Drowned in Sound

Search

Home > Community > Music forum

Straight-up, unpretentious indie rock

23 votes
? by Zapsta

Doesn't really seem to be very fashionable anymore, does it? It's all "indie pop" that and "experimental" this. The last just "indie rock" album I can remember catching my attention is Remember the Night Parties by Oxford Collapse, and that came out in 2006. Seriously. Maybe I'm being too vague with the term. You know what I mean though, right? I know what I mean, anyway. So anyone care to suggest to me something I might have missed?

Zapsta | 05 Apr '08, 20:06 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Copy Haho

roflharris | 5 Apr '08, 20:10 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Yep, Copy Haho

Chin Up Chin Up
Sky Larkin
The Xcerts (are really cheesy, but I can't stop listening to them)
Rainer Maria
Meneguar

mattj | 5 Apr '08, 20:16 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Are The Xcerts not the band

that sound just like Biffy Clyro?

Zapsta | 5 Apr '08, 20:18 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Uh,

I've never really heard Biffy Clyro, so I don't know.

mattj | 5 Apr '08, 20:21 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Let's just say yes

I remember hearing Meneguar on MelesMeles's radio show, so they shall be my first port of call (y)

Zapsta | 5 Apr '08, 20:23 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Then Copy Haho

Please.

mattj | 5 Apr '08, 20:23 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Yes

It astonishes me how many people can love Johnny Foreigner and not have similar love for Meneguar.

roflharris | 5 Apr '08, 20:25 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Yep,

They even admit to ripping them off!

Add Sheryls Magnetic Aura to the list too. The first song on their split with Rapider Than horsepower (if you can get a copy) is always one of my favourites. It's tagged on the end of the the Fuck It Tapes press of the first meneguar LP.

mattj | 5 Apr '08, 20:27 | Send note | Report this | Reply

(y)

Zapsta | 5 Apr '08, 20:28 | Send note | Report this | Reply

The only really early stuff i've heard is

'The World Just Died' and the songs accompanying that.

From their very new stuff, it sounds like they've gone a little Times New Viking-esque lo-fi (!!)

roflharris | 5 Apr '08, 20:29 | Send note | Report this | Reply

I read an interview with them recently

where they said they weren't happy with all the really clean recording they'd done of late and were hoping to go back to recording in their house. I think it might have been in Skyscraper. Did you see them when they came over last year. The leeds show was with Johnny Foreigner, Jupiter Lander, Cowtown and Shittalker. Really good fun!

I have the last Times New Viking LP waiting to be picked up from the postal depot, but I got too drunk last night and woke up after it had closed. Have to wait til next weekened now. Fuck the Royal Mail.

mattj | 5 Apr '08, 20:38 | Send note | Report this | Reply

I have that issue of Skyscrapper!

Good thing on Tarentel as well.

Best music mag evar.

Marlvrum | 5 Apr '08, 22:05 | Send note | Report this | Reply

I've listened to Copy Haho

I'm not sure they're really what I'm looking for. I'll give them another go though.

Zapsta | 5 Apr '08, 20:25 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Just listening now

I guess they are the sort of thing I was after, but I'm not sure they do anything for me. I've downloaded the Cry Parrot compilation linked to on their MySpace though. You got it? Anything of note on it?

Zapsta | 5 Apr '08, 21:16 | Send note | Report this | Reply

there's a new Constantines album this year

that is provide some good solid straight ahead indie rock moments

soapy | 5 Apr '08, 20:11 | Send note | Report this | Reply

They're actually one of the bands I had in mind

/the only band I had in mind, but I've never checked out any of their albums. GOOD CALL.

Zapsta | 5 Apr '08, 20:12 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Tokyo Police Club - Elephant Shell

or their A Lesson In Crime EP

Go on, TAKER IT ON!

Yesiamaduck | 5 Apr '08, 20:13 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Or are they more indie pop

I have no idea anymore, damn genre classifications

Yesiamaduck | 5 Apr '08, 20:17 | Send note | Report this | Reply

tokyo poicel club

are no way unpretentious indie rock.
But very summery cheerful indie summer pop.

harman_kardon | 6 Apr '08, 02:36 | Send note | Report this | Reply

'indie' is straight up pretentious

as a starting point.

tohereknowswhen | 5 Apr '08, 20:15 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin

at the very melodic (Shins / Elliott Smith) end of indie-rock. Their new album is the poppiest album I've heard for ages.

www.myspace.com/boris

ConcentrationFace | 5 Apr '08, 20:35 | Send note | Report this | Reply

I didn't even realise it was out! Thanks!

My old band had two (way out of town) supports with them last year, and then we split up so I didn't get to see them.

:(:(:(:(:(:(:(

This is my favourite page on the internet today.

mattj | 5 Apr '08, 20:40 | Send note | Report this | Reply

think it actually comes out on Polyvinyl on Monday

but I've had a promo for ages. It's really good, especially 'Think I Wanna Die.' We should hopefully be putting on SSLYBY again in London end of summer / autumn time - would be cool to get Held By Hands to support maybe if it's possible.

ConcentrationFace | 5 Apr '08, 20:49 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Built To Spill

but you probably know them.

lemonbrickcombo | 5 Apr '08, 21:04 | Send note | Report this | Reply

I do

Soz :(

Zapsta | 5 Apr '08, 21:07 | Send note | Report this | Reply

**NEWSFLASH**

Expert describes INDIE POP and INDIE ROCK as "pretty much the same thing"

douchebag | 5 Apr '08, 21:11 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Not really

Zapsta | 5 Apr '08, 21:14 | Send note | Report this | Reply

**UPDATE**

Expert responds to critics with "kinda"

douchebag | 5 Apr '08, 21:15 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Someone

was trying to make out the difference between indie pop and twee the other day.

He was, however, working from a starting point that The Feeling, th Hoosiers and Scouting For Girls are indie pop.

simon_t | 5 Apr '08, 21:20 | Send note | Report this | Reply

The Ponys - Celebration Castle

accept no substitute!

oceanRain | 5 Apr '08, 21:52 | Send note | Report this | Reply

^^

good choice !

lyle | 5 Apr '08, 21:54 | Send note | Report this | Reply

The Promise Ring

are pretty strait up and unpretentious, Red and Blue Jeans on Nothing Feels Good is probably my favourite indie-rock song ever.
Other stuff you could try:
Stapleton
Koufax
Avast!
Earlimart
Maritime
Econoline

Tristannnnn | 6 Apr '08, 02:00 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Good list!

Marlvrum | 6 Apr '08, 02:07 | Send note | Report this | Reply

^5

Zapsta | 6 Apr '08, 03:17 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Avast!

are great.

Ibzo | 6 Apr '08, 10:17 | Send note | Report this | Reply

I saw meneguar

supporting desert hearts and thought they were the biggest pretentious indie posers i've ever seen. They had a couple of good tunes but I would definately not call them unpretentious!!!

shelington | 6 Apr '08, 10:38 | Send note | Report this | Reply

I guess

pure unpretentious indie-rock for me is more like The Rifles, We Are Scientists, Maxïmo Park (though a bit less rock-ish), 1990s, Five O'Clock Heroes, Franz Ferdinand, Hard-Fi and Razorlight (even though the last 2 are a bit...less good :P). So I'd say, if you haven't listened to one of these, you should ^^

Tael | 6 Apr '08, 02:10 | Send note | Report this | Reply

uhh..

zabakdaz | 6 Apr '08, 02:17 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Baby Shambles "Shotter's Nation"?

Don't know where it fits in but it has a very immediate, unpretentious feel to it.

rue_the_day | 6 Apr '08, 02:24 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Bambi Get Over It

Okay,..... you might want to check out

http://www.myspace.com/bambigetoverit

Were up there on http://hypem.com/popular
amongst the vampire weekends and radiohead remixes last time i checked but not working at the moment. We will be seeing more of this band. Oh Yes.

Mando-uke | 6 Apr '08, 02:55 | Send note | Report this | Reply

is it just me

or is 'bad man' actually utterly fantastic?

poptimusgrime | 6 Apr '08, 03:07 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Not my band

But i have seen them live
F**king glorious.

Mando-uke | 6 Apr '08, 03:14 | Send note | Report this | Reply

think he said

"were" and not "we're". i thought it was a jag at first, too. we're a suspicious lot...

poptimusgrime | 6 Apr '08, 03:14 | Send note | Report this | Reply

...

http://www.drownedinsound.com/articles/3107079#r3108651

Maybe the "me" is a typo of "meh"?

Zapsta | 6 Apr '08, 03:17 | Send note | Report this | Reply

maybe

"me" is the band he is recommending and "friends" are ones his mates are?

poptimusgrime | 6 Apr '08, 03:18 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Yeah, well, you do live in Bristol

You need to move north

Mr_JDTraynor | 6 Apr '08, 10:40 | Send note | Report this | Reply