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Tag: Indie

  • The Catalyst by Abigail Austin

    The Catalyst by Abigail Austin

    Artist: Abigail Austin

    Album: The Catalyst 

    Released: October 10, 2025; Say-10 Records

    “The Catalyst” marks a change in career trajectory for Abigail Austin. Her former work focused more on the folk genre, while this album, as you will soon see, is something very different. This album was my introduction to Abigail so, I am not going to bother comparing and contrasting her old stuff versus the new, but I will say that she clearly is a seasoned musician and it shows. 

    Before we get into the meat of this review, I wanted to say something about the naming conventions used for songs on this album. They are all clever, witty, and a little punny at times. To a certain extent, they remind me of Mid 2000’s emo song names, while not being as absurd as some of the more notable examples of that era. I enjoy them immensely. I am really only bringing this up to prepare y’all for the name drop of my favorite song. It is everything I mentioned above as well as being unnecessarily horny— “The Shape of the Country to Cum”  This song was an instant sell to me on the whole album. It’s got a power in its music and vocal performance that is reminiscent of a really good Cher ballade. Lyrically I think it would be fair to read this as some type of road song. However, I believe that the road is a metaphor for finding yourself and leaving the old you behind. There is something incredibly empowering in that thought and how it is conveyed by the song.  

    “Ultimate Frisbee on astroTeRF” is the type of love song that gets written at the resolution of a relationship that doesn’t end so well. It’s self reflective about what makes a good relationship and how that failed one ultimately didn’t provide that. It’s honestly just a really solid song. I love the beat, the hook, and the message. 

    Last, “Red Flag Forestry Service” is a dark and gloomy look at the state of the United States and how it has historically failed to live up to the promises presented by the myths of the country. I also believe it spends a little bit of time making reference to how American society tends to place blame for it’s systemic failings on those who it most disenfranchises. Blaming the poor for being poor, etc… The line ‘why would the world of man teach a worm to stand’ to me is about how those disenfranchised individuals then begin to internalize all that propaganda and in short begin to except the unwarranted blame that is force upon them. As a whole, it is a pretty apt look at America and it is delivered in a sorrowful respect that I think the topic deserves. 

    Abigail Austin’s, “The Catalyst” delivers everything I love about 80s pop rock divas like Cher and Bonnie Tyler, but reimagines it in a modern synth wave packaging that is unique and up lifting.  This is a much welcomed evolution in Abigail’s career path. I hope she stays the course moving forward. I would love to see more music in this vain from her and that is coming from someone who loves folk music so, you know this is seriously good stuff. 

    If you like the album I reviewed here and want to support the artist as well as this blog please consider picking up the album via this affiliate link—> Purchase The Catalyst by Abigail Austin digitally via Amazon Music

  • Wayne’s World/Almost Alive from Dustin’s Kitchen by Little Tiny Knife

    Wayne’s World/Almost Alive from Dustin’s Kitchen by Little Tiny Knife

    Album: Wayne’s World/ Almost Alive from Dustin’s Kitchen

    Artist: Little Tiny Knife 

    Released: July 31, 2025; Self Release 

    Little Tiny Knife is a band from the Sacramento area. They were founded by Josiah Masteller and include members such as Jim Soltero and Brianna Carmel. You may remember them from their solo work being featured on the blog last year. This will be their first full album release, having only a single and a feature released prior.

    Their album, “Wayne’s World/Almost Alive from Dustin’s Kitchen” represents a departure from Little Tiny knife’s perviously released work, which focused on delivering a chiptune accompaniment along side folkesque vocals. With this album, what they do deliver is a solid indie folk offering with a punk infused ethos. Probably the best display of this ethos is found in the song “Roll up Your Sleeves”. It is a melody driven ballad about making the world better by standing up to oppressors through actions like punching Nazis. This is the track that really sold me on the album. I was like, “damn, y’all I’m really digging your game”. This is my favorite song, hands down.

    “Spaceman” has pretty somber subject matter dealing with domestic abuse from the P.O.V. of someone struggling with the aftermath from outside the immediate relationship. Honestly, I was initially perplexed by the spaceman analogy and assumed that it was a reference for a specific person or an inside “joke” but the more I thought about it, the more I am convinced it’s a reference to the 1950’s sitcom the Honeymooners. The blow hard main character infamously used space travel as a threatening metaphor for domestic abuse. While the core message of the song is definitely stark, the song still manages to have a catchy rhythm in parts and has a great vocal delivery.

    The last song I want to draw attention to is “Tired of Driving”. This is because this particular song is a revision of a single they released in 2023 that originally came with a chiptune treatment. The new song is more mellow and the chiptune has been replaced with acoustic melodies, tambourine and a bass line provided by Jim Soltero on the up right bass that I would go as far as to say slaps. While I love me a good chiptune, I would willingly trade it for the up right base lines that are laced throughout not only this song, but the album. It is hard to deny that this version really brings it in every way that maters.  

    Despite “Wayne’s World/Almost Alive From Dustin’s Kitchen” being Little Tiny Knife’s first album, it presents a depth and maturity that you can only get from veterans of their local scene. The Little Tiny Knife Discography just leveled up, big time. Fans of folk should give it a listen or also if you are a fan of the kazoo. Yes, they’ve got a kazoo, some people are just cool like that.

    If you like the album I reviewed here and want to support the artist as well as this blog please consider picking up the album via this affiliate link—-> Purchase Wayne’s World/Almost Alive from Dustin’s Kitchen via Amazon Music