oli Barton
  32. DYING TO MEET YOU – Gooseberry
  33. OH, WELL – John Serrano
  34. SUBMARINE – Homeless Radio
  35. BRAND NEW DAY – Ben Gorb
  36. DOWNING STREET – Brain Ape
  37. LOOSIE LUNA – Coppa Londra
  38. TEMPTATION – Pylon Poets
  39. WHY DO YOU CARE – The Muldoons
  40. I AM AM I? – NAVE
  41. THIS ALL ENDS HERE – Minus Cube & Natalie Lucie
  42. NEW PONY – The Nanners
  43. KEEPING SCORE – Snap Infraction
  44. WAKE ME UP – HEALER
  45. ODYSSEY – Josephine Pascoe
  46. LIKE THE SUN – A.Wake
  47. SMALL MERCIES – Brian Lambert & Marc Schuster
  48. EASIER AND EASIER – Lyia Meta
  49. VICTIM – Frank Joshua
  50. SMUDGE – Mock Deer
  51. THE LOST – The Ocean Beneath
  52. INVISIBLE INK – Ships Have Sailed
  53. BY DESIGN – Amongst Liars & Felin
  54. LITTLE SELF-INDULGENT – Western Jaguar
  55. PIECE OF CAKE – Bottlecap Mountain
  56. COLLISION – The Zangwills
  57. ROADS – HULLAH
  58. GUYS LIKE YOU – Olivia Miceli
  59. YOUTH – The 23’s
  60. STATELINE – Nathan Ball
  61. CHASING YOUR DREAMS – Asgard Raven
  62. ELEVEN – Minus Cube & P’like
  63. DREAM TONIGHT – The Ocean Beneath & Liz Mann
  64. SELF CONTROL – John Laurant, Ron van den Beuken & Shimmer Johnson
  65. THE BEST – Thunder Fox
  66. NEW MOON – Morning Fuzz
  67. REPOSSESS – Western Jaguar
  68. YOU ARE NOT A SLAVE – Amongst Liars
  69. CREATURE FEATURE – dwi
  70. BAD LUCK – The Macrotones
  71. WITCH TRAIN – The Blackburns
  72. NOCTURNALLY YOURS – Scoopski
  73. TANTALUS – John Serrano
  74. REAL COLORS – The Nanners
  75. DO YOU REALLY WANNA KNOW? – Set the Tone
  76. PRETTY ALRIGHT – Caitlin Lavagna
  77. LET’S RUN AWAY – Solar Eyes
  78. ONE ROOM PAST WAITING – Chief Springs
  79. ARE YOU REALLY FREE? – Alba
  80. FIREBIRD – Josephine Pascoe
  81. CHILDHOOD FRIENDS – naive nature
  82. SPACE TRAVEL – Sandrom
  83. MORE – Andrew Neil and Code Purple
  84. SMALL TIME FISH (BIG TIME POND) – Sorry Ghost
  85. THE VOID – Fuzzle
  86. GREEN EYED MONSTER – Olivia Miceli
  87. ALL I WANT – The Heroic Enthusiasts
  88. WHY DON’T YOU LOVE ME – Tom Burton
  89. COCK OF THE FIFTH YEAR – The Empty Page
  90. NOT READY YET – Sean Magwire
  91. GHOST – Grizzly Madams
  92. ALWAYS DO – Melody Zenith
  93. MISSED YOU – Mal Fantome
  94. WOULD YOU WANT IT (IF YOU HAD IT) – The Barons
  95. THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF WHAT IF – Eleanor Collides & Emily Gray
  96. EVERYTHING FITS – Wons Phreely + The Horses
  97. ANYWAY – The Crushing Violets
  98. PUSH IT BACK – Kiffie
  99. ALL THE SAME TO YOU – Quizboy & Marc Schuster
  100. SHADE – Microfilm

Top 20 Songs for January 7-13, 2018

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30'sLeave a comment

1. KINKY – Oli Barton & the Movement (2)
2. WITHOUT YOU – Disciples of Babylon (1)
3. ONE FOOT – WALK THE MOON (3)
4. LIVE IN THE MOMENT – Portugal.The Man (6)
5. SIT NEXT TO ME – Foster the People (4)
6. RX(MEDICATE) – Theory of a Deadman (7)
7. ANGELA – The Lumineers (8)
8. NO ROOTS – Alice Merton (9)
9. SOBER UP – AJR ft. Rivers Cuomo (10)
10. I ONLY LIE WHEN I LOVE YOU – Royal Blood (15)
11. I LOVE YOU BUT I’M LOST – Tears For Fears (5)
12. SAFARI SONG – Greta Van Fleet (17)
13. PASSION – AWOLNATION (16)
14. PAIN – The War on Drugs (N)
15. SCARY LOVE – The Neighbourhood (20)
16. LOVING YOU IS SO EASY – Wide Eyed Boy (11) 20th week on list
17. LAY ME DOWN – Candid (12)
18. DEVIL IN THE DETAILS – VERIS (13)
19. THE SKY IS A NEIGHBORHOOD – Foo Fighters (14)
20. LOS AGELESS – St. Vincent (N)

Top 20 Songs for Dec 31, 2017-January 6, 2018

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30'sLeave a comment

1. WITHOUT YOU – Disciples of Babylon (1)
2. KINKY – Oli Barton & the Movement (3)
3. ONE FOOT – WALK THE MOON (5)
4. SIT NEXT TO ME – Foster the People (2)
5. I LOVE YOU BUT I’M LOST – Tears For Fears (4)
6. LIVE IN THE MOMENT – Portugal.The Man (11)
7. RX(MEDICATE) – Theory of a Deadman (10)
8. ANGELA – The Lumineers (12)
9. NO ROOTS – Alice Merton (13)
10. SOBER UP – AJR ft. Rivers Cuomo (14)
11. LOVING YOU IS SO EASY – Wide Eyed Boy (6) 19th week on list
12. LAY ME DOWN – Candid (8)
13. DEVIL IN THE DETAILS – VERIS (9)
14. THE SKY IS A NEIGHBORHOOD – Foo Fighters (7)
15. I ONLY LIE WHEN I LOVE YOU – Royal Blood (17)
16. PASSION – AWOLNATION (18)
17. SAFARI SONG – Greta Van Fleet (20)
18. HIGHWAY TUNE – Greta Van Fleet (15)
19. SO TIED UP – Cold War Kids, Bishop Briggs (16) 19th week on list
20. SCARY LOVE – The Neighbourhood (N)

Top 20 Songs for December 24-30, 2017

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's5 Comments

1. WITHOUT YOU – Disciples of Babylon (2)
2. SIT NEXT TO ME – Foster the People (1)
3. KINKY – Oli Barton & the Movement (8)
4. I LOVE YOU BUT I’M LOST – Tears For Fears (5)
5. ONE FOOT – WALK THE MOON (6)
6. LOVING YOU IS SO EASY – Wide Eyed Boy (3)
7. THE SKY IS A NEIGHBORHOOD – Foo Fighters (4)
8. LAY ME DOWN – Candid (9)
9. DEVIL IN THE DETAILS – VERIS (10)
10. RX(MEDICATE) – Theory of a Deadman (11)
11. LIVE IN THE MOMENT – Portugal. The Man (17)
12. ANGELA – The Lumineers (13)
13. NO ROOTS – Alice Merton (15)
14. SOBER UP – AJR ft. Rivers Cuomo (16)
15. HIGHWAY TUNE – Greta Van Fleet (7)
16. SO TIED UP – Cold War Kids ft. Bishop Briggs (12)
17. I ONLY LIE WHEN I LOVE YOU – Royal Blood (18)
18. PASSION – AWOLNATION (20)
19. WALK ON WATER – 30 Seconds to Mars (14)
20. SAFARI SONG – Greta Van Fleet (N)

Top 20 Songs for December 17-23, 2017

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's2 Comments

1. SIT NEXT TO ME – Foster the People (2)
2. WITHOUT YOU – Disciples of Babylon (3)
3. LOVING YOU IS SO EASY – Wide Eyed Boy (1)
4. THE SKY IS A NEIGHBORHOOD – Foo Fighters (4)
5. I LOVE YOU BUT I’M LOST – Tears For Fears (6)
6. ONE FOOT – WALK THE MOON (7)
7. HIGHWAY TUNE – Greta Van Fleet (5)
8. KINKY – Oli Barton & the Movement (9)
9. LAY ME DOWN – Candid (11)
10. DEVIL IN THE DETAILS – VERIS (12)
11. RX(MEDICATE) – Theory of a Deadman (13)
12. SO TIED UP – Cold War Kids ft. Bishop Briggs (8)
13. ANGELA – The Lumineers (16)
14. WALK ON WATER – 30 Seconds to Mars (10)
15. NO ROOTS – Alice Merton (15)
16. SOBER UP – AJR ft. Rivers Cuomo (18)
17. LIVE IN THE MOMENT – Portugal. The Man (20)
18. I ONLY LIE WHEN I LOVE YOU – Royal Blood (17)
19. UP ALL NIGHT – Beck (14)
20. PASSION – AWOLNATION (N)

Top 20 Songs for December 10-16, 2017

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's2 Comments

1. LOVING YOU IS SO EASY – Wide Eyed Boy (1)
2. SIT NEXT TO ME – Foster the People (4)
3. WITHOUT YOU – Disciples of Babylon (5)
4. THE SKY IS A NEIGHBORHOOD – Foo Fighters (6)
5. HIGHWAY TUNE – Greta Van Fleet (2)
6. I LOVE YOU BUT I’M LOST – Tears For Fears (9)
7. ONE FOOT – WALK THE MOON (8)
8. SO TIED UP – Cold War Kids ft. Bishop Briggs (3)
9. KINKY – Oli Barton & the Movement (10)
10. WALK ON WATER – 30 Seconds to Mars (7)
11. LAY ME DOWN – Candid (12)
12. DEVIL IN THE DETAILS – VERIS (13)
13. RX(MEDICATE) – Theory of a Deadman (14)
14. UP ALL NIGHT – Beck (16)
15. NO ROOTS – Alice Merton (11)
16. ANGELA – The Lumineers (18)
17. I ONLY LIE WHEN I LOVE YOU – Royal Blood (17)
18. SOBER UP – AJR ft. Rivers Cuomo (20)
19. THUNDER – Imagine Dragons (15)
20. LIVE IN THE MOMENT – Portugal. The Man (N)

Top 20 Songs for December 3-9, 2017

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's2 Comments

1. LOVING YOU IS SO EASY – Wide Eyed Boy (1)
2. HIGHWAY TUNE – Greta Van Fleet (2)
3. SO TIED UP – Cold War Kids, Bishop Briggs (3)
4. SIT NEXT TO ME – Foster the People (4)
5. WITHOUT YOU – Disciples of Babylon (5)
6. THE SKY IS A NEIGHBORHOOD – Foo Fighters (6)
7. WALK ON WATER – 30 Seconds to Mars (7)
8. ONE FOOT – WALK THE MOON (8)
9. I LOVE YOU BUT I’M LOST – Tears For Fears (9)
10. KINKY – Oli Barton & the Movement (10)
11. NO ROOTS – Alice Merton (11)
12. LAY ME DOWN – Candid (13)
13. DEVIL IN THE DETAILS – VERIS (14)
14. RX(MEDICATE) – Theory of a Deadman (15)
15. THUNDER – Imagine Dragons (12)
16. UP ALL NIGHT – Beck (18)
17. I ONLY LIE WHEN I LOVE YOU – Royal Blood (19)
18. ANGELA – The Lumineers (20)
19. HOLDING ON – The War on Drugs (16) 21st week on list
20. SOBER UP – AJR ft. Rivers Cuomo (N)

CANDID – Single Review: “Breathless”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews6 Comments

UK alt-rock band Candid is on a roll. In little more than a year, the Coventry, England foursome has released a total of four singles, beginning with “Moving On” in the fall of 2016. They followed up with the fantastic “Rumours” in May, which I reviewed, then dropped their third single “Lay Me Down,” in August, a superb song I also reviewed. Today they released a fourth single “Breathless” and, as we like to say here in the U.S., they’ve hit another one out of the park. It’s so stunning that it leaves me breathless!

candid new
Photo by Ruby Nixon

Candid consists of brothers Rob (rhythm guitar and vocals) and Dan Latimer (lead guitar), Sam Baines (bass) and Ben Williams (drums). Their dynamic sound features arresting melodies, outstanding layered guitar work and wicked percussion, all of which are on full display on “Breathless.” The exuberant jangly and chiming guitars are magnificent, soaring to great heights and creating a full, sweeping soundscape that’s truly breathtaking.

Their lyrics are always thoughtful and intelligent, and on “Breathless” they address feelings of losing one’s grip on reality, and wanting a return to sanity by moving on to a better place mentally.  Rob’s vocals are captivating as he plaintively sings:

I feel there’s something on my mind I’ve got a lot to say
Guess I can stay and fight the fire or I could walk away
I feel there’s something creeping up I got no place to hide
From the corners of my mind
So let me up for air I, cause I don’t understand why
All these things in my mind leave me breathless

Follow Candid:  Facebook  /  X (Twitter) /  Instagram
Stream their music:  Spotify /  Soundcloud /  YouTube
Purchase:   iTunes

Top 20 Songs for November 26-December 2, 2017

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30'sLeave a comment

1. LOVING YOU IS SO EASY – Wide Eyed Boy (2)
2. HIGHWAY TUNE – Greta Van Fleet (1)
3. SO TIED UP – Cold War Kids, Bishop Briggs (3)
4. SIT NEXT TO ME – Foster the People (4)
5. WITHOUT YOU – Disciples of Babylon (6)
6. THE SKY IS A NEIGHBORHOOD – Foo Fighters (5)
7. WALK ON WATER – 30 Seconds to Mars (7)
8. ONE FOOT – WALK THE MOON (8)
9. I LOVE YOU BUT I’M LOST – Tears For Fears (9)
10. KINKY – Oli Barton & the Movement (11)
11. NO ROOTS – Alice Merton (13)
12. THUNDER – Imagine Dragons (14)
13. LAY ME DOWN – Candid (15)
14. DEVIL IN THE DETAILS – VERIS (16)
15. RX(MEDICATE) – Theory of a Deadman (17)
16. HOLDING ON – The War on Drugs (10) 20th week on list
17. SUIT AND JACKET – Judah & the Lion (12)
18. UP ALL NIGHT – Beck (20)
19. I ONLY LIE WHEN I LOVE YOU – Royal Blood (N)
20. ANGELA – The Lumineers (N)

Top 20 Songs for November 19-25, 2017

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's1 Comment

1. HIGHWAY TUNE – Greta Van Fleet (1)
2. LOVING YOU IS SO EASY – Wide Eyed Boy (2)
3. SO TIED UP – Cold War Kids, Bishop Briggs (3)
4. SIT NEXT TO ME – Foster the People (4)
5. THE SKY IS A NEIGHBORHOOD – Foo Fighters (5)
6. WITHOUT YOU – Disciples of Babylon (7)
7. WALK ON WATER – 30 Seconds From Mars (6)
8. ONE FOOT – WALK THE MOON (10)
9. I LOVE YOU BUT I’M LOST – Tears For Fears (11)
10. HOLDING ON – The War on Drugs (9)
11. KINKY – Oli Barton & the Movement (12)
12. SUIT AND JACKET – Judah & the Lion (8)
13. NO ROOTS – Alice Merton (14)
14. THUNDER – Imagine Dragons (15)
15. LAY ME DOWN – Candid (18)
16. DEVIL IN THE DETAILS – VERIS (19)
17. RX(MEDICATE) – Theory of a Deadman (N)
18. LITTLE ONE – Highly Suspect (13)
19. UNFORGETTABLE – French Montana, Swae Lee (16)
20. UP ALL NIGHT – Beck (20)