Indie Rock | Musicosity

Polish Club

Polish Club are an Australian garage rock duo from Sydney, New South Wales formed in 2014. The band consists of vocalist and guitarist David Novak and drummer John-Henry Pajak. As of 2023, they have released four studio albums. At the APRA Music Awards of 2024, they won the award for Most Performed Rock Work.

2014–2015: Formation and debut EPs
Vocalist and guitarist David Novak and drummer John-Henry Pajak started the band in 2014. Originally a four-piece, they decided to go their own way, telling SBS News in 2017, "We halved the numbers and booked a room for three hours, and we had five or six songs." The duo's name refers to both members having Polish descent.

Polish club uploaded the songs "Able" and "Show You Love" onto Triple J Unearthed on 5 January 2015, followed by "Did Somebody Tell Me", on 2 February 2015. Nick Hartman from Happy Mag reviewed all three, saying, "'Able' is probably the best of their three songs so far."

The duo released their self-titled debut EP in October 2015, with Hartman saying, "Polish Club by Polish Club is overall an effort [they] can be proud of, with Novak and JH displaying a high minimum standard."

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Classic/Pop Rock

Indie Rock

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No Cigar (NZ)

Since their formation in 2019, NO CIGAR has rapidly established themselves as one of New Zealand's most promising musical acts, captivating audiences with their infectious grooves and compelling storytelling. The release of their first single Tickets To Space at the end of that year was just the beginning.

In 2020, NO CIGAR released their critically acclaimed EP Radical Road which showcased their unique blend of psychedelic rock and groovy guitars. Their growing popularity has been fueled by their dynamic live performances, which have earned them a loyal and enthusiastic fanbase.

With the recent release of their debut album Bienvenido in September 2022, NO CIGAR has solidified their position as a major force in the New Zealand music scene, earning airplay on popular radio stations such as ZM, Radio Hauraki, and The Edge. They have also played to packed crowds at iconic venues and festivals across the country, including Rhythm and Vines and That Weekend.

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Maggie Alley

Maggie Alley’s is a singer songwriter from Melbourne Victoria and is currently based in the Dandenong ranges.

Her songs come from the flawed feminine, her narrative lyrics drawn from experience in the world, absorbed consciously and unconsciously. Alley’s two digital EPs (Beasts, and Live at the Brunswick Ballroom) have gained strong community radio and ABC airplay, with devastating vocal performances described as “banshee like”.
ABC Radio compared her to “a young Patti Smith” at just 19.

Now at 21, Maggie still Draws inspiration from influences as diverse as Kate Bush, David Bowie, Amy Winehouse, Townes Van Zandt and The Triffids. Her music is infused with something felt, not just heard.

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singer-songwriter

Indie Rock

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X Ambassadors

X Ambassadors (also stylized XA) are an American pop rock band from Ithaca, New York, that consists of lead vocalist Sam Harris, keyboardist Casey Harris, and drummer Adam Levin. Russ Flynn is a touring member who plays guitar and bass. Their most notable songs include "Jungle", "Renegades", and "Unsteady". The band's debut full-length album, VHS, was released on June 30, 2015. Their second album, Orion, came out on June 14, 2019. Their third album, The Beautiful Liar, was issued on September 24, 2021. Their fourth album, Townie, came out on April 5, 2024.

2009–12: Ambassadors and Litost

X Ambassadors began playing under the name Ambassadors, touring with artists such as LIGHTS. During this time, they self-released their debut EP, Ambassadors, creating a music video for its lead single, "Tropisms", shot and directed by Rodrigo Zedillo.[citation needed] Shortly after, they self-released their second EP, Litost, which included the eponymous song, later to be used in the soundtrack for The Host. The band signed a record deal in 2012 with SONGS Music Publishing. They launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund and shoot two music videos for the EP's singles, "Weight/Lightness" and "Unconsolable", with the latter being re-recorded later. The group was noticed by Imagine Dragons while frontman Dan Reynolds was sick in the hospital in Norfolk, Virginia. Reynolds heard an acoustic version of "Unconsolable" on 96X WROX-FM and asked Interscope to sign the band as soon as possible.

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WEDNESDAY (USA)

The members of Wednesday are scattered across town when NME calls them for a Zoom chat. Drummer Alan Miller is at home in Durham, North Carolina, four hours from where the others live in Asheville, his basement still decorated from a recent party. Guitarist and lap steel player Xandy Chelmis is in a bustling café, where he takes breaks from the farm he’s been building, while his playful bandmate Jake Lenderman is hunched in his van in a library car park – “I’ve never been inside,” he quips. And vocalist Karly Hartzman, thoughtful and articulate, is crouched in the “Amish romance” section of a Barnes & Noble bookshop. “I tried to pick a part that isn’t very populated, and I think I found the perfect place,” she says in a hushed tone.

It turns out last-minute home WiFi issues had forced the band into some strange locales, but these background snapshots of North Carolina suburbia are suited to our conversation about Wednesday’s music. On their third album ‘Rat Saw God’, out April 7, Hartzman tells tales of her adolescence and childhood that are full of specific details of small town life, whether amusing or brutally morbid. It’s a coming-of-age story set in the American South, soundtracked by gritty, rip-roaring country-rock.

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Country Rock

Indie Rock

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Uncle Umma

As a four piece independent band from Naarm/Melbourne, Uncle Umma are storming out of the gates post-lockdown, receiving mass attention for their energetic, renowned live shows.

Uncle Umma are heavily inspired by 60s psychedelia, alongside dance music's punchy drum breaks, while also reflecting personal signs of Melbourne's independent music scene and it's clear to see, through the band's groovy tracks.

Members
Marc le Miere
Michael Pupko
James Dobb
Seth Donovan

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Psychedelic rock

Indie Rock

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Sea Girls

Sea Girls are a British indie rock band formed in 2015, comprising four members: Henry Camamile (vocals, guitar), Rory Young (lead guitar), Andrew Dawson (bass), and Oli Khan (drums).

The band are known for their indie rock anthems and energetic live shows. Their first release under Polydor, "Damage Done", was released on 7 May 2019.[6] Their debut single, "Call Me Out" was released on Almanac Recordings on 1 June 2017, followed by their debut EP of the same name on 8 June 2017. They released their second EP Heavenly War on 4 January 2018. Adored, the band's third EP, was released on 5 June 2018. Their first EP under Polydor, Under Exit Lights, was released on 6 March 2020. They have released two studio albums: Open Up Your Head (2020) and Homesick (2022), both charted within the UK Top 3.

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Indie Rock

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Berkeley Band

Indie rockers Berkeley are known for their energetic live performances. With a surf rock sound, they deliver fast paced indie tracks such as fan favourites 'Suits' and 'Ain't No Romance'.

With inspirations such as The Arctic Monkeys, Skegss, The Strokes and Dice, they deliver a energetic summer sound.

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Indie Rock

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Gordon Holland

Alternative singer-songwriter, Gordon Holland is a fiery force in Melbourne's music scene, igniting audiences with his fusion of alternative country and Britpop.

Holland’s sound, reminiscent of early Elton John and Paul Kelly, fused with the modern-day edge of Oasis, make him a must-see act for any music lover, and his lyrics are equal parts confessional and nostalgic yet woven with a humour and wistfulness. Listening to Gordon Holland is an experience of big choruses and singalong verses that'll leave you singing for days.

Following his relocation from Perth, along with friend and collaborator Nathaniel Parbery, the pair formed The Naysayers in 2010 and soon took their garage rock to live stages around Australia. While still writing and working within The Naysayers, Holland found himself on a solo path which saw him merging his musical creativity into waters that had previously been uncharted. Soon after, he collaborated with fellow singer-songwriter Charlie Lane where the two constructed her successful The Darkest Time which featured on Spotify’s Badass Women playlist and heard around the world.

Producing his debut single, Melbourne Bitter in Los Angeles with Luke Tierney and mastered by Tom Beard in Australia, Holland led the cohort on a guitar owned by Foo Fighters guitarist, Chris Shiflett. Melbourne Bitter went on to become a semi-finalist in the 2019 International Song Writing Competition.

Gordon Holland's EP 'Skipping Stones On A Salt Lake' is a testament to his creative prowess and his ability to explore various themes through catchy hooks and narratives. The EP is set for release on June 9th, 2023

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Indie Rock

alternative-pop

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Lazy Dreamers

Indie rock / alt pop band based in Melbourne. Band influences include Crowded House, Radiohead, The Beatles and Bob Dylan

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Indie Rock

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