Plum Year in Rearview
Music + art = OSGEMEOS: In between exhibit at Frist Art Museum, Nashville, November 2019
At the end of all things 2019, I can look back at the Plum Indie Blog and see that where there once was nothing, a mere half-baked idea, there are now nine entries—maybe not the 12, once-a-month posts I had originally envisioned, but nine is still nine more than nothing. It’s been remarkably fun to discover and share some hidden and not so hidden indie music gems and listen as two playfully edgy playlists—one on SoundCloud, the other on Spotify—take shape slowly but tenaciously. These playlists are like a well-steeped tea, to be sipped, savored, and held warmly in your cupped hands. So, here at the end of a strange and interesting year, I recap the plum indie songs we’ve discovered together plus one new one for this month:
“Ghosts in Daylight,” by Atlantic Line, from Exit to Intro (2009) — The first Plum Indie Blog song selection still invigorates every time it comes up in the shuffle. It lilts and rocks and carries you off to float around in your thoughts. Perfect for a plane ride.
“Forest Serenade,” by Joy Formidable from Wolf’s Law (2013) — This intoxicating indie tune pulls you along with its sweeping melodic imagery and deposits you at a craggy plateau above tree line, willing you to keep moving forward despite the looming wilderness. Pairs well with pre-hike planning.
“Another Satellite,” by Fur from Image on the Reverse (2012) — At the intersection of edgy and easy-going, this Plum Indie gem simmers with indie goodness. Perfect for setting the scene of your next long run. Note: “Another Satellite” is only available on the SoundCloud playlist.
“I Fell Asleep to Twin Peaks, Part 1” by Oldsoul from Coy (2018) — It was a fortuitous Plum Indie discovery to find Oldsoul on my local college radio. “I Fell Asleep to Twin Peaks, Part 1” is a dreamy, melodic tune with loads of grit and heart. Great for when you need a little break from your everyday routine.
“Canyon on Fire” by Wild Nothing from Indigo (2018) — The crunchy, relentless guitar in this hypnotic tune is irresistible. It carries you along to wherever you need to go like a favorite amusement park ride. Perfect for when you don’t feel like running and you need to talk yourself into it.
“Naive,” by Knowne Ghost, single, (2018) — The opening bars of this Plum Indie pick draw me in every time. This indie song rocks and refreshes and propels you into a better mood. Great for when you need to shed a little stress.
“Wild Kind,” by The Tontons from Make Out King and Other Stories of Love (2014) — “Wild Kind” is such a rich, tantalizing tune full of delightful treasures—I am so happy I found this hidden gem! Pairs beautifully with a walk along the ocean.
“Our Girl,” by Our Girl (2018) — A gorgeously fun song, “Our Girl” surrounds you in the full indie rock sound, interjected with shimmering vocals and some solid badass advice. Perfect for when you need a pep talk.
“Two of us—the multi-talented Michael Costelloe and myself—took that chorus beyond the workshop, nurtured it, and grew it into the vibrant, contemplative indie tune, ‘How Will I Know When I Know You.’”
“Parking Lots” by Plums from “Jen” (2015) — “Parking Lots” is the December Plum Indie pick and the last selection to wrap up this indie music blogs’ first year. I found Plums when I was looking around on SoundCloud to see what other plum stuff was out there, and I’m so glad that I landed on “Parking Lots.” It’s just simply a fun song that pops with a driving indie vibe, and it works great as a secret cure for what ails you. Plums pair well with the Plum Indie Blog.
Mountains + music = cover art, with a foggy view of Mt. Jackson, White Mountains, NH, for “How Will I Know When I Know You” - single out 1/20/20
Up Next…
Here’s the story of “How Will I Know When I Know You,” a new song I have coming out on 1/20/2020. I kid you not, I never even considered the possibility that I might have a song on iTunes or Spotify—though I suppose if you write songs that would be the natural progression of things—it just never crossed my mind. Born at Berklee Onsite—an annual music conference hosted by Berklee Online at the Berklee College of Music campus in Boston—the song began as a chorus written by four strangers in a writing workshop. Two of us—the multi-talented Michael Costelloe and myself—took that chorus beyond the workshop, nurtured it, and grew it into the vibrant, contemplative indie tune, “How Will I Know When I Know You.” Along with writing a blog for the first time this year, another first for me was working in a recording studio outside of my house, thanks to Dave Carroll at The Conservatory at Highlands and Elias McAfee-Hahn. The vocals we recorded and mixed together match the gritty indecision and intensity of the song beautifully. The rest of this enchanting tune was created and arranged by Michael Costelloe to a stunning effect. It’s been a wonderfully cool process and I hope you enjoy the end result of our collective efforts. “How Will I Know When I Know You” is now available on iTunes. Click here. Thanks for joining me in this indie music discovery—plenty more to discover in 2020. See you then.