A Beginner's Guide to Indie Pop and Rock

Cafe Society
21

Either, I suppose. I’m pretty new to the genre and its name is as ambiguous as “alternative rock” is and I like a wide range of styles so it’s hard to really describe what I’m looking for.

I do know I like techno-pop like the indie artists I named in my OP though. And the style of RCHP – funk rock? – and mellow folkish female artists like Lisa Loeb, Liz Phair, and Michelle Branch are good as well.

No idea if any of this helps matters any. Sorry… I’m totally out of my element when it comes to music.

22

Any more suggestions? I got plenty but would appreciate as many as possible.

You can never have enough knowledge.

23

I’ll go ahead and echo a lot of the great suggestions listed here already (as they’re some of my favorites bands/artists) and add some of my own. I apologize if these bleed between the lines of true indie rock and alternative rock (these labels are nearly meaningless to me).

Belle & Sebastian - British pop, very melodic, very soft. I’ve heard them described numerous times as “precious.” Some of the lyrics are just so sweet. Might take a few lessons to sink into, but it’s worth it. *If You’re Feeling Sinister *and Dear Catastrophe Waitress are my favorite albums.

Joy Division - Dark, tortured, depressing lyrics. A short lived band that sort of bridged the gap between synth and punk. After the lead singer’s suicide, the remainder of the band went on to form the great 80s group New Order. I’d recommend Substance (a compilation) to new listeners as it was my first introduction to the band. Their two official releases, Unknown Pleasures and Closer, are some of the finest albums of the period.

My Bloody Valentine - As stated, Loveless is one of the greatest albums of the 90s. It’s the crowning achievement of the “shoegazer” movement. There is a blending of lyrics and distorted guitars that is unparalleled and it works perfectly. This is one of my Desert Island Albums. Isn’t Anything is an excellent album as well. In this same vein, check out Ride’s album Nowhere. Lyrics are easier to follow if you’re into that.

Pixies - Sort of an infusion of surf guitar and punk. Great, catchy, short tunes. Lyrics are crazy and all over the place, but they work well within the context. Surfer Rosa and Doolittle are probably their finest albums, but I love Bossanova and Trompe le Monde equally as much. They were one of Kurt Cobain’s biggest influences and are college rock legends.

Sonic Youth - Noise, distortion, feedback, experimentalist rock. Daydream Nation is regarded as their best and most influential of many excellent albums. Dirty has more of a punkish or grunge feel to it. Murray Street and Sonic Nurse, two of their newest albums, are more melodic and I’d highly recommend them to new listeners who might be turned off to the initial “noise” of some of their earlier albums.

The Strokes - Is This It? is solid from start to finish. Very catchy with good hooks. One of my favorite recent rock releases.

Yo La Tengo - I Can Hear the Heart Beating As One has sort of a subdued feel to it. Melodic and the occasional fuzzy guitar. I’m just getting into these guys, but like them very much.

Also, if you haven’t, check out The Velvet Underground. They’re one of the biggest influences of indie/alternative/whateverthehellyouwannacallit.

24

Since you like Tool, I’d recommend Alchemist (Organasm), Isis (Oceanic), Neurosis(Through Silver in Blood), and Pelican (Australasia).

25

I’ll try not to repeat anything already mentioned…

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
Queens of the Stone Age
Stellastarr
Eagles of Death Metal
Le Tigre
PJ Harvey
The Secret Machines
Division of Laura Lee
Les Savy Fav
Shannon Wright
The Soviettes
Rilo Kiley
Uncle Tupelo
Angela McCluskey
The Libertines
The Dirtbombs
Old 97’s
The Hellacopters
The Explosion
The Walkmen
The Killers
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Turbonegro
Portishead
As for things already mentioned, I can’t second the Pixies, the White Stripes, Liz Phair or New Pornographers enough. They’re all just fantastic.

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Camper Van Beethoven - Uh, anything from their Santa Cruz years. They do so many styles and flavors which sometimes leak over into a slightly country sound. Great and one of the most well known college radio bands of the mid to late '80s.

I really only came here to mention the band above, but I’ll throw in a band that is talked about quite a lot - Modest Mouse. Basically anything from their catalouge; I’m sure you could find something to like from them.

27

Check out Stevie Van Zandt’s website, and check to see if his two hour syndicated show airs in your area each week. Friends of mine have had some of their songs on his show this past year.

28

Alright! Let’s play an exciting round of Six Degrees of Canadian Indie Rock.

Metric (whom I’m going to see next Friday, by the way) is fronted by Emily Haines.

Emily Haines is one of the many members of eclectic Toronto collective Broken Social Scene. Their 2003 album, You Forgot it in People, was considered one of the best records of that year, and not just in Canada. There’s something on it for every taste, and yet it all comes together in one cohesive whole.

One of the members of Broken Social Scene, Jason Collett has released a couple of solo albums. Live, he reminds me a bit of Don Henley, but on disc there are glimpses everyone from Lou Reed to the Beatles.

Another band that has helped out Broken Social Scene is Montreal’s The Stars. I personally believe that there is no band in music today writing more honestly, and more devastatingly, about love and sex than The Stars. Lush, electro-tinged guitar pop. With alternating male and female vocals.

Another Montreal band that has recently been making waves is The Stills. They’ve got a dark, 80s vibe to them - a more aggressive, less poetic Smiths, perhaps?

Montreal is also the home to the Godspeed! You Black Emperor/Do Make Say Think collectives - someone else can probably do justice to their sound better than I can, as I’ve never really gotten into them, but they’re pretty essential in today’s indie rock world.

And of course, Sloan. Possibly the most influential Canadian band over the past ten years (and I’m including The Tragically Hip in that sentiment) - and definitely one of the catchiest. They’ve probably written at least ten perfect pop songs over their seven or so albums.

That’s Eastern Canada. If you’d like a synopsis of the best music west of Thunder Bay, I shall do my best.

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Sure. Include the territories too, if you like.

After all, I doubt Inuit music can’t be much more odd than Filipino rap metal.

30

Then you obviously haven’t heard Inuit throat singing.

31

WORD. Sloan is one of my all time favs.

Aesiron, be sure to check out The Dandy Warhols too. Especially Thirteen Tales From Urban Bohemia.

32

I love Sloan, and I was going to mention them here. 'Course, if you’re checking out Sloan, you might as well check out some of their contemporaries and fellow-travelers, though some of their stuff may be hard to find around the US: The Super Friendz, Jale, The Heavy Blinkers, and Eric’s Trip. The 'Friendz sound a lot like Sloan, with an ace lead guitarist; Jale was a female-fronted power-pop band; the Blinkers are an orchestral-pop band (one reviewer called them "ten times The Polyphonic Spree with 1/100th the hype); and Eric’s Trip was a lo-fi garage band with dream-pop aspirations.

I would also highly recommend The Pernice Brothers, a US band which two members of Jale joined. They’re one of the more literate bands out there, but very listenable: their sound can be uplifting and heartbreaking all at once.

33

I’ll give you half of the requisite wave. PFM is good for news and keeping on track of new releases, but it seems like 80% of their reviews of full of fluff written by some college sophmore dweeb who has 2 semesters of creative writing under his belt.

Here’s my impression of the average PFM review:

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Some artists I like that haven’t yet been mentioned:
Pavement–One of the “classic” indie bands. Pick up Slanted and Enchanted while you’re out buying Doolittle and Daydream Nation
Self–I was seriously obsessed with this band last year. Awesome pop music with clever lyrics. Subliminal Plastic Motives is one of the greatest albums ever recorded.
Ima Robot–fast, dancey rock
The Faint–more dancey rock, lots of synth
Interpol–more synth rock, kinda slowish
The Hives–energetic poppy rock from Sweden
Pulp–classic Britpop band, had a few hits this side of the pond
Snow Patrol–more Britrock, sorta mainstreamish but still very good

I’ll also second Franz Ferdinand, the Killers, and Le Tigre.

35

Indie Rock - Pinback …check out ‘Penelope’

Americana? Pinetop Seven -I think they should have done the ‘Carnivale’ soundtrack. Check out ‘Heavens’ or ‘Drying Out’

Post Rock (Jazzy, with electronica thrown in)- Tortoise. ‘Monica’ and ‘I Set My Face to the Hillside’ are my faves.