The Couch Cushion EP by Olivia Valentine

It’s just past midnight, and I’m sitting in my dimly lit living room, feet propped up on—fittingly—a couch cushion. A record should be spinning, but instead, The Couch Cushion EP by Olivia Valentine is running through my headphones. A glass of something sits sweating on the table, half-forgotten. Outside, the wind rattles the trees, and for the first time in a while, I feel like I’m hearing something that wasn’t made to fit…

https://independentmusic.reviews/the-couch-cushion-ep-by-olivia-valentine/

Happier Without Me by Holden.

Breakups are rarely as clean as we’d like them to be. We tell ourselves we’re fine, that we’re happier than ever, but in the quiet moments—when a song plays, when we see their name pop up, when the past creeps in uninvited—it’s harder to believe. Holden.’s debut EP, Happier Without Me, wrestles with this exact contradiction: the need to move on, the fear that someone else is doing it better, and the uneasy truth that closure isn’t always a…

https://independentmusic.reviews/happier-without-me-by-holden/

Crises of Willpower by Simians

Some albums capture a moment. Others feel like they’ve been waiting to be heard for years. Crises of Willpower, the debut album from San Diego-based band Simians, is one of those rare records that carries the weight of both time and experience. Written by songwriter Simon Breen in his early twenties, these songs sat on the shelf while life pulled him in different directions—across continents, through the Peace Corps, into environmental…

https://independentmusic.reviews/crises-of-willpower-by-simians/

No Body by Fernandez

Some albums feel like they were made for the night—No Body is one of them. The debut from Australian singer-songwriter Vanessa Fernandez is a beautifully shadowed, genre-blurring record that bridges the worlds of trip-hop, noir jazz, and cinematic soul. With production that drifts between vintage and modern, and a vocal performance that nods to legends while forging its own path, …

https://independentmusic.reviews/no-body-by-fernandez/

Good Dogs Wear Capes by Cape Crush, Good June, and Impossible Dog

The Boston underground scene has always thrived on collaboration, but Good Dogs Wear Capes takes it a step further. This three-way split from Cape Crush, Good June, and Impossible Dog isn’t just a showcase of each band's individual strengths—it’s a full-hearted celebration of shared creativity. With two tracks from each group, featuring vocals from at least one other band on every song, the EP feels less…

https://independentmusic.reviews/good-dogs-wear-capes-by-cape-crush-good-june-and-impossible-dog/

Sunday Forever by Sylva Faye

Sylva Faye’s Sunday Forever feels like a sun-drenched day that stretches endlessly, a dreamscape of folk-tinged melodies laced with nostalgia, loss, and quiet revelations. As the follow-up to Space Before Sleep, an album steeped in grief, Sunday Forever turns towards lightheartedness while still carrying echoes of the past. It’s a delicate balance—joy peeking through the cracks of melancholy, never forced, never false.

https://independentmusic.reviews/sunday-forever-by-sylva-faye/

Strange Angels by Casa Del Sol

Mad Johnny Modell's life has been anything but predictable. From growing up in the shadow of an NFL empire to forging his own path in the music industry, his journey has been one of reinvention and resilience. Now, with Strange Angels, the debut album from Casa Del Sol, he steps fully into the artist’s role, crafting a record that feels like a warm embrace from the golden era of folk and psychedelic rock.

https://independentmusic.reviews/strange-angels-by-casa-del-sol/

The Child by Geowulf

Release Date: January 17, 2025 (Nettwerk Records) Geowulf’s new album, The Child, feels like a diary cracked open under the soft glow of a bedside lamp—a collection of deeply personal reflections, carried by Star Kendrick’s voice, which sounds as if it’s lived a thousand lives. For longtime fans of Geowulf, this release marks a bold new chapter. It’s not just a shift in tone or focus—it’s a full-on metamorphosis.

https://independentmusic.reviews/the-child-by-geowulf/

Headed for a Dive by Honeysucker

Honeysucker might call their sound yacht rock, but this EP feels more like a sailboat navigating choppy city waters—steady, soulful, and just scrappy enough to make you root for them. Whether you’re a Bushwick barback, a Chelsea project manager, or just someone trying to make sense of your own chaos, this EP is a must-listen. Honeysucker's debut EP, "Headed for a Dive," feels like a stolen postcard from a late-night subway ride—the kind…

https://independentmusic.reviews/headed-for-a-dive-by-honeysucker/

Mentors by Fish in a Birdcage

Dusty Townsend has always been a storyteller, but Mentors feels different. It’s less about the stories themselves and more about the hands that pass them down—the quiet figures shaping us, the voices that linger in our memories long after their speakers are gone. It’s a record full of reverence, not just for the people who taught him, but for the art of teaching itself.

https://independentmusic.reviews/mentors-by-fish-in-a-birdcage/