What are the key 'indie' albums of the 00s..so far
- Thread starter Buick6
- Start date
totally seconded; fantastic album that should've got a lot more press. I like it a lot better than the Postal Service album for that sort of gloopy electro-acoustic indie deal. And unless they're not considered 'indie' anymore, isn't Kid A the obvious answer to this topic?spackb0y said:
Well, "indie-rock" might be more specific (altho again still approaching a memory of a previous genre, now effectively mined out for all its cultural resonances)-- and I speak as someone firmly originated in this area, and firmly disillusioned. To answer the original query would require some better definitions- are these the "indie " albums that self-confessed fans would deem as being key, or those that outsiders would deem key-- and indie meaning what exactly--- white English guitar music- American college kid music-- asymmetrical haircut-hipster music?--- Underground/experimental music??? The NMEs definition of Indie???--- or independent label's music or what???
Tate said:
yes.
unfortunately. I used to write an electronica collumn for an indie-rock magazine, and they would send me loads of this type of crap-o-licious crap.
oh yeah, another exception: Notwist are pretty cool. sometimes. I even like their old hardcore records.
soundslike1981
Well-known member
This thread, and every discussion like it, leaves me feeling sad. I guess I'm hoping to be proved wrong, to have the detritus peeled back to reveal a secret, under-underground world of exciting sounds being made by young people. But if this is the best of the best, the I officially, completely, forever don't give a shit about what's happening "now" with the young hip things.
And I'm 25 years old.
And I'm 25 years old.
the undisputed truth
Banned
depends which countries definition of indie you use...
...kiwi alternative rock/pop since the seminal flying nun days has always been indie???
http://www.flyingnun.co.nz/
those traditions are from what I can gather still going strong in the likes of the brunettes, the shocking pinks and phoenix foundation all of whom have recent albums out
http://www.thephoenixfoundation.co.nz/
http://www.lilchiefrecords.com/brunettes/
kiwi music across the board is IMHO the worlds best kept secret...
SHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...don't tell anybody
You'll ruin the angsty underground street cred thing we been building on for so long
...kiwi alternative rock/pop since the seminal flying nun days has always been indie???
http://www.flyingnun.co.nz/
those traditions are from what I can gather still going strong in the likes of the brunettes, the shocking pinks and phoenix foundation all of whom have recent albums out
http://www.thephoenixfoundation.co.nz/
http://www.lilchiefrecords.com/brunettes/
kiwi music across the board is IMHO the worlds best kept secret...
SHHHHHHHHHHHHHH...don't tell anybody
You'll ruin the angsty underground street cred thing we been building on for so long
scatter - the mountain announces - is very good
paavoharjou - album on fonal
gang gang dance - gods money
the forthcoming grizzly bear - yellow room - the spirit of van dyke parkes - absolutley gorgeous and oceanic.
those are only really great albums i can name - i mean really fresh ideas coming from some weird space, i guess they are indie in the proper sense of independently released/spirited.
paavoharjou - album on fonal
gang gang dance - gods money
the forthcoming grizzly bear - yellow room - the spirit of van dyke parkes - absolutley gorgeous and oceanic.
those are only really great albums i can name - i mean really fresh ideas coming from some weird space, i guess they are indie in the proper sense of independently released/spirited.
S
simon silverdollar
Guest
john maus- 'songs' is pretty special.
he's the keyboardist for panda bear and also ariel pink.
he sounds like a more scatological ariel pink with a broken heart and an ian curtis obsession.
you'll hate it when you first hear it, but persevere and you'll love it i promise
he's the keyboardist for panda bear and also ariel pink.
he sounds like a more scatological ariel pink with a broken heart and an ian curtis obsession.
you'll hate it when you first hear it, but persevere and you'll love it i promise
By 'key' I was meaning an album for the ages, and band who are 'seminal' that srota deal...
I would rate the WHITE STRIPES quite highly, even if they were riffing off the BLues Explosion thing. Thier minimal, boy/girl thing is totoally , ideologically 'indie', their mangled image, and I finally saw them live and was really impressed, the way they mash-up blues and pixies and stadium-rock riffs, and everything is pucntuated by a simple but groovy BIG BEAT. The fact that Roger Sanchez has sampled them and the KILLS have ripped them off hook line and stinker, marks them as prolly the only KEY 'indie' band of this decade that have broken out into the mainstream as well. I think their albums are patchy and far from 'masterpieces' , but in todays paltry musical world, their stuff will age gracefully, sorta, like the Pixies perhaps, but their live/authenticity legacy is far greater.
Besides that, 'indie' music today make 'twee pop' and all that lame shit sound 'tough' by comparison. Maybe it was that 'Emo' industry creation?
I would rate the WHITE STRIPES quite highly, even if they were riffing off the BLues Explosion thing. Thier minimal, boy/girl thing is totoally , ideologically 'indie', their mangled image, and I finally saw them live and was really impressed, the way they mash-up blues and pixies and stadium-rock riffs, and everything is pucntuated by a simple but groovy BIG BEAT. The fact that Roger Sanchez has sampled them and the KILLS have ripped them off hook line and stinker, marks them as prolly the only KEY 'indie' band of this decade that have broken out into the mainstream as well. I think their albums are patchy and far from 'masterpieces' , but in todays paltry musical world, their stuff will age gracefully, sorta, like the Pixies perhaps, but their live/authenticity legacy is far greater.
Besides that, 'indie' music today make 'twee pop' and all that lame shit sound 'tough' by comparison. Maybe it was that 'Emo' industry creation?
throughsilver
Well-known member
I'm definitely going to check out some of the albums mentioned; not heard John Maus, nor Paavoharjou. Gotta say that, while 'indie' is admittedly a rather abstract genre nowadays, The Strokes represent neither the aesthetic I would associate with indie nor the quality to be considered 'key'.
If it qualifies, I would definitely list Kid A. It's a brilliant and varied set of modern day indie songs with a great sense of dynamic in terms of the album as a whole, and also really smart arrangement. Yes, track 2 is essentially Plone blah blah blah, but it's brilliant, and miles ahead of The Arcade Fire (who thank their deity of choice daily that the excellent Neutral Milk Hotel are not still releasing albums).
I think the best 'indie' album I have heard from this decade (and probably ever, as grand a statement as that is) is by Lift To Experience. The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads (Bella Union, 2001) hits the spot for me on pretty much every level. The melodies are beautiful. The lyrics, about a rock band who does a deal with God to gain success, as long as they 'tell the world, before it explodes, the glory of the Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads', are just odd enough to be great, and they are sung really well. Like if Jeff Buckley was much less acrobatic.
Musically, it's all over the place. In a good way. Esentially, it's a modern take on the early Cocteaus/late MBV 'gorgeous songs coated in a froth of noise' school of thought. Not as abrasive as a J&MC or Xinlisupreme, the clouds of distortion nevertheless turn into blankets of noise when the band plays live. I don't know what more to say, really, other than it's a really strong double-set of songs with incredibly-arranged vocal harmonies, and a sense of religious playfulness not seen since Cave was at his mischevious best, back in the day.
Otherwise, we're looking at a usual suspects list:
Sigur Rós - Ágætis Byrjun
Godspeed You Black Emperor - Lift Yr. Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven
CocoRosie - La Maison de Mon Rêve
Dungen - Ta Det Lungt
Xinlisupreme - Tomorrow Never Comes
If it qualifies, I would definitely list Kid A. It's a brilliant and varied set of modern day indie songs with a great sense of dynamic in terms of the album as a whole, and also really smart arrangement. Yes, track 2 is essentially Plone blah blah blah, but it's brilliant, and miles ahead of The Arcade Fire (who thank their deity of choice daily that the excellent Neutral Milk Hotel are not still releasing albums).
I think the best 'indie' album I have heard from this decade (and probably ever, as grand a statement as that is) is by Lift To Experience. The Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads (Bella Union, 2001) hits the spot for me on pretty much every level. The melodies are beautiful. The lyrics, about a rock band who does a deal with God to gain success, as long as they 'tell the world, before it explodes, the glory of the Texas-Jerusalem Crossroads', are just odd enough to be great, and they are sung really well. Like if Jeff Buckley was much less acrobatic.
Musically, it's all over the place. In a good way. Esentially, it's a modern take on the early Cocteaus/late MBV 'gorgeous songs coated in a froth of noise' school of thought. Not as abrasive as a J&MC or Xinlisupreme, the clouds of distortion nevertheless turn into blankets of noise when the band plays live. I don't know what more to say, really, other than it's a really strong double-set of songs with incredibly-arranged vocal harmonies, and a sense of religious playfulness not seen since Cave was at his mischevious best, back in the day.
Otherwise, we're looking at a usual suspects list:
Sigur Rós - Ágætis Byrjun
Godspeed You Black Emperor - Lift Yr. Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven
CocoRosie - La Maison de Mon Rêve
Dungen - Ta Det Lungt
Xinlisupreme - Tomorrow Never Comes
F
foret
Guest
throughsilver said:
this is really really good (also the murder license ep)
some others, 'indie' liberally defined
pulp - we love life
m83 - dead cities
sonic youth - murray street
wire - send
the microphones - the glow pt2
and if they count
black dice - beaches and canyons
lightning bolt - hypermagic mountain
there isn't a lot, but there are still a few good things; animal collective will definitely endure, maybe paavoharju too
throughsilver
Well-known member
Ooh, that reminds me. Angels Of Light - Michael Gira's current band - really are good. I'm especially enamoured with 2001's How I Loved You.confucius said: