Lately I've been obsessed with The Black Keys. Both of their records are avilible on vinyl. Their first record has a great cover of The Beatles' "She Said, She Said."
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...
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...
32 responses Add your response
I'm so glad you all are here. The next person who mentions Dianna Krall to me will be limping home. On an indie note, I'm really enjoying the Shins right now. I just got the Microphones--the Glow Pt. 2, and it's awesome. My favorite recent indie purchace though has to be Elliott Smiths two releases on Kill Rock Stars. The Vinyl is 10x better than the CDs. |
I like Mayday a lot. I can't describe them without using the word "country", but I hate to come in at that angle. Its indie rock, dark, lower income class music with ahemm, country influence. Good songs. |
Good to see my old thread alive and kicking (pardon the Simple Minds reference). Synthfreek: I just recently got into that Neutral Milk Hotel album. I must admit that it took me quite a few listens to "get it," but man oh man, that's some good stuff. Now I see what everyone was talking about. Is their first album, "On Avery Island" anywhere near as good? |
Rilo Kiley-The Execution Of All Things Built To Spill-Keep It Like A Secret The Frogs-My Daughter The Broad Neutral Milk Hotel-In The Aeroplane Over The Sea Sleater Kinney-All Hands On The Bad One Cat Power-You Are Free Japancakes-Belmondo Quasi-Field Studies LeTigre-LeTigre Helium/Mary Timoney Dressy Bessy Rainer Maria Halo Benders Beat Happening Make Up Holly Golighlty Thee Headcoatees the Moldy Peaches Chicks On Speed Dokken |
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"? |
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 |
Nicko... I haven't fully digested the new Califone disc, but I can conclusively say that it's another excellent Califone recording. It does see them developing towards an expanded sound. The more melodic aspects of the songwriting are a little more upfront, yet solidly mixed with the more abstract backdrops they have been developing in the soundtrack recordings they have been getting into as of late. I have not really soaked up much of the GYBE recordings, although I do appreciate what I've heard in passing. The new one is supposed to be a pretty great one. That aside, the GYBE 'vibe' hasn't quite grabbed me as much as what their label-mate bands Do Make Say Think (recommended above) and Silver Mt. Zion Orchestra have been doing. I do need to pick up on some of their material and dig a little further into the music though...I was planning on snagging that new one that was recorded with Steve Albini sometime soon. There's a Califone side-project BTW that I'd suggest you make a point of checking out. It's a band called Secret Machines that includes two of the guys from Califone and their producer and is very, very cool stuff. I seem to remember reading a review at www.pitchforkmedia.com at one point that you could check out for a more eloquent summary. Happy listening~ |
Centurymantra, How's the new Califone album? I have roomsound and it's got some great stuff on it. Just picked up the new YLT album; not a rocking song on the thing. But that doesn't mean that it won't still be good. For my money though, Painful and I can hear the heart are their best. Anybody into GYBE! or modest mouse? |
The Powerpuff Girls "Heroes and Villians." No, I'm serious! This stuff isn't for kids (not that it's inappropriate; it's "safe."). Selections come from bands like Biz, Dressy Bessy, Komeda, Devo, The Apples in Stereo, and others. It's a really fun collection, and the recordings ain't bad. Definitely worth a listen. |
OK...keeping in line with the time period defined and sticking with the theme of 'rock', thus leaving out electronica and some of the more pop-oriented material, here's some pretty great indie stuff of recent years. This is by no means intended to be a 'best of' list...just a bunch of cool sounds. 1) Califone: 'Roomsound' + 'Califone (EP)' 2) Yo La Tengo: 'Painful' + 'I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One' 3) The Walkabouts: 'Train Leaves at Eight' + 'Satisfied Mind' 4) Giant Sand: 'Chore of Enchantment' 5) Edith Frost: 'Calling Over Time' + 'Wonder Wonder' 6) David Kilgour: 'Feather in the Engine' 7) Calexico: 'The Black Light' 8) Do Make Say Think: 'Goodbye Enemy Airship, the Landlord is Dead' 9) The Beta Band: 'Three EP's' 10) The Brian Jonestown Massacre: 'Take it From the Man' 11) Brother J.T.: 'Rainy Day Fun' 12) Cul De Sac: 'Crashes to Light, Minutes to it's Fall' 13) Eleventh Dream Day: 'Eighth' + 'Ursa Major' 14) Neutral Milk Hotel: 'On Avery Island' + 'In the Aeroplane Over the Sea' 15) Low: 'Things We Lost in the Fire' 16) Songs Ohia: 'Didn't It Rain' + 'Electric Magnolia Co.' 17) Stereolab: 'Transient Random Noise Bursts with Announcements' - cheating a bit on this one, since it did come out on a major label on these shores 18) Neu!: (reissues) - yeah, I'm cheating on this too (early '70's recordings), but I felt like I gotta mention it 19) Dirty Three: (many recordings) I could probably add some to this already too long list(and delete a couple), but there's my rambling list of the moment. This is of course all IMHO and YMMV, etc. |
1.Air The French Band[All] 2.Sigur Ros-() also 3.Porcupine Tree-All except perhaps last release. 4.Mercury Rev 5.Peace Orchestra ,also Kruder & Dorfmeister 6.The Larry's-Oxymorons [For Frank Zappa fans]Great Music and Hilarious!Hard to find.[larrys.com] Frank would love this! Seems the best and most interesting music for a while is Electronic and now reviving Psychedelica.Ravenettes anyone?JD |