There are several familiar album anniversaries in May 2026. But the following three indie rock releases are a bit more underrated.
For longtime fans, these are nothing new. However, after hitting 20 years this month, perhaps these albums should receive some wider appreciation.
‘Sing the Greys’ by Frightened Rabbit
Scottish indie rock band Frightened Rabbit released their debut album Sing the Greys in May 2006 with an extremely limited run of only 1,000 copies. They re-released the album the following year on a new label after cleaning up some of the tracks. The result was a fuller sound that the band felt made it a “proper album.” Tragically, founder and songwriter Scott Hutchison died by suicide on May 9, 2018, twelve years after the band debuted.
For fans looking back, Sing the Greys represents the raw, unpolished beginnings of Frightened Rabbit. It began as Hutchison’s solo project, eventually growing to include his brother on drums and several other members. Longtime fans note that Sing the Greys doesn’t exactly hold up against the band’s later work. But it shouldn’t be ignored just because it’s a bit rough. It differs from subsequent albums quite a bit, but there’s an energy to it that thrives on being unrefined.
‘Yes! Tinnitus!’ by Shooting At Unarmed Men
Shooting at Unarmed Men was formed by ex-Mclusky member Jon Chapple. A second mini-album, Yes! Tinnitus!, released in May 2006, with a distinctly Mclusky-esque sludge rock sound. But, as Pitchfork wrote at the time, this album lacked Mclusky’s precision strikes.
This was attributed more to Steve Albini’s production work, which Yes! Tinnitus! didn’t have. Instead, the melodic blows were softer, but the words were still sharp. As nonsensical as they often were, the lyrics also had a way of giving one whiplash. Spastic and untamed, but not as finely honed.
‘Howling Bells’ by Howling Bells
Howling Bells released their debut self-titled album in May 2006 to generally favorable praise. It was an interesting blend of country-goth and indie rock with Coldplay-esque influences, and in the mid-2000s scene, it was received well. But some critics felt that it was almost too polished for a debut. It ran the risk of repetition and toed the delicate line of being overworked and too slick.
However, Howling Bells also helped the band grow quickly. It had a sophisticated sound, but there was still room for uniqueness. Those successes outweighed its flaws, which veered into pretentious melancholy territory. But Howling Bells retained a certain gloomy whimsy formed by innovative lyric phrases and an effective blend of blues, country, and pop with indie rock of 2006.
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