Indie
Noah’s Barks pages relating to the indie music genre. Combine with other tags for subgenres, e.g. “indie+rock,” “indie+pop,” or “indie+electronic.”
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The Smiths – “Meat Is Murder” (1985)
Yes, the title track of Meat Is Murder is really stupid and just a shortsighted version of “How Soon Is Now?” (which is even on the American version of this album), but pound for pound, I consider this the best Smiths album after The Queen Is Dead—no question. Lyrically, Morrissey trades in some of his trademark… (read more)
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The Smiths – “Strangeways, Here We Come” (1987)
Strangeways, Here We Come is an admirable attempt by The Smiths to explore new sonic territory, understandably so with the limited structure and format of the jangle pop genre. Here, the jangle is all but gone. Without a doubt, the highlight of Strangeways, Here We Come is the synthesized string arrangements by Johnny Marr. They… (read more)
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Sonic Youth – “Washing Machine” (1995)
Washing Machine is like, the exact definition of mid-tier Sonic Youth to me. That ain’t a bad thing; it’s Sonic Youth, so it’s still a good album, relatively speaking. But as a prelude to their post-90s sound, Washing Machine lacks an identity and strength when compared to their later refinements of that style. Even the… (read more)
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Sonic Youth – “A Thousand Leaves” (1998)
Latter career Sonic Youth, meaning A Thousand Leaves sounds more melodic than their earlier stuff and has less of an attitude. That’s not a bad thing though, because the band has crafted some beautiful stuff past their heyday, and some of it’s on this album. The Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo tracks are consistently great… (read more)
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Sonic Youth – “NYC Ghosts & Flowers” (2000)
NYC Ghosts & Flowers isn’t as bad as some reviews would lead you to believe, such as a particularly fucking awfully-written one that I likely don’t need to name. I believe it comes closest to matching the atmosphere of EVOL, something no other Sonic Youth album has attempted since. It paints a similar picture of a… (read more)
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Pixies – “Come On Pilgrim” (1987)
Come On Pilgrim kind of sucks, in my opinion. It’s like Surfer Rosa without any riffs or hooks. It’s skeletal, but it ain’t no “Bone Machine.” Just unbridled counterculture energy that’s dime a dozen in ’80s alternative rock. But what made the Pixies distinct, if anything, was when they decided to tether that energy around… (read more)
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Pixies – “Doolittle” (1989)
“Debaser,” “Tame,” “Wave of Mutilation,” “Here Comes Your Man,” “Monkey Gone to Heaven”—all good songs (especially “Debaser”), but not enough to make one ignore how mediocre the rest of the tracks are. Or maybe they are, because Doolittle is pretty well-received everywhere. I accept that I’m in the minority. And frankly, “Here Comes Your Man”… (read more)
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Tegan and Sara – “So Jealous” (2004)
The Tegan and Sara chill-out album. So Jealous is mandatory nighttime listening, significant for being one of the rare pop rock albums that can be enjoyed when you’re tired. Obviously, its setting is a quiet city. Don’t overlook those synthesizers far in the background, twinkling like distant streetlights. The entire sound of So Jealous blends… (read more)
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Florence + The Machine – “Lungs”
‘Lungs’ is easily one of the best-written, most powerful pop albums of all time. With it, Florence + The Machine unquestionably outdo any of their influences. ‘Lungs’ deserves every bit of the praise it gets, if not more. (read more)
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Arcade Fire – “The Suburbs”
Name(s): The SuburbsArtist(s): Arcade FireFormat(s): Album (63:55)Genre(s): Indie Rock / Indie Pop / Indie FolkRelease Date(s): August 3, 2010 I don’t completely understand why some people malign The Suburbs so much. It makes sense Arcade Fire would strip down their rambunctious sound and lyrical obscurities to reflect the simpler nature of their suburban youths. It’s… (read more)