oywidapoodles

Okay, I'm in love with so many Indie bands and artists. My favorite right now is Sufjan Stevens. I must admit I love him cause he's pretty along with the fact that he's a damn good singer/songwriter. Some other favorites- Snow Patrol, John Vanderslice, Wheat, Band of Horses, Page France, The Weepies, Islands, The Old 97's.

definition from Urban Dictionary
Thought it was funny.

Anyone else an indie-rock addict?

goodnightboy

I love indie! This is a really good thread. I like Sufjan Stevens, too, and Snow Patrol (the rest of the bands you mentioned, I don't know). I only got to know The Shins after Garden State though. Better late than never They're great. All of them are. Are Muse indie, though?

I would recommend Eskobar (particularly the duet they had with Heather Nova, Someone New, I swear it's the happiest breakup song in the world) to anyone who likes indie music. Umbrellas, too, and Copeland, and Mae.

Dublingal

Sufan Steven's is great. I'm not a fan of Snow Patrol though. They're huge here in Ireland but that whole U2-staduim rockesque thing they've got going on isn't really my thing. Same reason I despise Coldplay. Though Spitting Games is a great song. That's just my opinion though.

It's very hard to distingush indie bands/artisits as indie use to just mean that the act was signed to an independent label and it was regardless of music genre. Now it's a musical cateogory on it's own and people identifiy it with a specific sounding type of song. I personally don't and recognise indie/alternative as anything that's not afraid to stray from the mainstream and/or is not recognised by a huge mainstream audience.

With that in mind I'd recommend to anyone interested, Brendan Benson a fantastic Detroit based artist who makes the most singable guitar power pop I have ever heard. I think he's actually just recorded a side project with Jack White of The White Stripes under the name The Raconteurs, so I'll be interested to hear what it sounds like.

The brilliant Scottish band Belle and Sebastian, who've been around since the mid 1990s, making sort of wistful, slighly fey pop, They've many great albums but I'd recommend Boy With The Arab Strap, If Your Feeling Sinister and Dear Catastrophe Waitress.

I'd also recommend Antony and the Johnsons which is basically an act built around a New York based singer named Antony Hegarty. They won The Mercury Music Prize this year for their second album I'm A Bird Now
It's hard to discribe his music. It is utterly beautiful, extremley dark and stark. Most songs just use his voice, piano and strings. To be honest it almost sounds like chamber music, definitley not something to put on if you're heading out to a party. His voice is unusual also and takes a couple of listens to get used to, but it is soaring and beautiful. The album also features appearances by his fellow alternative musicians Devandra Banhart and Rufus Wainwright. Both fantastic in their own right and I'd also recommend them, I am complete Rufus Waiwright die-hard, the man is a genius. The highlight for me though was a guest vocal by the brilliant Lou Reed , who actually discovered Antony.

There are many other acts I could recommend I just can't think right now, it'll come to me soon.

oywidapoodles

Wow, that is really good.

Yeah, there are so many types of indie. I tend to like indie rock, but other than country (usually) I like everything from acoustic to some rap (The Streets?).

As for Belle and Sebastian- I'm surprised i didn't mention them before. I just have "The Life Pursuit," thier latest, but it's really good.

Brendan Benson- Hadn't heard of him, but searched him on blogspot, and he is good, so thanks for the reccomendation. Also searched Raconteurs and came up with this. Cool.

Anyone like Tegan and Sara? I just found em, and I love their sound.

*Circe*

The Departure...

Check 'em out.

goodnightboy

I like Tegan and Sara! I've heard their song I Won't Be Left and that's a really addictive song. I haven't heard a lot of their stuff, though.

Good, there's new artists for me to look for now

*Circe*

Ahem. Seriously Gwen. Check out The Departure. They're really amazing...they have an interesting way of arranging their melodies...they like to juxtapose upbeat choruses with really dark, melancholy verses. They've been compared a lot to Echo and the Bunnymen and Joy Division...comparisons I totally get, even though normally I think comparing bands is rubbish.

Plus, the guys are really great with fans. And they're not a bad looking bunch if I may say so...

goodnightboy

-commences looking for The Departure on Ares, and hopes that stupid Ares will finally have something for once-

Ares is stupid. And I keep typing it as Arse.

a n d i

That definition of indie makes me want to go into my rant about what emo really is and how it has nothing to do with most of the bands people think are 'emo' these days, anyway. But, then again, all genres evolve, don't they? So, as this has nothing to do with this thread I'll shut up, so I don't sound pretentious.

But I like indie music. Though I think the term is very ambiguous.

Who mentioned Tegan and Sara? I absolutely adore them. I've liked their music for about 2 or 3 years, now. And I'm happy to say I saw them twice last year. They put on such a good live show, too!

Snow Patrol is pretty good. I love them mainly for 'Run'.

Dublingal

Echo and the Bunnymen!!!! That's enough to make me want to check them out, thanks for the rec. And now I must run off to listen to Crocodiles. Ah how I love Ian McCulloch.

*Circe*

And I keep reading it as Arse.


I'm going to see Echo and the Bunnymen next month!


That totally just reminded me of another band...they're called Tortoise. I like them.

I'm also loving The White Rose Movement. That band has some energy on stage!!!

oywidapoodles

Glad there are some other Tegan and Sara lovers.

Circe- I guess I'll have to find The Departure. I like Echo&tBM and White Rose Movement too.

SoSaysI81

The Decemberists, The Magic Numbers & The Arcade Fire. Amazing bands, with amazing sound.

I love Tegan & Sara too, well most of their stuff anyways.

*Circe*

Awesome!

The Departure are sorta like Interpol in that they are a band that grew on me. I had to get used to them...actually, all my favorite bands have been like that. If I like a ban immediately, I know that I'm not going to be as into them as I should be. I'm strange like that. I guess I like expecting that moment...that moment where you get the music, you know? All of it, when it all just comes together...

I'm rambling. I'll stop.

Other bands I like:

Nine Black Alps: Another band I saw recently that won me over.
Maximo Park: Paul Smith has some energy!
Editors: Everything a good band should be.
The Little Flames: See, normally I have an issue with chick's voices...which is why I haven't been able to jump onto the Tegan and Sara/Yeah Yea Yeah's bandwagon. But this girl...her voice is very beautiful. And those are some catchy guitar riffs and chord changes!!! However, I don't think they have a proper album out yet...
The Sunshne Underground: I love rock that you can dance to. Also...I don't think they have an album out yet either...this sunmmer it comes out, I think.

I have more...I just can't remember.

Oh! And I also agree...The Magic Numbers are definately good.

fetch

I like what I've heard of Tegan and Sara

Does anyone know MorningWood?