Indie Rock fans: Nice article in today's paper.

[Swish]

I was checking out the local rag's "entertainment" section and read a nice AP article titled "Indie bands' songs hit mainstream". I was trying to find a link to share with you, but could only find the attachment that I'll paste to the end (Watch out for these bands).

While it's no surprise to many of us on Rave Recs, it was good to see many of our favorites getting attention. Featured at the top of the page is a picture of the four members of Death Cab for Cutie, and Jake Coyle, the AP writer of the article, goes on to say "With the success of Death Cab for Cutie, Modest Mouse and Bright Eyes, indie rock is seeping into the maintstream - a mixed blessing for a genre that prides itself on being underground". I couldn't have said it better myself. I find it gratifying when people ask me "who is that you're playing" and, when I tell them the name, they shrug their shoulders or shoot me a goofy expression to let me know they don't have a clue who I'm talking about. It's a lot of fun, and I'd hate to see it end, if you know what I mean.

"There's been a real zeitgeist in the last couple of years with kids and shy, quiet indie rock bands who are connecting with people en masse," says Deat Cab guitaris Chris Walla. "The entire independent scene has come the the fore", said Bobby Haber, found and CEO of CMH, or College Media Journal. "I think it's a watershed moment".

You could just see this coming with shows like Six Feet Under, Rescue, and even the Sopranos using indie rock for their shows. Then there are movies liek "Garden State", in which Natalie Portman says of the Shins, "They'll change your life".

My favorite line in the article: "It's not that [indie rock] is strange, it's not that bizarre - it's simply a little ahead of its time", Haber said. "In late 1978, the Police sounded pretty strange ... but six months later, it was on Top 40 radio with 'Roxanne'".

Anyway, it was a very nice article that went on to quote Stephen Malkmus, Carl Newman of the New Pornographers, Franz Ferdinand, the Killers, My Morning Jacket, Aqueduct, and Arcade Fire, among others.

Swish Dadd

Indie bands to watch …

The Arcade Fire: Husband-and-wife team Win Butler and Regine Chassagne lead a troupe of exuberant, talented musicians. Wearing suits the way Wes Anderson might, they sing about adolescent memories with sweeping oooh's and ahhh's. The search continues for someone who doesn't like Arcade Fire.

The Flaming Lips: They've been around more than a decade, and their appearance on ''90210'' helped give Death Cab for Cutie the rationale for doing ''The O.C.'' But since their experimental ''Zaireeka'' (which is four separate discs meant to be played at once), the Lips have made two classic concept albums: ''The Soft Bulletin'' and ''Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots.'' Their next album, expected early next year, will test how big a band that sings ''Happy Birthday'' at concerts can get.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs: They already had an MTV hit with ''Maps,'' which may have laid the groundwork for still greater success. Karen O is also one of the only truly captivating singers today.

Antony and the Johnsons: Antony, who recently won Britain's Mercury Prize, is an androgynous cabaret singer whose siren voice has drawn the attention of collaborators like Lou Reed and Boy George.

Spoon: After trying out a major label with ''Girls Can Tell,'' the Austin, Texas, band decided their home was in indieland. But frontman Britt Daniel still sees no reason his groove-based piano and guitar band can't be as big as the Kinks.

Sufjan Stevens: Press has been building for this banjo-playing bandleader. After an album devoted to Michigan, he continued his ambitious and ridiculous tour of the 50 states with ''Illinois.'' His band fills the stage with horns, strings and backup singers. Everyone, needless to say, is in costume.

John Vanderslice: A singer-songwriter not unlike Connor Oberst of Bright Eyes, but without the bangs or pushy, exaggerated pronunciation. His current disc, ''Pixel Revolt,'' is proving that there's life after Death Cab for indie label Barsuk. (Ditto for labelmates Viva Voce! and Aqueduct.)

Jake Coyle

[-Jar-]

I think the last "indie" album by the Flaming Lips came out in 1989 or something..

[Swish]

I think the last "indie" album by the Flaming Lips came out in 1989 or something..

"Although they still carry the indie flag, Death Cab, Modest Mouse, and semi-indies like Franz Ferdinand and the Killers are all signed to major labels".

There was just too much for me to type verbatim, and like I said, I couldn't find a link of the article.

Swish

[Monkey Bones]

Hard to believe there's such a big market for this effete rubbish nowadays. It used to be that you couldn't even give away this kind of self-indulgent gimmicry. Monkey say watch out for flung poo.

Wait a minute, how'd I get over here? Deja vu, or just clicked on the wrong thread? Well, while I'm here anyway, isn't anyone else even a little tired of Chris Walla yet? Shins are good though, that is refreshing. And I was just listening to the Arcade Fire disc this morning after it returned from an extended stay at a friend's house, and it still sounds pretty fresh. Never fell for it quite the way some of the critics and indie newbies fell for it, but still very solid with only a coupla throwaways for me. Guess this year it's gonna be Wolf Parade, eh? Combine Modest Mouse and Arcade Fire and throw in a dash of all the cool again, name dropped new wave bands and whaddaya get? The new darlings of the indie world. Damn Canadians! Talk about plugging music into a formula! I've had it! Indie's out, I'm moving on to the post-indie rock.

Hey, have you poo fighters seen or heard anything about this? Not my words ...

Javelins - No Plants Just Animals

Angular post-indie rock jangle pop. Huh? Like early The Feelies, Bunnydrums and Gang Of Four meets a more melodic version of Fugazi. With sprawling guitar lines, explosive drumming, a rumbling and funky low end, and a dash of electronics, Javelins give a youthful and experimental shot in the arm to indie rock. Complex and danceable indie rock with a precise rhythm section and a dash of electronices. No Plants. Just Animals, an 9-song head rush of propulsive rhythms, sweeping guitar lines and fuzzed out bass. Riding a current of minor key melodies and sharp lyrical slogans, Javelins have come into their own, as the energetic movements on No Plants reflect their growing interest in the likes of Blonde Redhead, Sonic Youth and the Pixies. On the record, Javelins show their ability to diversify, as a danceable, Smiths-esque verse collapses into a climax of pummeling power chords on Square Hips, or when the manic electronics and stop-start drumming on Love Poems floats into a steady and straightforward exit. Its an album that is so tightly wound, its no wonder that the bands thread is made out of the friendship that the three Javelins treat as carefully as their songs.

[-Jar-]

"Although they still carry the indie flag, Death Cab, Modest Mouse, and semi-indies like Franz Ferdinand and the Killers are all signed to major labels".

There was just too much for me to type verbatim, and like I said, I couldn't find a link of the article.

Swish

Well I know that Indie and Indie mean different things, so I was kind of being a smart-ass.

Flaming Lips are certainly "indie" in spirit even though enough people like them to warrant being on a major label.

What's amazing though is that it took them nearly 10 years of being on a Major Label before they really started to get noticed (except for "She Don't Use Jelly" which sometimes to me seems almost like it was by another band entirely).

:-)

-jar

[Swish]

Well, while I'm here anyway, isn't anyone else even a little tired of Chris Walla yet? Shins are good though, that is refreshing. And I was just listening to the Arcade Fire disc this morning after it returned from an extended stay at a friend's house, and it still sounds pretty fresh. Never fell for it quite the way some of the critics and indie newbies fell for it, but still very solid with only a coupla throwaways for me.

shopping, we hit Damon's for lunch and, while sipping on Bloody Mary's, what are they playing over their sound system? The first track of Plans from DCFC no less.

As for Arcade Fire, the article quotes Carl Newman saying "I think they're like the best band, period". I can't say I agree as I could name at least 20+ off the top that I would choose, although I can't honesty say I have a clear # 1. More like 1A, 1B, 1C and so on. Gotta check out that Wolf Parade for sure, and prolly the Javelins.

S Diddy

[Monkey Bones]

Gotta check out that Wolf Parade for sure, and prolly the Javelins.

S Diddy

The Javelins sound kind of like Les Savy Fav. Not sure how you feel about those guys. Lots of Feelies in the rhythms, kind of like that defunct Life Without Buildings band I took a liking to a couple years ago. Also maybe a bit like a hard-edged Enon. Not likely you could find a copy except online at a few indie places like Not Lame, where that description came from and which has three mp3 song samples from the album. The label site also has it for $8 and all the songs are on itunes. One full length mp3 for "Square Hips" at that site which is a cool song ... http://www.suburbansprawlmusic.com/item.php?cat=SSM012

Wolf Parade should be all over because it's one of the more hyped and critically acclaimed indie releases this year, what with their Montreal heritage and Isaac Brock's involvement as co-producer. I think it was just officially released this past week but has been talked up for weeks. Take note that I haven't heard it myself so this isn't intended, implied, nor should it be in any way construed as a recommendation for anyone to rush out and buy the Wolf Parade debut

[Swish]

The Javelins sound kind of like Les Savy Fav. Not sure how you feel about those guys. Wolf Parade should be all over because it's one of the more hyped and critically acclaimed indie releases this year, what with their Montreal heritage and Isaac Brock's involvement as co-producer. I think it was just officially released this past week but has been talked up for weeks. Take note that I haven't heard it myself so this isn't intended, implied, nor should it be in any way construed as a recommendation for anyone to rush out and buy the Wolf Parade debut

So I'll prolly like the Javelins too. "Inches" was among my faves from last year, or was it the year before? Nah, I'm sure it was ''04. Anyway, I've read good things about the Wolf Parade, I've just been too busy to act upon it. I need to sit down one night and place the order I suppose.

Diddy

[Finch Platte]

Arcade Fire sucks. I mean blows big time.

Haven't you all fingered this out, yet?

fp