Indie rock band Porch Light is breaking barriers, creating more of a sense of relatability and intimacy to their 1990s “basement rock” vibe. This Minneapolis-based band formed in 2024, but the way this group meshes together makes it feel like they’ve been performing together for decades. The band takes its name from their early days writing and jamming on a front porch in the historic neighborhood quaintly known as Dinkytown, Minneapolis. The band features powerhouse vocalist Jackie Uhas, Zac Fogarty and Kyle Siemon each on guitar, bassist Henry Hughes, and Isaiah Trimbo on drums.
Porch Light was the debut act to take the stage this year on day one of the Hinterland Music Festival in St. Charles, IA, and I had the extreme pleasure of not only capturing some photos from their set, but also experiencing their music live. I’ll be completely transparent here. I’ve never heard their music before this, but became an instant fan.
Their debut album, Hush, is anything but quiet. It takes its title from the transition of their smaller, more intimate basement sound, moving it onto the much larger-scale, and louder environments such as festival stages. Shortly after their two EP releases, Porch Light and Navy Blue in 2025, the band started work on Hush at a remote cabin in the dead of winter. In an interview, lead vocalist Jackie Uhas stated, “We want to be the biggest band in the world.” I can definitely see that happening.
This 11-track album is a well-balanced mixture of songs containing anthems, bangers, and ballads, bottling their songs with huge riffs and clawing hooks. Taking on a cohesive theme, the tracks tell the tale of battling with the struggles in a relationship, from lacking the desired attention, such as those in “Arctic,” to finally taking the final step and leaving the situation in “Baggage.”
The opening track, “Arctic,” kicks off with a short and quite catchy guitar hook, where it continues as a rhythmic pulse throughout the song. An energetic and fast-paced kickoff to the album tracklist, and definitely a standout track for me.
Track two, “Paranoia,” is teeming with riffs and commanding vocals by Uhas, and a complete juxtaposition from the introductory track. Things take a bit of a melodic turn with the following track, “Crossfire.” This song is a dreamy tune full of lament, telling the tale of baring the still-broken parts of her soul to a new partner. It’s not relayed just through Jackie’s vocals, but through Trimbo’s steady drum rhythm.
“Mary’s Got a Gun” is the first power ballad on the tracklist, and strongly conveys the tale throughout this album. At this point, she takes a step back, moving more into her own feelings, rather than pushing them on to someone else. The more predominant sound of symbols in this song seem to be expressing more anger. The following track, “Living Room Blues,” is quite a soulful song, and another true power ballad, with a much slower tempo than “Mary.” The storyteller seems to be filled with more doubt than ever before. Backed by strong percussion and guitar riffs, it’s hitting the climax of the heartbreaking tale being told.
“With You” covers a bevy of emotions. The song starts off with soft vocals and rhythms, segueing into a slightly faster tempo and more defined vocals, then into heavy instrumentals for the second half of this song, denoting anger and deeper feelings. This makes my list of yet another favorite track.
The shortest track at only 1:06, “Violence” is an extremely raw, acoustic recording, falling a little more than halfway through the tracklist. Despite it being short, the lyrics express what I feel is the strongest emotional point where things start to pivot. The soft vocals throughout this track capture her vulnerability, realizing that things need to change. The next phase of the situation is exhibited in “Under,” with hard vocals and instrumentals right from the onset. The heavy electric guitar sound throughout depicted plenty of rage, adding to the battle of moving on from a bad relationship.
Another power ballad, “James,” eloquently follows, making a melodic u-turn. Chock full of a variety of guitar licks, “Shut Out” presents the realization that the current relationship is no longer worth it. The vocal dissonance at “wrap my head around, hold off what I think about” conveys the message that she’s come to terms with things, and no longer feels she deserves this situation.
The concluding track, “Baggage” maintains a steady rhythm as she essentially decides “I’m outta here. I’ve had enough!” The smooth, soft melodic instrumentals provide a slight melancholy mood for her final decision to move out, and move on from the current situation.
Overall, this entire album is one I’d listen to frequently, especially after discovering a new (to me) band. I cannot wait to see what is in store for them in the future, but for now, be sure to check out this album, available September 18, 2026 via Mom & Pop Music, recorded at Pachyderm Studios with producer Caleb Wright.
As far as festivals go, they’ll be performing at the Shaky Knees Festival on September 20, 2026 in Atlanta, GA. They’ll officially kick off their Hush Tour at Club Dada in Dallas, TX on September 22, and conclude the tour at First Avenue in their home town of Minneapolis, MN on November 21, 2026. See full dates below:
SEPTEMBER
18-20 – Atlanta, GA – Shaky Knees†
22 – Dallas, TX – Club Dada
23 – Austin, TX – Brushy Street
25 – Phoenix, AZ – Valley Bar
26 – Los Angeles, CA – Troubadour
27 – San Diego, CA – Voodoo Room
29 – Santa Cruz, CA – Catalyst Atrium
30 – San Francisco, CA – Rickshaw Stop
OCTOBER
2 – Seattle, WA – Baba Yaga
3 – Portland, OR – Holocene
5 – Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Court
6 – Fort Collins, CO – Sound Bar
7 – Denver, CO – Bluebird
9 – Omaha, NE – Reverb
10 – Madison, WI – Majestic Theatre
20 – Detroit, MI – El Club
21 – Columbus, OH – A&R
23 – Washington, DC – Atlantis
24 – Raleigh, NC – Kings
25 – Charleston, SC – Pour House
27 – Nashville, TN – Exit/In
28 – Louisville, KY – Zanzibar
30 – Charlottesville, VA – The Southern
31 – Philadelphia, PA – Foundry
NOVEMBER
2 – Toronto, ON – Longboat Hall
3 – Montréal, QC – Bar Le Ritz
4 – Burlington, VT – Higher Ground
7 – Boston, MA – Brighton
8 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
10 – Pittsburgh, PA – Preserving Underground
12 – Indianapolis, IN – Hi-Fi
13 – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall
21 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue