indie rock

Indie rock, an abbreviation of independent rock, is a offshoot genre of rock and roll that came to prominence in the late eighties and arguably reached a peak of popularity during the mid '90s as grunge music entered the mainstream, and then again in the late 2010/early 2011. The label 'indie rock' can be misleading in that it can refer to an artist's status as independent (not affiliated with a major label) or by their aesthetic. For example, The Decemberists are still regarded as an important figure in indie rock, despite signing to Capitol Records for their fourth release.

Aesthetically, indie rock is frequently influenced by the do-it-yourself punk ethos, but the genre is also defined by an incorporation of diverse styles. A wave of post-punk and what would be known as 'alternative' bands predicated the arrival of indie rock. In the '90s, a stable of labels released what would be come to be the most influential indie rock records of the decade. These labels included Merge, Matador, Sub Pop, Rough Trade, and many more. While a core of guitar, bass, drums and untrained vocals typifies many landmark indie rock recordings, this configuration is not central to all or even most indie rock bands.

Throughout the 2000s, indie rock grabbed an increasingly larger share of both popular and critical acclaim. Merge Records band The Arcade Fire won a Grammy Award for their 2010 album The Suburbs, an unprecedented honor for an independent music artist. As many bands continue to push in directions that could be described as “post-rock” or which rely less on a rock instrumentation and aesthetic, the state of indie rock is in flux. A story by Paste magazine entitled “Is Indie Dead?” approached this question from a critical if somewhat sensational perspective in their February 2010 issue.

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Original Technorati articles tagged “indie rock”

• in Music
  The Monks of Mellonwah: Coming to Your City!
  The Monks of Mellonwah are FINALLY coming back to the U.S.!!!
  by kdbarclay / on Nov 12, 2012
• in Music
  Fleeting Circus: Rockers From Rio
  Rio's Hottest Rock Band!
  by kdbarclay / on Oct 3, 2012
• in Music
  A Bit of Everything in Gumshen
  A New Seattle Indie Rock Tradition!
  by kdbarclay / on Sep 27, 2012

Latest blogosphere posts tagged “indie rock”

 

• Shy Nature – Deadly Sin

  
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  Visit Indie Shuffle to download. Sounds like: Ra Ra Riot, Local Natives, Shout Out Louds Song: Shy Nature - Deadly Sin [download here ] Whats so good? London’s own Shy Nature  are gearing up to release their introductory track, “Deadly Sin,” a lovely indie pop jam that has ...
  6 days ago

• The Orwells – Other Voices

  
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  Visit Indie Shuffle to download. Sounds like: Cloud Nothings, Jack White, Arctic Monkeys, Gap Dream, The Von Bondies Song: The Orwells - Other Voices [download here ] Whats so good? The Orwells’ first appearance on Indie Shuffle was back August 2012 with “ Mallrats(La La La) ...
  6 days ago

• Daft Punk – Get Lucky (JackLNDN Remix)

  
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  Visit Indie Shuffle to download. Song: Daft Punk - Get Lucky (JackLNDN Remix) [download here ] Whats so good? I’ll forgive you if you confused this song for RAC’s remix of “Blue Jeans” by Lana Del Rey, but that’s exactly the reason I’m posting it. To date, the countless reincarnations ...
  6 days ago

• Stream City and Colour’s New Single ‘The Hurry and The Harm’

  
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  Stream the new single from City and Colour called The Hurry and The Harm above. The single is from the upcoming album of the same title, which is being released on June 3, 2013 on Dine Alone Records. The single does not seem like a huge departure from his previous albums and signature sound, however that does ...
  6 days ago

• Best New Music Releases, Week of May 7th – AM & Shawn Lee, She & Him, Deerhunter, Mikal Cronin, Savages, Fitz and The Tantrums

  
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  As summer approaches, the number of new releases from a variety of well-known, and some lesser-known, bands and artists, will begin to increase. This week is sort of one of those weeks because it’s still early enough in the spring to get a good roll started and ride it through the summer. IRC’s top releases [...]
  1 week ago

• Isaac Tichauer - Take Over You

  
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  [IMG: http://www.beatmyday.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Isaac-Post-Featured1.jpg]
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• Flight Facilities - I Didnt Believe Feat. Elizabeth Rose (Extended Version)

  
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  This is...ummm...awesome?
  1 week ago

• Suvi - Bleeding For Your Love

  
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  [IMG: http://seventy2ten.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/suvi-richter.jpg?w=290&h=267&crop=1]
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• Capital Cities - Stayin Alive

  
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  [IMG: http://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/capitalcities.jpg]
  1 week ago

• Cosmo Sheldrake - The Fly

  
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  [IMG: http://hypetrak.com/images/2013/05/cosmo-sheldrake-the-fly.jpg]
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• The Lone Bellow - Bleeding Out

  
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• Slim Loris – Future Echoes and Past Replays

  
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  Starting out in 2009, Mattias Cederstam, Jonas Ellenberg and Leon Lindstrom, forming the group SLIM LORIS, have gained a respectful reputation for blending indie rock, pop, Americana with a hint of Swedish melancholy. The Swedish trio released their debut album, Down to Earth in 2011, in which Billboard Discoveries ...
  1 week ago

• John Newman - Love Me Again

  
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  I may have played this 63 times...in a row. Also having your main character get crushed by a car and ending the story has been my idea for years. Respect.
  1 week ago

• Skaters – Armed

  
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  Visit Indie Shuffle to download. Sounds like: The Walkmen, The Strokes, Hot Snakes Song: Skaters - Armed [download here ] Whats so good? Ever since Skaters’ teaser of an EP, I’ve been patiently waiting for their next release. Well, they’re back with a 7″, and one of the ...
  1 week ago

• Natural Child – Laid, Paid, And Strange

  
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  Visit Indie Shuffle to download. Sounds like: King Tuff, JEFF The Brotherhood, Cheap Time, The Rolling Stones Song: Natural Child - Paid, Laid, And Strange [download here ] Whats so good? Natural Child is a three piece rock band from Nashville, TN that have been making music ...
  1 week ago

• Getting Cozy With… Social Potion!

  
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  Hey, we’re Social Potion and we’re an indie alt-pop duo from Toronto. We’re also a married couple. Our songs “Drive Myself Home,” “Cordelia” and “Stevie” (our ode to Stevie Nicks) are currently getting airplay on numerous online stations and podcasts. We love our fans so much that we’re giving our ...
  1 week ago

• Photos: The Airborne Toxic Event @ 9:30 Club

  
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  The Airborne Toxic Event closed its old-out two-night stay at the 9:30 Club last night with the bombastic style the band is known for: Lead singer Mikel Jollett crawled up and scaled the stage-right balcony rail as he sang; violinist Anna Bulbrook crowd-surfed; rock poses were struck; Jolletts songs, full of ...
  1 week ago

• Cobalt Cranes - Head In The Clouds

  
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  Cobalt Cranes blend elements of desert, psychedelic and shoegaze in their song "Head In The Clouds".
  1 week ago

• Album Review: Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Mosquito

  
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  Between performances at both weekends of 2013′s Coachella music festival, Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ long-anticipated fourth album,  Mosquito , was not-so-quietly released. Earlier in February, the band released a teaser of the new album in the form of its lead single, “Sacrilege,” an undeniably catchy yet intense ...
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• Kazyak - Disposition

  
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  In our newest video premiere, Kazyak offers a journey in the name of a symbolic purging, complete with a surprise ending. For his video for "Disposition", principle songwriter/guitarist Peter Frey apparently didnt have to travel far to find the perfect setting. The Great Lake regions most picturesque setting ...
  1 week ago

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