Hump Day News helps the 2023 Boston Music Awards do Best Alt/Indie Artist better.

Didja see? The Boston Music Awards nominations started rolling out in September.

What are the BMAs? Well, the annual music awards ceremony is presented by the whiskey drink Jack Daniels. It’s held at Big Night Live on December 20th. Tickets are sold for seats you sit in. And the logo looks like Paul Revere on a horse, carrying a boombox?

The website says the nominations were pinned down by September 18th.

If you have the time and prolific output, do what Pile did this year: release a killer album (All Fiction) earlier in the year, reap the extra attention won in a relatively quiet time of the year for album announcements, then drop a short & sweet EP (Hot Air Balloon) in the last quarter to remind everyone that you’re still alive and you’re awesome.

Evil genius!

If you want to vote, vote here.

ALT/INDIE ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Interesting how two awkward descriptors ‘alt’ and ‘indie’ have converged into a single category.

Awkward, but not useless. You know exactly what sonic sun the planets ‘alt’ or ‘indie’ or ‘alt/indie’ revolve around.

Here’s the list of BMA nominees:

Coral Moons, Divine Sweater, Little Fuss, Lost Film, Paper Lady, Sorry Mom, Squirrel Flower, STEFAN THEV, The True Faith, and Winkler.

Hump Day News has written up tracks from Little Fuss and Lost Film, a live show from Paper Lady, and all of the above by Winkler. The alt/indie juice seeps from their pores! It drips down their fleshy appendages and soaks their socks! Messy.

Let’s improve the list with a couple of adds.

How about Landowner?

Straight outta Holyoke! Its not clear that Landowner would accept the mantle of ‘alt’ or ‘indie,’ never mind ‘band of the year.’ They’ve got a boatload of influences that link their sound to other genre ghettos. Regardless, the post punk pattern mashers have amassed an impressive body of work. And their 2023 LP Escape the Compound shows them in top form. Also, clearly indie, because their record is released via indie label Born Yesterday Records.

How about TIFFY?

What goes into being any kind of ‘artist of the year?’ Gotta release new music, gig a ton, and have a great sound. TIFFY checks all the boxes with a guitar-driven altpop sound that’s in conversation with the rock n roll tradition that made ‘alt’ alt and ‘indie’ indie. Also, clearly indie, because their record So Serious is released via indie label Totally Real Records.

How about Lane?

The Can-inspired minprog four-piece’s floor is higher than most bands’ ceilings. Short but sweet discography, and they always find themselves on killer live bills around town. Watch for new singles to drop late this year.

Music Publication Of The Year