NYC’s Laptop return with double whammy - 'Indie Hero' single, plus a Tom Waits' holiday classic
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Newsdesk
NYC's revered cult electronic project Laptop unleashes two striking, separately released singles: the invigorating "Indie Hero" and the cover "Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis." This new era for the band is spearheaded by the innovative, intergenerational father-son team of veteran musician Jesse Hartman and his son Charlie, a dynamic that is truly a game-changer, breathing new life into the band and painting a bold new trajectory. This collaborative approach infuses Laptop’s signature sound—which perfectly blends cinematic pop-rock, dry wit, and Pulp-like melancholic twists—with fresh perspectives on adventure, aging, reinvention, and the personal fictions we use to navigate the world.
These two new tracks, which arrive as part of a string of exciting singles introduced by the band over the past 6 months, explore the complex poetry of disappointment and fame, while showcasing the band's enhanced creative power and set the perfect thematic stage for their next album.
For those who are hearing about Laptop for the first time, their history is deeply woven into the fabric of modern music. Frontman Jesse Hartman started his career as a teenage Voidoid with Richard Hell before co-founding the indie rock band Sammy, which released albums via Fire Records and Geffen Records. Laptop itself achieved cult status in the early 2000s, releasing three classic albums on Island Records. This extensive background underscores the importance of the band's revival, offering a multi-generational perspective on pop music that is significant within the larger context of indie and electronic music history.
Now, just in time for the holidays, Laptop has tackled Tom Waits' 1978 classic, "Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis," transforming the original into a deadpan, jazz-robotic confession. The cover eschews Waits' gravelly delivery for an instrumental track that leans into cold synths and sophisticated jazz chords, suggesting the feeling of a frayed, forgotten message scrolling across a broken phone screen.
For Hartman, this song holds deep personal significance, noting that its blend of sadness and humor served as the "blueprint for Laptop." This rendition is a deeply moving, yet emotionally guarded, winter transmission—a poignant Christmas song for those who find standard holiday cheer unaffordable.
Plus they’ve released the original single "Indie Hero", which is both a wry love letter and a sharp satirical hate song dedicated to the myth of late 20th-century cool and failed hero worship. Anchored by Laptop's signature mix of cinematic synths and dry wit, the track reflects on a real-life moment when Hartman's youthful ambition collided with the sobering reality of an idol's flaws. The multi-generational duo sings with shared, reckless emotion: "I’ll dive across a table for you, my indie hero, I’m feeling so unstable for you, my indie hero."
The single's music video, directed by Jesse Hartman, is a particularly cool element, reimagining that journey as a Japanese comic-book fever dream: a young musician chasing his dreams and heroes across neon cities and sake bars, only to discover that the real revelation isn't fame, but self-discovery and heartbreak. The track ultimately explores fame, failure, and the essential process of outgrowing idol worship to find authentic self-discovery.
These two distinct releases mark a powerful return for Laptop. Their forthcoming album, "On This Planet," is slated for release in Spring 2026 via Hurricane Cove Records, promising a full-length exploration of these themes and cementing the band's legacy as essential architects of cinematic alternative pop.
