Boost Your Playlist: “Downhill” by Indigo Boulevard

Songs to get you through the pandemic.

Note: Boost Your Playlist is for songs either from local DC bands, or from artists that ‘recently’ performed live in DC.

Today, April 20th, local indie rock band Indigo Boulevard released their latest single, “Downhill”.

In contrast to the sameness of the condos and office buildings that have taken over their home town of Falls Church, Virginia, Indigo Boulevard delivers a bubble of escapism in that suburban reality in the form of spry and idealistic music.

“Downhill” circles around you in its airy mix of emotions, and for some, brings out the nostalgia of young love in high school and college, or the reminisces of the adventures of youth. But for the band members themselves, it is a treatise of life now, of love, of loss, of peaking at the prime of life. Because we all know growing up from that point is a downhill climb. But as the chorus implores, you must move forward, “Don’t turnaround, you might lose your footing. You can’t go back, so why bother looking.”

The band is comprised of Natalie Ingalls (lead vocals), Colter Adams (guitar and keyboard) and Daisy Forbes (drums and bass), with recently departed member Kaia Ellis (vocals and guitar). Colter and Natalie met at youth community theater and brought in the other two to start playing together on weekends, looking for ways to connect musically to the community and find new fans for their bright and infectious indie rock music.

After you’ve given “Downhill” your attention, definitely also check out their first single, “In The Moment”. Heck, forget that, listen to all eight songs from their first EP, Cloud Noise, on repeat. I did that three times, before remembering I was due for a Zoom session. They’ve drawn comparisons in their sound and lyrics to the band Middle Kids, and one can’t find fault in that. Both bands have a deep poetic yearning for life in lyrics and delivery, while acknowledging the heartbreaks and angst of youth, and able to grow based on those experiences.

Find the newly released “Downhill” on Spotify. 

Or check them out on Soundcloud.

Find out when the band is playing in the future, and get a copy of the EP on their website.