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Introduction
In popular music, indie music (from independent) is any of a number of genres, scenes, subcultures and stylistic and cultural attributes, characterised by (real or perceived) independence from commercial pop music and mainstream culture and an autonomous, do-it-yourself (DIY) approach.
Definitions Of Indie
The term "Indie" is often confused with a sound that a musician presents when it is in fact the way that sound is presented or made. "Indie" often refers to an artist or band that is not part of the mainstream culture and/or making music outside its influence. Though the sound of these bands may differ greatly, the "Indie" definition comes from the do-it-yourself attitude and ability to work outside large corporations.
Indie meaning "not major-label"
One of the most common and simplest definitions of "indie" is the definition of not being connected with a major recording label (currently one of the "Big Four" recording companies: Warner, Universal, Sony BMG and EMI). This is the definition used by NME's indie music charts in the UK, among others.
The problem with this definition is that there is often little correlation between the commerciality or creative freedom offered by major labels and those outside the "big four". Most of the larger independent labels are run along the same business principles as the major labels, with A&R departments, marketing budgets and commercial considerations guiding their operations. Meanwhile, major labels often retain independently-oriented artists who are given greater creative independence, and who receive considerable critical acclaim. Some notable major-label artists of this sort include Sonic Youth, Radiohead, Pulp and The Flaming Lips.
Indie and commerciality
A more puristic structural definition of "indie" would draw the line further down, not between the "big 4" major labels and others but between the "big indie" labels and smaller labels, considered by purists to be true indie labels. These small labels are typically run by a few people, often out of their home or garage, and often coupled with a mail-order service representing other labels. The people running the labels have a close connection to a certain scene; many labels are run partially or wholly by musicians in bands on them. A concern for the purity of the creative mission of the label takes precedence over commercial concerns; many labels close down or go on hiatus when the owners lose interest or (as often happens) run out of money (or sometimes close down when the owners feel their mission has been fulfilled, as happened with Sarah Records). Archetypal examples of such labels include the aforementioned Sarah Records, Factory Records, Dischord, Kindercore, SST and Kill Rock Stars.
The converse of this are independent labels that have been perceived, rightly or wrongly, as being overly "commercial" or exploitative of certain artists or trends. Examples at various times include Fat Wreck Chords, Matador Records and Sub Pop. Epitaph was often the focus of similar accusations, however in 2005 label management signed an agreement with RIAA arguably making them no longer "independent".
Once again, this is not so much a dichotomy as a continuum; some labels grow from such independent status and gradually become more commercially oriented (often prompted by the success of one of their acts), eventually becoming subsumed by a larger conglomeration or a major label. One example of this was Creation Records, a label Alan McGee started in the 1980s on a small scale, which, in the 1990s had success with Oasis, subsequently becoming much more commercially oriented before being acquired by Sony.
Indie and genres
The word "indie" is sometimes used to refer specifically to various genres or sounds. During the 1980s, "indie" was synonymous in Great Britain with jangly guitar pop of the C-86 movement. During the 1990s a lot of Britpop bands were referred to as "indie", despite most of the movement being signed to major labels and dominating sales charts. More recently, the word "indie" is sometimes used as a synonym for new wave revivalist bands such as Franz Ferdinand and The Killers. The word "indie" is sometimes used as a synonym for alternative, a word which often bears the stigma of being associated with cynically manufactured mass-market teen-rebellion music from major labels. Such usages of "indie" may be considered inaccurate for various reasons: for one, stylistic qualities are often not accurately correlated to commercial independence or adherence to indie principles (this is particularly true when a sound becomes popular, its leading exponents are signed by major labels and more success-oriented bands and production teams attempt to imitate the style; this ultimately culminates in commercially driven artists such as Avril Lavigne sporting the same stylistic traits the "indie" artists of a year ago had). Secondly, however pervasive any style of music (even one as broadly defined as "guitar pop" or "post-punk rock") may become at a particular time, it by definition cannot embody all of indie music, as, by indie's nature, there will be indie artists, labels and entire local scenes operating outside of this style and its definitions.
Cultural/philosophical attributes of indie
There are a number of cultural and philosophical traits which could be more useful in pinpointing what "indie" is about than specific musical styles or commercial ownership. Indie artists are concerned more with self-expression than commercial considerations (though, again, this is a stance that is affected by many artists, including hugely commercially successful ones). A do-it-yourself sensibility, which originated with punk in the 1970s, is often associated with indie, with people in the scene being involved in bands, labels, nights and zines. Indie often has an internationalist outlook, which stems from a sense of solidarity with other fans, bands and labels in other countries who share one's particular sensibilities; small indie labels will often distribute records for similar labels from abroad, and indie bands will often go on self-funded tours of other cities and countries, where those in the local indie scenes will invariably help organise gigs and often provide accommodation and other support.
Indie artists of any particular time often go against the prevailing trends (for example, the twee pop movement that started in the 1980s was a reaction against the testosterone-fuelled swagger of rock). A 'lo-fi' aesthetic (i.e., an often deliberate lack of polish and a more "authentic" roughness and imperfection) has often been associated with indie, particularly when slick, polished recordings were the preserve of the commercial music industry; this line has since become blurred, in a world where high-quality recordings can be made increasingly easily with inexpensive computer-based recording systems and where commercial production teams often deliberately affect a fashionably "lo-fi" sound.
In terms of music, many adherents of indie collect vinyl records, and consider them to be more "authentic" than more recent and convenient music formats such as CDs. Paradoxically, items such as MP3 players have also become popular, if only to some of the adherents of indie music, because of the practical benefit of carrying one's record collection in one's pocket. In such cases, the cachet gained by being able to express one's taste in music sometimes trumps the value of the authenticity of vinyl.
People into the indie lifestyle are commonly referred to as "indie kids", regardless of age, and often use that term for themselves. Other terms exist; the term "hipster" has, in recent years, become somewhat synonymous with this subculture. In Australia, adherents of the indie subculture/lifestyle are sometimes referred to as "coolsies".
Subcategories of indie
There are several subcategories indie music is often grouped broadly into. Indie rock and indie pop are the most common ones. The difference between these is difficult to pick up from the instrumentation or sound, as both genres include distorted guitar-based music based on pop-song conventions. If anything, the key distinction comes not from instrumentation or structure but from how strictly they follow cultural constructions of rockist "authenticity". There is also indie dance, which comes from a fusion of indie pop and electronic/dance music. Crossover between electronica (mostly glitch) resulted in so-called indietronic, electronic indie or indie electronic, for example some artists on the German Morr Music label, or The Postal Service. Another type is Post Rock, which includes bands like Explosions in the Sky, Mogwai, or Sigur Ros. The idea behind Post Rock is that there are very few (if any) lyrics, yet the songs are long (sometimes upwards of 20 minutes), and the point of the songs are to paint an emotional landscape with just music and no words.
Indie Rock
Indie rock is rock music that falls within the indie music description. The term is sometimes used interchangeably with indie music as a whole, though more specifically implies that the music meets the criteria of being rock, as opposed to indie pop or other possible matchups. These criteria vary from an emphasis on rock instrumentation (electric guitars, bass guitar and live drums) to more abstract (and debatable) rockist constructions of authenticity.
The music commonly regarded as indie rock is descended from what was known as alternative rock during the 1980s; this name refers to the fact that it was an alternative to mainstream rock. Alternative bands of the time, in turn, were influenced by the punk rock, post-punk, and New Wave movements of the 1970s and early 1980s. During the first half of the 1990s alternative music, led by grunge bands such as Nirvana and Pearl Jam, broke into the mainstream and achieved commercial chart success. Shortly thereafter, the alternative genre became commercialised, as mainstream success attracted major-label investment and commercially-oriented or manufactured acts with a formulaic, conservative approach. With this, the meaning of the label "alternative" changed away from its original, more countercultural meaning, and the term "indie rock" fell into greater use.
"Indie rock" is shorthand for "independent rock," which stems from the general rule that most of its artists are signed to independent record labels, rather than major record labels. It is not strictly a genre of music (given that musical style and independence are not always correlated), but is often used as an umbrella term covering a wide range of artists and styles, connected by some degree of allegiance to the values of underground culture, and (usually) describable as rock and roll. Genres or subgenres often associated with indie rock include lo-fi, post-rock, shoegazer, garage punk, emo, slowcore, c86, twee pop, and math rock, to list but a few; other related (and sometimes overlapping) categories include alternative rock and indie pop.
Typically, indie artists place a premium on maintaining complete control of their music and careers, often releasing albums on their own independent record labels and relying on touring, word-of-mouth, and airplay on independent or college radio stations for promotion. Some of its more popular artists, however, may end up signing to major labels, though often on favourable terms won by their prior independent success.
The History
The '60s
Were it began, The Indie Rock for Dummies book might put the roots of the indie rock tree in the Velvet Underground, a band that hit the scene during the mid-to-late '60s. As the rest of the world was into peace, love, and really good hallucinogenics, the Velvet Underground was taking the rock rulebook, tearing out the pages, and using them to wipe their rears. Their music kinda sounded like rock, but incorporated elements of social realism and the beginnings of punk and new wave. In short, the Velvet Underground was way ahead of its time.
The '70s
After the VU, the deconstructive proposition born in the bowels on New York's Bowery, quickly took the form of punk. Punk became somewhat successful/mainstream, so it had to die. That left a bunch of post-punk bands, many of whom (Elvis Costello, Talking Heads, the Pretenders) started getting airplay, and also became successful and (even worse) old. Post-punk bottomed out when the Clash made Combat Rock, a radio-friendly album that included such commercially viable songs as "Rock the Casbah" and "Should I Stay or Should I Go."
The '80s
Sometime in the late '80s, the moniker of underground tunes changed from "punk" to "college music." This was not because only people in college listened to it, but also because the only people who played it were deejays at college radio stations. Anybody with a radio was free to listen, but not very many people did . . . until people realized that despite the weird names of some of these bands, they weren't scary like punks. In fact, a lot of college music was just pop music. R.E.M., U2, Camper Van Beethoven - they were college bands and they were harmless.
As many of those bands became popular, the powers-that-be at the college radio stations became a little bitter that "their bands" were taken away and given to the masses. They reacted by going a little harder and a little darker (a la Nirvana). That's when college music started to become known as "alternative." Again, the general idea was that it was an alternative to say, Tiffany or Bon Jovi or what you might hear on the radio (notice the pattern?).
The '90s
In the early '90s, Nirvana released Nevermind. As a result, alternative launched its own radio format, and paradoxically became mainstream. So the bands who were still an alternative to something that was getting airplay became (drum roll, please) "indie rock."
status or genre?
In the UK, indie music charts have been compiled since at least the 1980s. These charts initially featured independent bands that emerged from punk and post-punk, as well as indie pop artists such as Aztec Camera and Orange Juice, the C86 jangle-pop movement and the twee pop of Sarah Records artists. The bands were distinguished by having their records released by small labels, independently of the major record companies. The 1980s indie scene directly influenced 1990s Britpop artists such as Blur and Suede (though many of these were technically not wholly "indepedent" artists, being signed to major labels).
More recently, the term "indie rock" has become so incredibly broad that almost anything from post-punk to alt-country to synth-pop to afrobeat to ambient to noise pop to IDM to psychedelic folk to hundreds of other genres can fall under its umbrella.
In fact, there are likely to be several popular, and wildly varying, strains of indie rock going at any given time. For example, some of the more popular recent strains include:
New folk, an updated take on the folk music of the 1960s, typically designated by quiet vocals and more ornate, orchestral instrumentation and arrangements. (See: Sufjan Stevens, Iron and Wine)
Freak-folk, a more experimental take on New Folk that generally revolves around quirky, psych-inflected folk songs and ballads. (See: Devendra Banhart, Joanna Newsom, Animal Collective, Six Organs of Admittance)
New Weird America, the most heavily psych-damaged strain of New Folk, frequently consisting of avant-garde noise, drones, or dissonance, and often employing natural field recordings for added atmosphere. (See: No-Neck Blues Band, Tower Recordings, Wooden Wand and the Vanishing Voice)
Dance-punk, a hybridization of electronic dance music and punk rock aesthetics. (See: LCD Soundsystem, The Rapture, !!!, Out Hud, Radio 4)
Garage rock revival, a throwback to a more primitive 60s rock and roll sound which was heavily influenced by Delta blues. (See: The White Stripes, The Strokes, The Hives, The Von Bondies)
Nu-gaze, an updated version of shoegazer that tends to lean more heavily on synths than its more guitar-focused predecessor. (See: Sigur Ros, Ulrich Schnauss, M83, Serena Maneesh)
Indietronic, a descendent of electropop that finds a more conventional approach to indie rock or indie pop backed almost exclusively by highly digitized electronic instrumentation. (See: The Postal Service, The Notwist, Manitoba, Dntel, Lali Puna)
Also among the most popular strains of indie rock at present is Neo-Wave. Popularized by bands such as Franz Ferdinand, Bloc Party and Futureheads, it is influenced primarily by the New Wave and post-punk movements of the 1980s. The core of this movement has mostly been the resurgence of spiky 80's post punk rhythms and riffs akin to those played by Gang of Four, Television and Wire. Often this style has been blended with other alternative genres such as garage rock (Death From Above 1979), synth rock (The Killers) and post-punk (Interpol). Some would also classify the Scissor Sisters and many others within this genre, which is very popular in the UK, forming the backbone of the Zane Lowe show, a popular evening radio show on Radio 1.
Whether this particular movement embodies the indie ethos is debatable. Many of these bands are signed to independent labels, and express a disdain of the major-label marketing apparatus. (In the 8th January 2005 issue of NME, Alex Kapranos of Franz Ferdinand authored an article championing the genre, saying independent labels 'have character', how they are 'run by people who are passionate about music' and stressing 'why independent record labels are so important' as the saviour of good music.) Critics point out that, while many of the bands are signed to labels technically independent of the Big Four, the movement is highly commercial, image-oriented and market-driven, with millions of dollars spent on marketing and the investment of corporate promoters such as MTV, Clear Channel and Carling; a far cry from the traditional indie world of labels run out of bedrooms by friends of the bands and unconcerned with commercial success. Furthermore, much of this movement has been said to be rigidly formulaic, with a set of aesthetic stances (i.e., the severe black suits and thin ties of bands such as Interpol and Kaiser Chiefs) and sounds imitating a small number of 1970s/1980s post-punk and New Wave bands, and thus not particularly independent in spirit. While some artists in this movement may embody the DIY aesthetic and unconcerned attitude of indie more than others, it cannot be said to infuse the entire movement.
Further muddying the waters of the technical definition of "indie" is the fact that independence from major labels and independence from market-driven commercialism are not always correlated. For a time in the late 1990s, three of the most successful artists in the UK indie charts were *NSYNC, the Backstreet Boys and Britney Spears. All three were signed to Zomba, which was technically an independent label at the time. (Zomba has since become part of major label Sony BMG). In contrast, there have been a small number of notable artists (such as Radiohead, Pulp and The Flaming Lips) who have maintained considerable creative independence and won critical acclaim whilst signed to major labels.
Indie Rock Artists
This is a list of indie rock artists. This includes artists who have either been very important to the genre or have had a considerable amount of exposure (such as in the case of one that has been on a major label, but not limited to such). This list does not include little-known local bands. Bands are listed by the first letter in their name (not including the words "a", "an", or "the"), and individuals are listed by last name.
A
Absolute *****s
A.C. Newman
Action Action
The Apples (In Stereo)
The Afghan Whigs
Air Miami
Akira
Alamo Race Track
The Album Leaf
Ambulance LTD
...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead
Ani DiFranco
Animal Collective
The Animit
The Anix
The Anniversary
Anubis Spire
Apollo Sunshine
Arab Strap
Arab On Radar
The Arcade Fire
Architecture in Helsinki
Archers of Loaf
Arctic Monkeys
Arm Of Roger
Arson Welles
Artbox
Ashtabula
At the Drive-In
Athlete
Atom and His Package
Augie March
Azure Ray
B
Babyshambles
The Bamboo Kids
The Baptist Generals
Bearsuit
Beat Happening
Belle & Sebastian
The Bevis Frond
Beta Band
Bettie Serveert
Beulah
Beauty Pill
Big Black
Big Flame
Billy Childish
Bishop Allen
***** Magnet
Blacktop
Black Casual
The Black Eyes
The Black Keys
The Black Heart Procession
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
The Bled
Bloc Party
Blonde Redhead
Blues Brother Castro
Bouncing Souls
The Blood Brothers
Blue October
Blur
Blood Thirsty Lovers
Bob Log III
Boss Hog
Boxhead Ensemble
The Boy Least Likely To
Braid
Brainiac
Brand New
The Bravery
The Breeders
Brian Jonestown Massacre
Will Brierly
Bright Eyes
British Sea Power
Broken Social Scene
Built to Spill
Bum****
Butterglory
Butthole Surfers
C
Cake
Calabi Yau
Calamine
Calexico
Camper Van Beethoven
capsela
The Cardigans
Caribou (formerly Manitoba)
Carter USM
Cat Power
Cave-in
Champ!
Chavez
Chisel
Chin Up Chin Up
Copeland
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
The Clears
Compulsive Gamblers
Coparck
The Cranberries
Crass
Crooked Fingers
Christopher Isaak
The Coctails
Cocteau Twins
Codeine
Colleen
The Comas
Come
Comets On Fire
The Constantines
The Cool Jerks
Cub
Cursive
D
Damien Rice
The Dandy Warhols
Daphne Loves Derby
Dappled Cities Fly
The Daycare Swindlers
The Dears
Death Cab for Cutie
Death from Above 1979
Decehedron
The Decemberists
Deerhoof
Denali
Del Rey
The Departure
Desaparecidos
Des Ark
Despistado
dEUS
The Dinner is Ruined
Dinosaur Jr.
The Dirtbombs
Dirty Projectors
Discover America
Dismemberment Plan
The Dresden Dolls
Dreams of Elwood
Drive Like Jehu
DRUB
Doctor Popular (Aka Drown Radio)
Do Make Say Think
Dolour
The Donner Party
Doves
Dressy Bessy
Dwarves
E
Earlimart
Echo & The Bunnymen
Editors
Eels
Eggs
Eisley
Electric Six
Eleventh Dream Day
Elle Milano
Elliott Smith
Elytra
Engine Down
Enon
Eric's Trip
Escanaba Firing Line
The Evens
The Explosion
Explosions in the Sky
F
The Faint
Faraway Places
The Fastbacks
Felt
Feeder
Feist
The Fiery Furnaces
Flaming Lips
The Flatmates
Flyleaf
Folk Implosion
Foo Fighters
For the Morning
The Format
Fountains of Wayne
The Frames
Franz Ferdinand
The French Kicks
The Frogs
Frou Frou
****
Fugazi
The Futureheads
G
Ganesha
Get Him Eat Him
Gertie Fox
Ghost Aquarium
Giant Drag
The Girl Pool ('95-98 Athens, GA)
Girls Against Boys
The Go! Team
Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Goo Goo Dolls
Graham Coxon
Grandaddy
Green Magnet School
Grifters
Guided By Voices
Lys Guillorn
The Gun Club
Guster
H
Half Japanese
The Halo Benders
Hard Candy
Hard-Fi
Heavenly
Helium
Hella
Helmet
Her Space Holiday
He's A Cop?!
The Hives
The Hidden Cameras
The Hippos
The Honorary Title
Hot Hot Heat
The Hot Monkey
HORSE the band
The House Of Love
Hüsker Dü
I
Icewater Scandal
Icebird
Idiot Pilot
The (International) Noise Conspiracy
Interpol
The Invisibles
Iron & Wine
J
Juliana Hatfield
J Mascis and the Fog
J*A*N feat. U.D.S.S.R
Jale
Jawbox
The Jesus & Mary Chain
The Jesus Lizard
Jets to Brazil
The Jettys
Joan of Arc
Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
James
The Juliana Theory
K
Kaiser Chiefs
Karate
Kasabian
Keith and the marzipan soldiers
The Kills
The Killers
King Cobb Steelie
Kings of Convenience
Kings of Leon
King of the Slums
Knapsack
Koufax
L
LCD Soundsystem
Le Tigre
Les Savy Fav
Letters to Cleo
Letters Kills
Levitation
Liars
The Little Killers
Liz Phair
The Long Winters
Lolita Bras
Love Puddi
Low
The Libertines
M
Mae
Magnetic Fields
The Make-Up
Mando Diao
Marine Research
Maximo Park
Edwin McCain
Metric
Mercury Rev
The Microphones
The Minus 5
Minus The Bear
The Miracle Workers
Modest Mouse
Mogwai
The Moldy Peaches
Moonbabies
The Mooseheart Faith Stellar Groove Band
Morrissey
Mosquitos
The Most Serene Republic
The Mountain Goats
Moving Units
Murder By Death
Muse
My Bloody Valentine
The Music
N
Nada Surf
Napalm Enema
Nate Denver's Neck
Nation of Ulysses
Negativland
Neutral Milk Hotel
The New ****ographers
The New Year
Nirvana
The Notwist
Nova Social
Now It's Overhead
O
Occasional Saint
Ocean Alexander
Of Montreal
Okkervil River
Olivia Tremor Control
Orange Drink
Ours to Destroy
Owls
OK Go
The Organ
Ocean Colour Scene
P
Palace
panic! at the disco
The Palace Brothers
The Pastels
Patterson's Curse
Pavement
Pedro The Lion
The Perishers
Phantom Planet
Piano Magic
Piebald
Pilate
Pinback
Pixies
PJ Harvey
Placebo
Polyphonic Spree
The Popguns
Portastatic
The Postal Service
Preston School Of Industry
Pretty Flowers
Pretty Girls Make Graves
The Primitives
Primal Scream
Protein
Pussy Galore
PUSA
[edit]
Q
Q and Not U
Quasi
R
R.E.M.
Rachel's
Radiohead
The Rapture
Razorlight
Ratatat
Red House Painters
Red Lorry Yellow Lorry
Red Monday
Redlaine
Refused
The Reigning Sound
Reindeer Section
The Replacements
The Reputation
Rheostatics
Reeve Oliver
Ride
Rilo Kiley
Ringside
The Roaring 20's
The Robot Ate Me
Rocket from the Crypt
Rodan
Rogue Wave
Rooftop Suicide Club
Ross Golan and Molehead
Royal City
Royal Trux
S
Saosin
Sarge
Saucy Monky
Say Hi To Your Mom
The Sea And Cake
Scarling.
Scrawl
The Screws
Sebadoh
The Servant
Servotron
Shaamans
The Shins
Shonen Knife
Shudder to Think
The Sick Lipstick
Sigur Rós
Silkworm
The Silver Jews
Silverstein
Simple Kid
The Simple Ones
Sinombre
The Six Parts Seven
The Skate Party
Skydiggers
Sleater-Kinney
Slint
Small Factory
The Softies
The Smiths
Elliott Smith
Smog
Snow Patrol
Snot Patties
Soltero
Sondre Lerche
Sonic Youth
Sons and Daughters
Soular
Sounds like Violence
South Filthy
Soybonilla
Space
Space****s
Sparklehorse
The Spinanes
Spoon
Stars
Stereo Total
Stereolab
The Stills
Strapping Fieldhands
Straylight Run
The Strokes
Sufjan Stevens
Sugar
Sunday's Best
Sun Kil Moon
Sunny Day Real Estate
Sunset Valley
Super Furry Animals
Superchunk
The Swirlies
Stephanie Sadowski
Stephen Malkmus
Suede
System of a Down
T
Tav Falco's Panther Burns
Tegan and Sara
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
Test Icicles
These Arms Are Snakes
Thinking Fellers Union Local #282
This Is Exploding
Three Mile Pilot
The Frames
The Futureheads
The Powerline and the Poles That Carried It
The Thrills
Throwing Muses
Thrush Hermit
Tiger Trap
Tilly and the Wall
Tom Waits
Tortoise
Tree People
True Rumor
Tsunami
Tsunami Bomb
Turn
TV On the Radio
Twothirtyeight
They Might Be Giants
U
Ugly Casanova
Uncle Tupelo
The Unicorns
Unrest
Unsane
U.S. Funk Team
U.S. Maple
V
Velocity Girl
Versus
Vertego
Veruca Salt
The Verve
The Very Hush Hush
VHS or Beta
Violent Femmes
The Von Bondies
The Vines
W
The Walkmen
Waterdeep
Watson
Wckr Spgt
The Weakerthans
The Wedding Present
The White Stripes
Wilco
Ween
Weezer
Wolf Parade
The Wrens
Re: Policemen And Pirates (The Official Indie Thread)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Craig123
u forgot the rakes (i think)
possibly the only indie band ive listend to for more than 5minutes,
and only becase i was in my friends car.
This is a list of indie rock artists. This includes artists who have either been very important to the genre or have had a considerable amount of exposure (such as in the case of one that has been on a major label, but not limited to such).
Re: Policemen And Pirates (The Official Indie Thread)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hillsy
oasis are the greatest band ever formed and there not even on a list with like 400 other bands. the list is gay!
apart from the fact that they are actually not the "greatest band" to ever of formed they were not important to the Indie Genre. they were important to Brit Pop as they took of from where Shed Seven had re-evolved it into the mainstream but that is a totally different story.
Re: Policemen And Pirates (The Official Indie Thread)
but they are an indie band.... and its only my opinion that there the greatest band ever 6 amazing albums (5 + a b-side album) and all there songs have meanings not just aload of ****.
Re: Policemen And Pirates (The Official Indie Thread)
Britpop
Overview
Britpop is a British alternative rock movement from the mid 1990s, characterised by the appearance of bands who borrowed many influences from 1960s and 1970s while creating big, catchy hooks, as well as the glamour of earlier pop stardom and the sense that they were creating the soundtrack to the lives of a new generation of British youth. Although incredibly popular from about 1994–1996, it has since been criticised for its lack of innovation.
The movement developed as a reaction against various musical trends in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Acid house and the rise of Hip hop had led to an renewed interest in groove- and rhythm-led songs in British pop music—a classic example being the Happy Mondays. In the wake of these revolutions, classic guitar music floundered. The shoegazing movement in the late 1980s responded by producing long, psychedelic, repetitive songs, strongly influenced by bands like My Bloody Valentine. As the name suggests, live performances tended to be exercises in endurance. After this, there was a short but crucial movement termed the "New Wave of New Wave", which produced mainly derivative bands and which was crucial in re-orienting British pop towards "classic" songwriting.
The key "anti-influence" on the Britpop was Grunge. In the wake of the American invasion led by Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Alice in Chains, British acts were thrown on the defensive. Americans threw down the gauntlet, and British acts now had to prove they were in the same league musically.
Influences
Britpop groups were primarily influenced by the music of the 1960s and 1970s, particularly the two Rock and Roll trends of the British Invasion: the Rocker cornerstones like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones and their classic Mod contemporaries like The Who, The Kinks, and The Small Faces were incredibly influential, perhaps playing the biggest role in formation of the Britpop movement. Also quite influential were progressive rock acts like Jethro Tull, Yes, Genesis, Pink Floyd, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Rush and hard rockers like Led Zeppelin, Ten Years After, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath.
Other sources were 1970s and 1980s glam idols such as David Bowie, T. Rex, and Roxy Music, as well as punk and new wave artists The Sex Pistols, Talking Heads, The Clash, The Jam, Public Image Ltd, Madness, XTC, and Elvis Costello.
Often cited as a Second British Invasion the Indie alternative rock, outfits of the 1980s exemplified by U2, The Smiths, Depeche Mode, Duran Duran, The Cure and The Jesus and Mary Chain were also very influential. Another short but influential musical movement was the college rock with artists such as R.E.M., Pixies, 10,000 Maniacs, and the Replacements. Perhaps a hidden, subterranean influence were the C86 bands: certainly, bands that were later described as Britpop, such as Primal Scream, originally started off as C86 bands.
Late 1980s and early 1990s acts, like ex-Jam frontman Paul Weller and particularly The Stone Roses' eponymous debut album, were also influential. Frontmen Ian Brown and Paul Weller with their subsequent solo releases, and their referencing of 1970s rock music in the early 1990s, played huge role on the Britpop sound, which in the case of bands like Kula Shaker moved towards psychedelia. Noel Gallagher described The La's self-titled debut album as "the first Britpop album".
History
The Modfather and Modern Life is Rubbish (1991 – 1993)
Weller in particular is praised as the founder and initiator of the movement. His solo records Paul Weller (1991) and Wild Wood (1993) are considered seminal forces for the movement. His influence over the Britpop, coupled with his love of Mod music, had earned him the nickname "The Modfather". As well as guiding Blur, Ocean Colour Scene through his recordings, Weller has also performed with the bands, including playing guitar on Oasis' "Champagne Supernova".
Whereas Weller brought the key ingredient of "Mod" to what would become Britpop, Blur brought several other factors to the table. Without the media attention and chart success that would later follow, Blur's 1993 album Modern Life Is Rubbish slowly shifted the British sound away from shoegazing dance music, to a quirky pop sound. In hindsight, the writing and sound of Modern Life Is Rubbish contained many of the lyrical themes, chord changes, harmonies, and decidedly British singing which would later become iconically recognised as "Britpop".
Britpop and Cool Britannia (1994 – mid-1996)
The term "Britpop" had been used as early as 1987 (in "Sounds" magazine by journalist and TV pundit John Robb referring to bands such as The La's, Stone Roses and the Inspiral Carpets). "Britpop" arose around the same time as the term "Britart" (which referred to the work of British modern artists such as Damien Hirst). But it wouldn't be until 1995 when the term exploded and was used extensively by NME, Melody Maker, Select, and Q Magazine. The word subsequently entered the mainstream media. Its influence was recognised by an article in The Guardian by the editors of the Oxford English Dictionary declaring "Britpop" as the new word which best exemplified 1995. "Britpop" was added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 1997.
Fans of Britpop are divided over which album kick-started the movement. Oasis' breakthrough debut Definitely Maybe (1994), Blur's bombastic third album Parklife (1994) and Suede's self-titled debut Suede (1993) are all contenders. These albums defined the movement and paved the way for many other acts. The Britpop hysteria rapidly gained huge media and fan attention in Britain, Western Europe and some parts of the U.S.
The movement was as much about British pride, media hype and imagery as it was about the particular style of music. Suede (known in America as "London Suede") was the first of the new crop of guitar-oriented bands to be completely embraced by the UK music media as Britain's answer to Seattle's grunge sound. Their self-titled first album was released in March 1993, and became the fastest-selling debut album in the history of the UK. This title was later claimed by Oasis with Definitely Maybe.
In April 1993, Select Magazine helped spark the upswing in British pride by featuring Suede's lead singer Brett Anderson on the cover with a Union Jack in the background and the words 'Yanks go home!' on the cover, accompanied by features on Suede, The Auteurs, Denim, Saint Etienne and Pulp. In 1994 and 1995 other Britpop and similar style acts started to appear - Mansun, Elastica, Echobelly, Sleeper, Supergrass, Primal Scream, The Auteurs, The Boo Radleys, Pulp, Cast, The Bluetones, Black Grape, Space and The Divine Comedy. Some of them were new, others already established acts who benefited from association with the movement.
In 1995 the Britpop movement reached its zenith. The famous "Battle Of The Bands" found Blur and Oasis as prime contenders for the title "Kings of Britpop". Spurred on by the media, the "Battle" was headed by two groups - Oasis' brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher representing the North of England, and from Blur, Damon Albarn and Alex James representing the South. This "Battle" was epitomised when, after some back-handed marketing, Oasis' Single "Roll With It" and Blur's "Country House" were released in the same week. The event caught the public's imagination and gained mass media attention - even featuring on the BBC News. While this battle raged on Pulp took the spots with the magnificent single "Common People" and Suede with their "Trash" and "Beautiful Ones".
In the end, Blur won, selling 274,000 copies to Oasis' 216,000 - the songs charting at number 1 and number 2 respectively. However, in the long-run, Oasis' album (What's the Story) Morning Glory won the popular vote over Blur’s The Great Escape, outselling it by a factor of 4 or more. In the UK, What's the Story spent a total of three years on the charts, selling over eighteen million copies and becoming the second best selling British album of all time. Oasis' second album is widely considered to be the definitive Britpop album capturing the essence of the attitude and the Cool Britannia movement. (In Britain and Ireland it became popular for a time when asked "What's the story?" (lit. "How are you?"), to answer with "Morning glory".)
The battle was also on a "representative" points as Blur praised Mod bands like Small Faces and the Kinks, while Oasis - obvious Rocker trends like The Beatles and Rolling Stones. Pulp and Suede were more "David Bowish" and many of the bands featured influences of the previous acts. The media went even further, branding the movement "Third British Invasion", because of it massive popularity at the time and because acts represented particular musical influence or movement in their music, which led to more or less media-generated conflicts between the bands, as was the case with previous bands and movements.
The Britpop movement was also symbolised in 1994-1995 by the outwardly happy, poppy sing-along summer anthems of such bands as Dodgy's "Staying Out for the Summer", Supergrass' "Alright", Sleeper's "Inbetweener", The Boo Radleys' "Wake Up Boo" and Echobelly's "Great Things". Although the majority of the bands associated with Britpop were English, there were exceptions. Super Furry Animals, Catatonia, Gorky's Zygotic Mynci, Manic Street Preachers and Stereophonics were Welsh. This even led native media to call the rise of Welsh Bands "Cool Cymru" an answer to "Cool Britannia". Others like The Gyres, Travis and Belle and Sebastian were Scottish. There were also Irish acts such as - the Cranberries and Ash (from Northern Ireland) - and not to mention the infamous Gallagher brothers, who were Irish descendants. Thus the movement and Britpop hysteria engulfed not just one province or city; it encompassed the entire region and established itself as a definitive British movement, both musically and spiritually.
Britpop weakens (late-1996 – 1998)
In late 1996, the movement and hysteria started to subside due to high expectations, burnout and drug-fueled lifestyles of the bands. Bands as Blur, Oasis and Suede among the hype and media attention to their music were also publisized with their regular alcohol, cocaine and crack usage. While Suede's poppy 1996 album Coming Up was a needed tonic and other acts such as Pulp, Supergrass and Cornershop made some challenging records, many of the other band's albums would be ultimately disappointing or would be far from the overall spirit and sound of the movement, hinting that it was on the way out. The core initiators and leaders like Oasis and Blur turned their backs on the movement scene. Oasis' third album Be Here Now although selling strongly to a still loyal fanbase, attracted strong criticism from critics and record-buyers for its overproduced and bloated "acid" sound, characterised with endless guitar riffs and lack of originality in making the songs. Blur's self-titled fifth effort was very well received like their previous two, partly because it showcased stylistic evolution for the band, unlike Oasis. The band by Graham Coxon's urgence was moving and developing and marked a considerable departure from the familiar Britpop style of Parklife and The Great Escape. Their music was lurching towards the American style of bands such as Pavement and R.E.M..
It should be considered that there was a natural oversaturating of the market, as the public was buying almost everything that was released. Even though some of the bands, which benefited but were not critically acclaimed, had their albums bought by the public. Naturally, the market oversaturated, causing fewer sales due to the bands' style becoming static. This inevitably caused some bands to break up or burn out.
This is when the fans turned their attention on more sophisticated acts like Radiohead and The Verve, who were underlooked by the media attention, centered before on Pulp, Suede, Blur and Oasis. These two bands, showed considerable influences by Pink Floyd and R.E.M., that weren't so much found among the Britpop acts' "textbooks". When the Britpop was on the way out, Radiohead and the Verve released their respective 1997 powerful progressive rock albums OK Computer and Urban Hymns, both of which were widely acclaimed. While these albums were Britpop in the sense of being British and popular, neither wore that Britishness or accessability with that particular pride. However, they granted the movement the chance for rolling for some more time.
"Death" of the Britpop (1998 – 1999)
Eventually, by the late 1990s, the movement was considered to be a spent force musically. The transitional figure here was ex-Take That, Robbie Williams who had his first number 1 hit in 1998. Williams owed much to Britpop (many of his most famous songs being co-written with Guy Chambers ex of Britpop band "The Lemon Trees"), but he represented a move away from rock and towards pop in the music buying public's taste. By the new millenium, girl and boy bands - Backstreet Boys, Sugababes, All Saints, Hanson, S Club 7 and Westlife, as well as solo pop stars like Britney Spears, Robbie Williams, Kylie Minogue and Justin Timberlake dominated the charts, and thus Britpop was over.
Many acts didn't survive the momentum of the movement and disbanded, some evolved stylistically, moving on to other musical territories. Despite the fall of Britpop those few established acts like Oasis, Radiohead, Blur and Supergrass continued to make music and still are enjoying relative popularity among fans and critics. Blur continued to move away from the movement with their subsequent releases, parting company with longtime producer Stephen Street and guitarist Graham Coxon in the process. Ironically a couple of years after Coxon left, he realigned with Street to record his most successful solo records. Oasis remained popular amongst their loyal fanbase, but they suffered the loss of longterm members Bonehead and Guigs in 1999 and longtime serving sticksman Alan White in 2004. Radiohead, never the most strongly associated band with the movement, radically changed their sound with subsequent records and abandoned all semblance of the Britpop style.
Some of the leaders also didn't outlast the movement or colided from internal strife. Suede soldiered on, releasing a couple of more albums, but none managed to show the brilliance that they displayed during their first three albums. This was mainly due to the departure of main songwriter/guitarist Bernard Butler during the recording of Dog Man Star. Suede eventually called it quits in 2003. But not so long after that in 2004 Butler and Anderson reconvened with a new formation called The Tears with an album following the subsequent year. Pulp began an extended hiatus, and The Verve, after losing key guitarist Nick McCabe, also split, although their frontman Richard Ashcroft subsequently forged a semi-successful solo career.
Legacy and rebirth (2000 – present)
The movement is regarded as a direct continuation of the British Invasions in the 60s and 80s. Although the critical body of the movement isn't as bright as it was towards the work of earlier acts, it is notable as it is the third rock'n'roll musical phenomena, that reached the same level of interest and momentum in Britain. Naturally as in the 60s the original British Invasion and the in the middle 80s punk movement subsided, in the same way the movement died. However, many contemporary musical artists ackwnoledge many of the the initiators and leaders of the Britpop movement as a big inspiration toward their own musical duties. Not so long after the initial wave died, new groups started to appear in early 2000s and naturally the movement transcended into bands, strongly influenced by previous sound and dominant in charts as most of the British rock acts before them.
Bands like Muse, Travis and Coldplay drew inspiration from the earlier sound. Albums such as Showbiz and Absolution (Muse), Parachutes and A Rush of Blood to the Head (Coldplay), and The Man Who and The Invisible Band (Travis) showed lesser or greater Britpop influences. In 2003 and 2004 bigger influx happened of more new acts. Bands such as Athlete, Doves, Franz Ferdinand, The Strokes, Kaiser Chiefs, The Futureheads, Bloc Party, Kasabian, and Maximo Park showed Britpop influences in their work. Other acts like Elbow, The Libertines, and Keane have also come to the fore, with music influenced by Oasis and Radiohead.
However, the previous rockers like Noel Gallagher of Oasis fame and Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke, are particularly dismissive of the current British rock scene: "Let's call it what it is - it's indie ****, is what it is," said Noel. "None of them are trying to make it big. They're all trying to make it small or medium - that's it. Don't get me wrong - I kinda like Franz Ferdinand and Kaiser Chiefs [but] Bloc Party are just appalling. None of them strike me as trying to be in the biggest band in the world or the best band in the world - it's just indie rubbish." Yorke also drily answered with "Good luck with Kid A" to an interview about claims that Muse, Travis and Coldplay sound like his band's material till 1997.
The movement also has the labeled as "the new Liam Gallagher" ex-Libertine and current Babyshambles frontman Pete Doherty, who is scandalizing and somehow amusing the press with his bad boy persona, erratic behaviour, both out and onstage, including increased heroine and crack abuse, everything coupled with a high-profile romance with cocaine-abusing model Kate Moss.
The Britpop legacy have remained in Britain and while new acts are not as innovative or instantly smashing as their predecessors, most of them borrow much of the musical roots and stay on the scene for the long run with on-going fan and media attention. There isn't the same sort of hysteria like before, but rather than a strong and constant interest towards these bands, which are pointing new musical teritories and are influencing the next generations and each other as well. 2005 saw the release of a new Oasis album, Don't Believe The Truth, which many saw as a throwback to the band's mid-90's hey-day. The album produced 2 #1 hit singles and 1 #2 hit single in Britian, proving Britpop is still alive in its homeland.
List of Britpop Artists
60 Foot Dolls
A (Hi-Fi Serious)
Ash (Trailer, 1977)
The Auteurs (New Wave)
The Audience
Babybird
Bis (The New Transistor Heroes)
The Boo Radleys (Wake Up!)
The Bluetones
Bloc Party
Blur (Parklife, the Great Escape, Modern Life Is Rubbish)
Carter USM (101 Damnations)
Cast (All Change)
The Charlatans (Tellin' Stories)
Coldplay (Parachutes, A Rush of Blood to the Head, X&Y)
Dodgy (band) (The Dodgy Album),(Homegrown),(Free Peace Sweet)
Doves (Lost Souls)
Echobelly (Everybody's Got One)), (On)
Echo & the Bunnymen
Elastica (Elastica)
Elbow (Cast of Thousands,Leaders Of The Free World)
Elcka
Embrace (The Good Will Out)
Feeder (Yesterday Went Too Soon, Echo Park, Comfort in Sound,Pushing The Senses)
Gay Dad (Leisure Noise)
Gene (Olympian)
Gorillaz (Gorillaz, Demon Days)
Gorky's Zygotic Mynci (Spanish Dance Troupe)
The Gyres (First)
The Happy Mondays (Pills 'N' Thrills And Bellyaches, Yes Please!)
Heavy Stereo
James
The Jeevas
Kaiser Chiefs
Keane (Hopes & Fears)
Kula Shaker (K, Peasants, Pigs & Astronauts)
The Longpigs (The Sun Is Often Out, Mobile Home)
Lush (Lovelife)
Lightning War
Manic Street Preachers (The Holy Bible, Everything Must Go)
Mansun (Attack of the Grey Lantern)
Manta Ray
Marion
Menswear (Nuisance)
Muse (Showbiz, Origin of Symmetry, Hullabaloo, Absolution)
My Life Story
Ned's Atomic Dustbin (God Fodder)
Oasis (Definitely Maybe, What's the Story (Morning Glory), Be Here Now, Standing on the Shoulder of Giants, Heathen Chemistry, Don't Believe the Truth)
Ocean Colour Scene (Moseley Shoals)
Paul Weller (Paul Weller, Wild Wood, Live Wood, Stanley Road)
Placebo (Black Market Music, Sleeping With Ghosts)
Powder
Pulp (His 'n' Hers, Different Class, This Is Hardcore)
Radiohead (OK Computer, the Bends)
The Real People
Richard Ashcroft
Relaxed Muscle
Reef (Glow)
Ride (Nowhere, Going Blank Again, Carnival Of Light, Tarantula)
Robbie Williams
Saint Etienne (So Tough)
Seahorses
Shack (Waterpistol)
Shed Seven (Going For Gold)
Sleeper (Smart), (The It Girl)
S*M*A*S*H
Snow Patrol (Final Straw)
Space (Spiders, Tin Planet)
Spitfire (Sex Bomb, Electric Colour Climax)
Starsailor (Love Is Here, Silence Is Easy,On The Outside)
Steadman (Loser Friendly, Revive)
Stereolab (Mars Audiac Quintet, Refried Ectoplasm (Switched On - Volume 2), Emperor Tomato Ketchup, Dots and Loops)
Stereophonics (Performance and ****tails, Just Enough Education to Perform, You Gotta Go There to Come Back)
Suede (Suede, Dog Man Star)
Super Furry Animals (Radiator)
Supergrass (I Should Coco, In It For the Money)
Terrorvision (Regular Urban Survivors)
The Divine Comedy
The La's (The La's)
The Stone Roses (The Stone Roses)
The Verve (A Northern Soul), (Urban Hymns)
The Weekenders
The Tears
These Animal Men
This Picture (Violent Impression)
Thurman
Travis (The Man Who, The Invisible Band, 12 Memories)
Re: Policemen And Pirates (The Official Indie Thread)
Great Albums: Britpop
While America was suffering through grunge the U.K. underwent a lush pop music revival. How did a few bands transforming club music with live instruments lay the foundation for Oasis? Find out here...
The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses (1989)
In 1989, The Stone Roses released The Stone Roses, which emerged during an era heavily saturated by UK house and acid house. This eponymous album managed to fuse Manchester and London's affinities for dance-oriented beats with sonic styles reminiscent of eras past, such as psychedelic rock and '60s pop-guitar structures. Aside from defining a sound that would be tagged "baggy," The Stones Roses literally opened the door for the commercial viability of acts like Inspiral Carpets, Charlatans UK, Happy Mondays, and arguably the whole of the shoegazer movement.
The La's - The La's (1990)
This is the LP in this list with the most mysterious background. The La's debut and final album was not even supposed to be released to the public. According to Lee Mavers, The La's eccentric front man, it was never finished and remains to this day incomplete...and "rubbish." The band's record company rushed to release the album in 1990, which then achieved critical and commercial acclaim (only after Mavers supposedly attempted to rerecord it a fifth time). According to La's lore, Mavers would only record on original Abbey Road Studios' decks. When he still couldn't get the sound he wanted, Mavers looked over the equipment and made a comment about the decks not having enough Abbey Road dust on them. (We're not kidding, folks.)
The Charlatans UK - Some Friendly (1990)
Some Friendly flaunts a happy-go-lucky veneer, but lurking below the surface are very melancholic songs. While the beat groove of "The Only One I Know" remains the best-known song, tracks like "Then" and "Sproston Green" provide clear insight into the paranoid psychotropic excesses typified by the era. Of course, just when you think the despondent guitar washes and warm organ are carrying Some Friendly into some post-chill-out lake of introspection, a track like "Polar Bear" emerges with hypnotic dance-floor fury. But again, pay attention to Tim Burgess' lyrics as they stand in stark contrast to the omnipresent fun vibe. This album is extremely deceptive and has, surprisingly, remained rather fresh-sounding. The Charlatans UK would find themselves diving deeper into the stereotypical mid '90s Britpop sound, but this album remains a testament to the resurgence of '60s psychedelic pop.
Blur - Parklife (1990)
Parklife was a phenomenon in the UK. The sonic pastiche that the album created was both a scathing social commentary and a celebration of English tradition. Singer Damon Albarn lyrically sculpts a multidimensional representation of modern English life that, at times, matches the despair that forerunners such as Pink Floyd created. Actually, on "Far Out" it sounds as if Albarn has locked himself in a light-tight room assiduously studying Syd Barrett's Madcap Laughs. Albarn's lyricism is matched with astoundingly intelligent musical backdrops. "To the End" calls to mind Beatles producer George Martin mixing a Burt Bacharach tune, while "Girls & Boys" mashes the disco-fried experimentations of the Cure, circa 1995, with the seemingly vacuous fashion of Duran Duran. In all honesty, Parklife borders on perfection and deserves any and all praise tossed to it.
Oasis - Definitely Maybe (1994)
Undeniably, when Americans think of Britpop, they think of Oasis...and that usually ends the discussion. The reasons for this revolve around two very popular albums: Definitely Maybe and (What's the Story) Morning Glory. While Glory is the one that shot the band into superstardom, Definitely Maybe is the better of the two. And along with early '90s LPs from Blur and Suede, Oasis brought British guitar rock back in to the mainstream. While many criticize the band for its overt Beatles influences and haircuts, no one denies Noel Gallager's songwriting, which, coupled with his brother's trademark snarl, is definitely something to remember.
Suede - Dog Man Star (1994)
Our assumption is that many Suede fans ran to their local record shop, purchased this album, ran home, put it on, and repeatedly debated as to whether 33 or 45rpm was the correct speed. Here, Suede trades in the paint-by-numbers glam rock executed on its debut for sonic tragedy. Dog Man Star borders on melodramatic ridiculousness, as vocalist Brett Andersen delivers lyrics penned while in the midst of a self-induced hermetic vision quest. The album also marks the final appearance of founding guitarist Bernard Butler, who departed prior to the work's completion, which makes Dog Man Star's cohesiveness all the more difficult to comprehend.
Pulp - Different Class (1995)
The cover for Different Class is a simple wedding photo--a favorite of Britpop fans--that complements the album's focus on status and sex. "Common People," the famous single, narrates the story of a rich girl who parades the streets of the slums searching for lower-class sexual thrills. Other tracks, including "I Spy," "Live Bed Show," and "Underwear," contribute to the album's somewhat pessimistic thoughts on sex and love. With Different Class, Pulp front man Jarvis ****er had perfected his songwriting skills and penchant for drama. The result is an album that just sounds complete.
Radiohead - The Bends (1995)
The Bends drapes noise-rock themes over Britpop structures with ease, allowing the album to sway from anthemic rock to desperate atmospherics. The album's title track showcases the band's tendencies toward assailing triple-threat guitar work, while "Fake Plastic Trees" perfectly summarizes the lyrical anguish and desperation so often revisited by Thom Yorke. The Bends may forever walk in the shadow of OK Computer, but it's worth exploring, as it perfectly captures the transitional stage of a group desperately seeking to voice its desire to create the perfect pop song while perpetually experimenting to avoid classification.
The Verve - Urban Hymns (1997)
The Verve only lasted thee albums before it imploded and disbanded. Urban Hymns was its swan song, and the album was most definitely the best one of the bunch. Britpop hadn't seen a vocalist of Richard Ashcroft's quality since Morrissey. Like The Smiths front man, much was publicized about Ashcroft's infighting with his writing partner and lead guitarist Nick McCabe. Also at the heart of their breakup was a legal battle with The Rolling Stones, who claimed a large chunk of Urban Hymn's profits resulted from a sample used for "Bittersweet Symphany," the album's hit single and opening track.
Supergrass - In It For The Money (1997)
If ever there was a band on this Earth to clap your hands to, it would be... well, Sly and the Family Stone. Second on that list would be Supergrass. No one in Britain does upbeat guitar rock better than Supergrass. Although not an entirely original album, In It for the Money, Supergrass' second release, is a beautiful one. Full of lush guitar work that exudes the kind of clean happiness you'd expect from your favorite bar of soap, the album feels bright without getting gummy.
Policemen And Pirates (The Official Indie Thread)
6 amazing albums (5 + a b-side album) and all there songs have meanings not just aload of ****.
Linear Mode
