Durand Jones & the Indications channel gritty soul that confronts romance, loss, and everyday struggles of modern life from their Bloomington, Indiana base. College classmates united by a shared obsession with classic R&B decided to form the group simply for enjoyment, yet their low-budget, self-titled debut from 2016—tracked at home with rudimentary equipment—quickly turned into an underground phenomenon, its faithful nods to vintage East Coast and Midwest styles earning widespread admiration from listeners and reviewers alike. Powerful concerts plus a later expanded reissue on a bigger imprint raised the band’s visibility, paving the way for the follow-ups American Love Call in 2019 and Private Space in 2021, the latter drawing deeper inspiration from 1970s sources.
Jones spent his early years in rural Louisiana, first singing publicly in his church youth choir, where his commanding voice drew immediate notice from the congregation. His grandmother, the person who encouraged choir participation, also pushed him toward saxophone study; after earning a BA from Southern Louisiana University in 2012, he relocated to Bloomington for graduate work at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music. While playing in a university saxophone ensemble, Jones connected with Aaron Frazer and Blake Rhein, two students equally devoted to older soul and R&B sounds. Though initially hesitant to front the band, Jones was encouraged by Frazer on drums and vocals and Rhein on guitar. Bassist Kyle Houpt and keyboardist Justin Hubler, already bandmates with Frazer and Rhein in the blues-oriented Charlie Patton’s War, completed the roster, and the Indications began performing at off-campus gatherings.
Growing popularity prompted original songwriting, with early sessions taking place in Frazer’s basement on a four-track setup and a karaoke microphone for vocals. Those rough tapes reached Terry Cole of the soul-focused Colemine Records, resulting in the 2015 single “Smile.” Colemine then released the full debut album the following year, produced for a total of $452.11 that covered both gear and beer. Grassroots buzz and support from independent shops helped the record connect, sending the group on tour to build an audience through dynamic live performances. In 2018 Dead Oceans partnered with Colemine for an expanded reissue that added several concert recordings. The two labels collaborated again on American Love Call, issued in March 2019 and recorded in a professional studio for the first time, with Steve Okonski joining on keyboards in place of Hubler.
During the interim the band issued two telling ballads—“Cruisin to the Park” and “Power to the People”—while Mike Montgomery took over bass duties after Houpt’s exit. Frazer, who had previously issued a gospel single as the Flying Stars of Brooklyn NY, delivered his solo debut Introducing… in January 2021. Jones contributed saxophone elsewhere, collaborated with Stone Foundation, and co-wrote and sang lead on the Bamboos’ “If Not Now (Then When),” featured on their May 2021 album Hard Up. Two months later the Indications returned with Private Space, exploring smooth soul and disco textures. The original demo version of “Power to the People” appeared as a limited 45 for Record Store Day in 2022, followed by a wider pressing in 2023.
