Calling all indie rockers...


Is there anybody out there?

The whole idea of Hi-Fi doesn't particularly lend itself to the often low quality recordings in the indie rock world, but I'm a music lover, not a gear lover. And for me, the indie scene is responsible for most of the best music being made today (exceptions being Radiohead, Beck, Flaming Lips, and a few others). So, anybody up for a thread of their favorite indie albums of say, the last decade? Here's my quick list:

1. Sunny Day Real Estate - How it feels to be something on (Sub Pop, 1998)
2. Yo La Tengo - I can hear the heart beating as one (Matador, 1997)
3. Interpol - Turn on the Bright Lights (Matador, 2002)
4. Sigur Ros - Agaetis Byrjun (Fat Cat, 2000)
5. Grandaddy - The Software Slump (V2, 2000) is V2 an indie?

Okay indie rockers, I know you're out there...
nicko
A few of my favorites in the past few years:

Wilco--YHF, Summerteeth
The Notwist--Neon Golden
My Morning Jacket--At Dawn
Alaska--Emotions
Badly Drawn Boy--The Hour of Bewilderbeast
Brendan Benson--Lapalco
Broken Social Scene---You Forgot It In People
Doleful Lions---The Rats Are Coming, The Werewolves Are Here
Flaming Lips---The Soft Bulletin
John Vanderslice---Life and Death of an American 4-Tracker
McLusky---McLusky Do Dallas
Microphones---The Glow Pt. 2
Modest Mouse---Lonesome Crowded West
Radiohead---Kid A, OKC
Sebadoh---III
Spoon---anything
Super Furry Animals---Rings, Phantom Power
Ted Leo---Tyranny of Distance
Unwound---Leaves Turn Inside You
Ween---anything
Wrens---Secaucus, Meadowlands
Suba- Sao Paulo Confessions - very good recording and something truly alternative also the tribute album to Suba is very good, but get the original first. The new Grandaddy disc is very good too.
Listening to Interpol's "Turn on the Bright Lights" as I write. At times they sound like Echo and the Bunneymen (Sheila Was A Diver And She Was Always Down) other times like Doors, and still others, like Psychedelic Furs. Clearly one of the best bands and best recordings in a long while.
Doing my part to help revive this old thread, I'll list a few--not necessarily all-decade "bests," but not yet mentioned and well worthy of notice--off the top of my head:

Freakwater (just about any of their LPs, but I'll cast my vote for Springtime)
Aislers Set--The Last Match
Pernice Brothers--The World Won't End
Iron & Wine--The Creek Drank the Cradle
Acetate Zero--Softcore Paradise
American Analog Set--The Golden Band

Ah, I could go on all night...Four tet, Múm, the Clientele, Movietone, Broadcast, the Books, the Decemberists, Tompaulin, Norfolk & Western, Camera Obscura (the Scottish one), Neko Case, Swearing at Motorists, Ladybug Transistor, the Lucksmiths, the Minders, the Twin Atlas...it's a good time to be buying music, I think.

P.S. Those of you into Interpol need to hear Joy Division if you haven't already--another definite source (along with Echo & the Bunnymen, the Psychedelic Furs, the Chameleons, etc.). I know everyone loves "Turn on the Bright Lights," but I just can't listen to it since it sounds too much like all the bands I liked back in high school.

P.P.S. Swell Maps were indeed great, but were British, not Australian.

P.P.P.S. If you haven't heard the Fall, Phasecorrect is right, they're another absolute must. Perhaps start with the old singles compilation "Palace of Swords Reversed" instead of "This Nation's Saving Grace"?