“Nebraska. Honestly, it’s not for everyone.” This is the questionable new tourism slogan for my home state. It’s certainly accurate; this state has almost 3 times as many cows as people. However, no matter how much of the state is consumed by corn fields, we cannot ignore that, out of the rapidly growing cities of Omaha and Lincoln, numerous bands are making a name for themselves. And honestly, they ARE for everyone.
TWINSMITH
Twinsmith is one of my favorite bands, local or otherwise. When I first heard their music, my initial reaction was disbelief that this band could possibly hail from the same midwestern city as I. The indie-pop quartet gained some traction when their beachy love song “You & I” was featured in the hit Netflix original film “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before.” Their newest single, “Feels,” comes out today!
BRIGHT EYES
For just over 150 years, Nebraska has been bringing you corn, cows, and Conor Oberst. While they are no longer making music, Bright Eyes is a defining band of early 2000s indie folk rock. Frontman and Omaha native Conor Oberst continues to produce solo work, most recently collaborating with indie icon Phoebe Bridgers to create a project known as Better Oblivion Community Center. He is the co-founder of the record label Saddle Creek, which represents bands not only from Omaha but across the country.
SEE THROUGH DRESSES
Dream pop band See Through Dresses combines soft vocals with both driving guitar and atmospheric synths to create a musical experience that is near otherworldly. Their sound is simultaneously gentle and hard-hitting, with a diverse array of material to suit any mood. The band has toured with bands such as Cursive (another Omaha Saddle Creek band) and Beach Slang.
ICKY BLOSSOMS
Get ready to get weird. Synth centric Omaha band has no fear of straying from the accepted, both lyrically and sonically. Far from melodic, the experimental electronic band uses deep, nearly spoken word style vocals to create strangely danceable tracks. After hearing their song “Babes” for the first time, I wasn’t quite sure what I had just listened to, but I knew I enjoyed it. Icky Blossoms will get your foot tapping to the most bizarre of sounds, and you won’t regret it.
STATE DISCO
State Disco is an alt-indie pop band reminiscent of The Killers. With soaring melodies and upbeat instrumentation, State Disco will get you dancing in no time. Their first and only release, an EP entitled “Going To Sleep Is Giving Up,” was released in 2018. The band performed at Maha Music Festival in Omaha last year, sharing the stage with headliners TV on the Radio, Father John Misty, and Weezer.
For the last few weeks, Nebraska has been under a state of emergency due to major flooding caused by heavy rain and melting snow. The floods destroyed and isolated many small towns across the state. If you would like to consider donating to help Nebraskan flood victims, click here to learn more: https://www.redcross.org/about-us/news-and-events/news/red-cross-responds-to-flooding.html
Article written by Maureen!
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