Summer Indie Music Playlist 2015

In the past few years it's taken me longer to put the summer mix together, because finding upbeat indie music has grown increasingly difficult. I sift through literally thousands of songs using BIRP, Rolling Stone, Spin, CMJ, online searches and YouTube playlists. After exhaustive research I'm starting to conclude that the majority of young indie musicians (and their listeners) can only express themselves through sad navel-gazing and wallowing in romantic depression. Admittedly, the technology that was supposed to bring us closer together has often only created vast chasms of distance between us; we're addicted to our phones and computers, scared to go to parties, afraid to reveal our true selves, terrified of ridicule and the dynamics of socialization. The fast music I find is usually neo-Punk Rock or Metal, and it's angry, not happy. Even Billboard's low-brow darlings of Pop, Rap, EDM and Country have slowed their beats down in some sort of corporate hypnosis. And yet there's so much to celebrate at this instant in time- an increasing awareness of equality for women, for oppressed races, for the LBGT community. If you focus on the positive it's a huge damn joyous party for progressive people in America right now, a dawning of a new era. But only if you stay focused on what's amazing about being alive. Don't let the conservatives of Elmore City (that's a "Footloose" reference) kill your buzz, my friends.

Here are ten questions I want you to ask yourself:
1. Was the last song I listened to slow or fast?
2. What was the tempo of the last song I heard on the radio?
3. Was the lyrical content of the last song I listened to happy or sad?
4. When I post songs or listen to songs posted on social media are they usually upbeat?
5. Am I sad or happy?
6. When invited to a social gathering do I usually reply "maybe"?
7. If I reply "yes", do I actually attend?
8. When was the last time I laughed?
9. When was the last time I danced?
10. What are my blessings, my joys, my reasons to celebrate?

This playlist is for you (and it's typed-out below):

SUMMER INDIE MUSIC PLAYLIST 2015
1. Braves Shores - Never Come Down
2. Mumford & Sons - The Wolf
3. Yumi Zouma - Catastrophe
4. Bop English - It Was Beyond Our Control
5. Twenty One Pilots - Tear In My Heart
6. Ader - Landshapes
7. Ash - Machinery (if watching on YouTube, change speed to 1.25 in settings)
8. eLLe beLLe - Knock On The Light (n/a on YouTube...yet)
9. The Derevolutions - Now You Know My Name
10. Leon Bridges - Better Man
11. Cheers Elephant - Airliner
12. Lady Lamb - Billions Of Eyes
13. Late Cambrian - Golden Time
14. Toro Y Moi - Run Baby Run
15. Lower Dens - Societe Anonyme
16. Ratatat - Cream On Chrome
17. LA Priest - Oino
18. Happy Hollows - Astrid
19. Painted Palms - Tracers
20. The Sonics - Sugaree (these guys are in their 70s, btw)
21. Von Sell - Ivan
22. Mew - Satellites