“All the Milwaukee classics you might have missed lately.” That’s the tagline for Milwaukee Indie, Volume I, a nine-track digital comp out today on Spotify and Apple Music. Inherent in that line is the fact that these are new Milwaukee classics. If you need a little catch-up in the world of up-and-coming Milwaukee indie music, this is a good place to start.
Milwaukee Indie was assembled by local musician Payton Stark. His band, Alternative Radio, kicks things off with the strutting “On The Road Again.” Tracks from groups we already know and love (Yum Yum Cult, Diet Lite) follow, as do selections from groups new to us (The Present Age, Scarlet Morning). And while it’s certainly limited in sound and scope, the comp does have some undeniable highlights: the snotty punk of The Golden Grenades‘ “Why Can’t Johnny Just Dance,” and the bouncing pop-punk of Falling Flat‘s “Wastin’ My Time,” for example. Plus, that Yum Yum Cult song is super good.
Stark says Milwaukee Indie may eventually see a physical release, and that he hopes to issue new volumes in the future. Listen to volume I below:
Exclusive articles, podcasts, and more. Support Milwaukee Record on Patreon.
RELATED ARTICLES
• Listen to the first new Yum Yum Cult song in more than a year, “Convenience & Me”
• Diet Lite’s new album is very good, doctor-certified COVID-free