Oklahoma’s underground gems of 2024

By Dominic Leading Fox

Photo of Greyland by Dominic Leading Fox.

Oklahoma is blooming with a myriad of musical talent in 2024. From OTIS VCR’s old-school hardcore punk to Chelsea Days’ laid-back indie, here are some highlights from the year so far.

Greyland - “Nothing Has Stood Out So Far”

The debut studio EP by Tulsa natives Greyland, “Nothing Has Stood Out So Far,” perfectly encapsulates the melancholic, electric energy that the band is known for on-stage. Few bands know how to entangle the listener in a slew of hypnotic guitars and mournful vocals like Greyland, nor do many bands know how to detonate them into a larger-than-life, overdriven punch to the face. “Drawing Flowers” makes for a powerful opening to the EP with its swinging time signature and droning guitar lines, “Spider Bite” ends it remarkably with an eight-minute powerhouse, but the personal favorite has to be “Griever,” the middle track of the EP. Here, Greyland (in my opinion) nails down their sound to the highest degree thus far. The dark, math rock-y guitars that lead straight into an almost violently electric chorus exhibit what Greyland does best: introspection and power.

Feverest - “Blurred”

Another debut EP, Feverest’s “Blurred” brings an authentic, raw sound to Oklahoma indie. As if shoegaze was being played by a punk band, every song on “Blurred” is spacey yet loud. One of the things I appreciate most is their creative use of their instrumentation, with more than one song featuring some wild synth effects. “Glimmer,” the opening track, is the main culprit behind Feverest’s loud, aggressive sound. It does take a back seat in track two, however, as “Harsh” doesn’t reach much of a crescendo. It returns with “Losing Teeth” and “In Your Way;” however, the latter ends the EP with explosive, emotional instrumentation and sci-fi synth effects. The boys at Feverest know how to end a project, and it's exciting to see where they go next.

OTIS VCR - “Tim Tracks”

One of the brightest stars in modern Oklahoma hardcore punk (and my personal favorite), OTIS VCR brings nothing to play around with in their newest release, “Tim Tracks.” A two-song single release, “Tim Tracks” contains little under five minutes of pure old-school hardcore energy. Opening with “Sunken Place,” the band practically revs up their engines with thrashing guitar, wild basslines and what can only be described as a punk-rock drum roll. OTIS VCR then launches into about a minute of fast hardcore accompanied by the vocalist’s aggressive chanting. Before long, however, OTIS VCR drops two breakdown sections fit for a bruised eye or a broken leg. The second track, “Bitter,” carries much of the same feeling: fast, loud, unforgiving. With groovy drops sprinkled in as well, “Bitter” has the makings of a crowd favorite. With its timeless sound and youthful energy, “Tim Tracks” makes a statement to the Oklahoma music scene: OTIS VCR is here to stay. 

Mallory Eagle - “Carole With An E”

The most unique yet classic-sounding artist to be featured on this list, Mallory Eagle brings the sound of hard-knocking, old-school Americana Country to 2024. Upon my immediate listen, “Carole With An E” absolutely blew me away sonically and stylistically. Opening with the most rock ‘n roll guitar line one could ever imagine, the band immediately explodes into a groovy, punchy sound that could make even the biggest city-slicking hipsters bob their heads. Eagle’s voice emits the classic country sound missing from many of today’s radio hits, and her band (complete with a steel guitar) rocks the hard edge that modern mainstream country has long forgotten. “Carole With An E” is a seriously impressive single and succeeds more than anything I’ve ever heard to bring the sound of 70’s outlaw country to the 2020s. 

Chelsea Days - “Ego Death”

The biggest band on this list, Chelsea Days is not expected to disappoint—and they haven’t. Riding on the forefront of the modern psychedelic-indie sound, Chelsea Days brings the hypnotic and beautiful musicality they’re known for to the new single, “Ego Death.” What’s not to like about this song? Whether it be the looping jangly guitars, the funky drum playing or the melodic singing, “Ego Death” exhibits an obvious fact: Chelsea Days is good at what they do. At some points, there’s a flute playing; sometimes, there’s a synth helping out the chorus. The sheer creativity showcased on this single is enough to turn any average Joe into an avid Chelsea Days fanatic.