Music Guy bids farewell to another summer with this indie rock playlist for September 2021. It’s full of anthems and more introspective tracks to transition into the fall.
Let’s take a look at a few of the many standouts from this indie rock September 2021 playlist.
Looks (The Menzingers) – Great rocker to kick off this indie rock September 2021 playlist. The Menzingers have a lot of great tunes, but this anthem might be my favorite.
Afterglow (Teenage Wrist) – The heaviness of that chorus underneath that simple falsetto vocal hook on Afterglow is so good.
Modern Act (Cloud Nothings) – Cloud Nothings’ guitars always sound huge and do their brand of kind of a heavier and modern Replacements as well as anyone. There’s a dire quality on that chorus that just keeps getting bigger from the prechorus which makes this one of my favorites from them.
No Halo (Sorority Noise) – A lot of vocalists sing their verses one octave lower to contrast and rev up the energy way up on that chorus. That’s exactly what happens on Sorority Noise’s “No Halo”. They mix in that lower octave but it’s all about the screamed out vocal hook on that chorus.
Honk + Wave (Limbeck) – I love it when a song sucks you in from the first chord and word. There’s something very reassuring about that opening/verse hook on Limbeck’s “Honk + Wave”.
Always a Friend (Alejandro Escovedo) – Alejandro Escovedo has been around since the 70’s and is probably the oldest artist we’ve featured on our playlists so far. I stumbled upon this song in the last couple years and it always puts a smile on my face. It’s a feel good track that’ll have you tappin your toes.
I Will Never Give Up on You (Fort Atlantic) – “I Will Never Give Up on You” is a sneaky great building song. When they bring in that minor chord to base that chorus around, it gets huge. Great late 50’s space on that vocal, as well. This track feels like it would fit right in with Bruce, Petty, or Gaslight Anthem.
Summer Didn’t Change a Thing (White Lies) – The perfect track to end this indie rock September 2021 playlist, we say goodbye to summer with White Lies’ “Summer Didn’t Change a Thing”. I love this song’s poppy new wave vibes on the versus, but it gets so damn good starting with that prechorus as the drums cut out and you can feel it building into something great. This song is two strong hooks in one, delivering the titular lyric through a unique and excellent melody on both the prechorus and that chorus, that switch into that rocking powerchord filled chorus a welcome surprise.