Steven and Ian open with a quick conversation about fireworks and fireworks-adjacent emo music. Then they dive into the outcry from Lorde fans about the faulty "transparent" CD edition of her latest album, Virgin (3:36). Steven is excited to see CD discourse go mainstream, though he worries that this bad publicity might turn people off to the format. After that, they discuss the AI band The Velvet Sundown, which has already racked up 500,000 monthly listeners on Spotify in just a few weeks (11:0...
Jul 04, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 246
Steven and Ian begin with a conversation about Virgin , the new album by Lorde out today (2:20). Judging by the singles, it's not clear if this is going to be the comeback she needs. They also talked about Guitar , the new album just announced by Mac DeMarco , his first "proper" record of songs in years (15:15). Then they pivoted to a conversation about the weird state of music in 2025 (24:14), which already seems like a weaker year than 2024, before they each listed their five favorite releases...
Jun 27, 2025•59 min•Ep. 245
Steven and Ian open this week's episode by hashing out the new trailer for Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere , the upcoming film about the making of Nebraska starring Jeremy Allen White from The Bear . Does the movie look any good? Does Jeremy have the proper level of rasp? (1:19) The guys also talk about a (terrible) new song featuring three sons of The Beatles. (10:13) Then, after Steven officially concedes defeat in the latest Fantasy Albums Draft (15:43), they review new albums by Haim (1...
Jun 20, 2025•56 min•Ep. 244
This week's Indiecast opens with a tribute to two fallen icons, Brian Wilson and Sly Stone , who both passed away at the age of 82 within a few days of one another (0:00). The guys discuss their respective legacies and the influence they have on modern music. They also discuss a recent article on dad rock and how the term now is used to describe any form of rock music (13:07). Then they check in on the Fantasy Albums Draft, which Ian is suddenly dominating (21:34). In the mailbag, they answer se...
Jun 13, 2025•56 min•Ep. 243
Steven and Ian open with a conversation about Miley Cyrus stans lobbying Metacritic to disregard negative reviews of her new album (0:00:. What could this mean for the future of the Fantasy Albums Draft? Speaking of the draft, it's coming down to the wire with reviews of new albums by Alan Sparhawk and Little Simz (8:10). From there, the guys talk about a new album announcement from Big Thief, as well as a new single (16:21). Then they review new albums by Turnstile (24:36) and Pulp (36:02). In ...
Jun 06, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 242
Steven and Ian begin this week's episode by noting the returns of two indie-rock favorites from the 2000s — Grizzly Bear and Fiery Furnaces are both returning to the road later this year (0:42). (Given that Grizzly Bear's Shields was recently inducted in the Indiecast Hall Of Fame , could this be evidence of the vaunted Indiecast bump?) The guys also talk about an upcoming fall tour from Modest Mouse and Built To Spill, and weigh the catalogs of these iconic bands against each other (7:32). Then...
May 30, 2025•59 min•Ep. 241
Steven and Ian begin with a short Sportscast about the tush push surviving a potential ban in the NFL (0:00). Then they talk about about the terrible commercial performance for Arcade Fire's latest album and where the band goes from here (6:43). They also listen to Sleep Token for the first time... and don't hate it (16:09)? After that, they discuss a disastrous turn for Steven's Fantasy Album Draft team, which forced him to pick a new album (25:12). In happier news, they discuss the great new W...
May 23, 2025•1 hr•Ep. 240
Steven and Ian begin with a Sportscast segment on recent NBA news, including conspiracy talk about the draft lottery and whether it's wrong to send an "lol" after a devastating sports injury (1:27). From there, they touch briefly on the Fantasy Albums Draft, which is looking very close (12:01), and recent mainstream rock releases by Sleep Token and Counting Crows (16:35). Then there's a discussion of the recent Arcade Fire record , which both Steven and Ian reviewed, and the band's future prospe...
May 16, 2025•58 min•Ep. 239
Steven and Ian open today with a quick TV-cast on the latest episode of The Rehearsal , which is some of the finest Evanescence-related content you will ever see. (0:13) (They also pivot briefly to a Movie-cast about Sinners .) (10:20) From there, they update the Fantasy Album Draft to talk about the great new album by Billy Woods, Golliwog , which is wowing critics. (14:00) They also briefly touch on the new Arcade Fire record , which Ian has not heard yet so the longer conversation is tabled f...
May 09, 2025•58 min•Ep. 238
Steven and Ian open this week with a conversation about financial woes at the LP subscription service Vinyl Me Please, and what this says about the "Big Vinyl" industry (1:16). They also talk about Steven's recent column on the most "CD album" albums , and why certain records work better on compact disc (9:38). In the Fantasy Album Draft update, they talk about new records by Model/Actriz and Jenny Hval (22:13). Then they review The Scholars , the latest album by Car Seat Headrest, along with di...
May 02, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 237
Steven and Ian start off by looking at the recently announced lineup for the annual Chicago punk festival Riot Fest , which includes a surprising addition: The Beach Boys [0:00]. Then they talk about deeply divided opinions in the mailbag about the semi-regular Sportscast segment — some of you hate it, some of you love it. Either way, Sportscast will continue. [11:34] For the Fantasy Albums Draft update, they check back with Tunde Adebimpe and look at the latest LP by guitarist William Tyler [17...
Apr 25, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 236
Steven and Ian begin this week's episode with a correction about Ian's claim about a "last" Bon Iver concert (0:00), and a conversation about the current state of the Indiecast mailbag. There's also a quick Sportscast on the NBA playoffs, and whether the NBA is the most indie-rock league (7:15). In the Fantasy Album Draft update, we look at recent reviews for Bon Iver and Tunde Adebimpe (14:58) and check out the new single from Lana Del Rey (21:43). Then the guys discuss some of the week's news,...
Apr 18, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 235
Steven and Ian begin this week's episode with some exciting news: Ian is writing a book (0:00)! Incredibly, it's an in-depth look at Childish Gambino's Camp . (Actually, it's about emo in the '90s.) Steven also presses Ian for his opinion on the new Black Country, New Road album, which he didn't bring up last week (4:30). From there, they do an extended lightning round on new singles from newly announced albums by Arcade Fire , Turnstile, Stereolab, and Pulp (15:17). Then they review the latest ...
Apr 11, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 234
Steven and Ian open this week's episode with a question: Was the first quarter of 2025 a little disappointing, in terms of album releases? Seems like it was (1:51). So why not look ahead to the second quarter? The guys go over new-release teases for music this week from a bevy of stars, including Wet Leg , Turnstile, and WU LYF (3:24). Then they do the Fantasy Albums Draft for the second quarter, discussing upcoming records from Lana Del Rey , Bon Iver , Billy Woods, Tunde Adebimpe, and more (26...
Apr 04, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 233
Steven and Ian kill some time at the start chatting about the return of Tobias Jesso Jr. (0:00) and Steven's recent list of the best 21st century indie-rock albums , which generated some buzz online (6:23). But they devote most of the episode discussing a full slate of new releases this week. First up is Lucy Dacus , who is back with a big new release on a major label. But is the album a major achievement (21:45)? After that, they do quick hits on new albums from Destroyer (38:23), Deafheaven (3...
Mar 28, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 232
Steven and Ian open this week's episode by noting the arrival of a new Kanye West album, and the difference between saying stupid things and doing criminal things (0:00). Then they transition to talking about the new album from Japanese Breakfast and whether it lives up to her previous work (14:27). They also talk about My Morning Jacket's career, and how their latest record fits with the overall catalog (32:39). In the mailbag, they discuss the recent class-action lawsuit against Tool and the m...
Mar 21, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 231
Steven and Ian open this week's episode by addressing the confusing new slang about "reheating one's nachos" as a metaphor for revisiting a signature style, used this week in reference to the new Lady Gaga album [1:12]. They also talk about the new single from Haim , and what it portends for (presumably) their upcoming LP [15:01]. In the mailbag, they weigh possibilities of Indiecast merch [31:56] and spend a ton of time contemplating their ultimate indie-rock all-star band, picking a singer, ba...
Mar 14, 2025•58 min•Ep. 230
Steven and Ian begin today's episode by celebrating the recent Oscar win for Daniel Blumberg, who picked up a trophy for scoring the The Brutalist , and his apparently disavowed past as the frontman for underrated early 2010s indie-rock band Yuck (1:24). The guys stay on the "Remember Some Guys" tip by noting this week's reunion news for The Beta Band, who will also be reissuing their beloved 1998 album The Three EPs (7:14). After that they discuss the recent album announcement from Car Seat Hea...
Mar 07, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 229
Steven and Ian begin with a quick Sportscast on the Green Bay Packers proposing a ban on the Philadelphia Eagles' signature play, the tush push, some truly tattletale behavior (1:16). They also check in on the Fantasy Albums Draft, which appears to be breaking Steven's way (6:28). From there, they discuss the new album from Sam Fender, People Talking (15:20), and whether The War On Drugs now function as their own genre. They also review the latest from the LA band Cheekface (30:53). In Recommend...
Feb 28, 2025•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 228
Steven and Ian kick off with a brief conversation about the recent SNL50 celebration (0:00) and whether Sportscast will ever transition to NBA regular season talk (7:13). Then they transition to an update on the Fantasy Albums Draft, including a new album from The Murder Capital (11:42). After that, they discuss recent festival announcements like Summer Of 99 And Beyond, which features a cavalcade of post-grunge bands (15:24). Then they transition to a talk about recent music documentaries about...
Feb 21, 2025•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 227
Steven and Ian begin this week by discussing their Valentine's Day plans and plotting a potential Love Is Blind -cast (0:00). Then Steven formally congratulates Ian on the Philadelphia Eagles' beatdown of the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl, and sort of makes amends for all of his Nick Sirianni slander (6:01). From there they break down the Super Bowl Halftime Show , and discuss the polarized reactions to Kendrick Lamar's performance (16:35). In the Fantasy Albums Draft update, they discuss...
Feb 14, 2025•1 hr•Ep. 226
Steven and Ian open with a quick recap of the Grammys , including takes on Cowboy Carter winning Album Of The Year, the Rolling Stones and the Beatles still getting awarded trophies in 2025 [3:14], and the potential star power and cringe factor of Doechii [7:34]. Then they look back at the history of Super Bowl halftime shows ahead of the big game this week [15:28]. They also look at two albums in the fantasy draft that are out this week [24:35], by the British post-punk band Squid and the veter...
Feb 07, 2025•55 min•Ep. 225
Steven and Ian open with a discussion of a recent article about the shutdown of the Pitchfork Music Festival that gives new behind-the-scenes details on the situation and sheds light on the festival industry overall (0:35). Then they pivot to a quick Sportscast about Ian's team the Philadelphia Eagles making the Super Bowl and Steven's heel turn as a Kansas City Chiefs supporter (12:20). They also talk about two records in the Fantasy Albums Draft by FKA Twigs and Bonnie "Prince" Billy, and give...
Jan 31, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 224
Steven and Ian open this week's episode by discussing recent controversies over Snoop Dogg and Nelly performing at Trump inauguration events [0:00]. Does anyone actually have the energy to care about this? They also do a quick Sportscast on Ian's team the Eagles being in the NFC Championship game [9:20], and check in on new albums by FKA Twigs and Benjamin Booker that are also on Ian's fantasy team. Then they dig into the music of 2015 -- the highs, the lows, the stuff they remember, the stuff t...
Jan 24, 2025•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 223
Steven and Ian open with a discussion of the recent Robbie Williams' biopic Better Man , in which the British singer is portrayed by a CGI monkey (2:09). Shockingly, the movie didn't catch on at the box office. They also do a quick Sportscast on the Eagles beating the Packers (9:24), and an even quicker Politics-cast on the upcoming inauguration (17:03). Then, finally, they get down to talking about music, touching on the new Lucy Dacus album announcement (25:20), the Rilo Kiley reunion (37:58),...
Jan 17, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 222
Steven and Ian begin with a quick Sportscast about their respective favorite NFL teams — the Packers and the Eagles — facing off in the playoffs in the weekend (3:23). They also review the (unlikeable) programs left in the College Football Playoffs (7:56). From there, they discuss the recent album announcement by Japanese Breakfast and whether they like her new single (14:29). They also look at the lineup for this year's Bonnaroo and whether it confirms Steven's suspicions about festivals being ...
Jan 10, 2025•56 min•Ep. 221
The boys are back! Steven and Ian catch up after the holiday break with a quick Sportscast about college football and the NFL [2:58]. Then they do their Fantasy Albums Draft for Q1 of 2025 and discussing upcoming records from FKA Twigs , The Weather Station, Ethel Cain , and more [18:45]. (Also, is it possible that Steven didn't win the Q4 2024 draft after all [15:18]?) From there, they review their predictions for musical happenings in 2024 — how accurate were they at anticipating the most hash...
Jan 03, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 220
It's the most wonderful time of the year! We're giving out our annual Indiecasties awards for 2024. Steven and Ian start with a brief conversation about the modern state of Spin magazine (0:00) and some big-picture thoughts on 2024, and then get about the business of giving out their trophies for the best and worst things of this year (9:40). Categories include: Most Valuable Annoying Music Story (15:59), Feel-Good Story Of The Year (23:27), Most 2024 Album Of 2024 (28:57), Most Memory-Holed Alb...
Dec 13, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 219
Steven and Ian begin this week's episode by recapping the new Yacht Rock documentary and Ian's Toto-related takeaways on the film that Steven worked on (0:00). Then they reflect on the week's deluge of year-end albums lists and they hash out the emerging trends, i.e. Brat is hot and Taylor Swift is not, and hip-hop is very chaotic (9:55). Finally, the guys dig into their own favorite albums of the year , sharing five choices each (25:44). New episodes of Indiecast drop every Friday. Listen to Ep...
Dec 06, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 218
Steven and Ian open this week's episode with a quick (actually kind of long!) "yay or nay" segment on Thanksgiving food. Does anyone actually like turkey? Let's find out (3:30)! After a quick Plug-cast on the yacht rock doc that Steven worked on (14:32), the guys confirm that Steven finally won an Fantasy Albums Draft thanks to the latest Father John Misty record (16:30). From there, they talk about the "surprise" Kendrick Lamar album that dropped last week, GNX , and what it means for the man's...
Nov 29, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 217
