(Indie)Pop Will Save Us

So this weekend I explored one of the Indie nights in the city I hadn't been to yet. This night, which will remain nameless, had an opening band that extended it's play time 'til way past midnight—which I personally find to be a problem when there's also supposed to be "DJs and dancing". Of course, had it been a band of some worth, I could very well have opened this entry with a completely different opinion. Unfortunately, although talented in instrumentation, this particular band was the most generic Indie Rock band I'd heard in a long time. Which brings me to my current thought...

In the last couple of years the Big Music Corporations have done a fabulous job marketing Indie Rock bands to the masses. And unfortunately, this has led to an influx of guitar driven bands desperately trying to gain instant stardom on the coattails of this movement. Young men and women, hoping for their big shot at the Rock n' Roll dream. It's not unlike the Punk Rock movement of the Seventies when anyone with a band member in safety pins was instantly signed (if you were from England you were granted the express ticket to your record contract). Often (although not always) in the midst of this kind of trend, great bands are overlooked and mediocre bands begin to take over the charts. At this point, mainstream marketing begins to water down the essence of that particular genre and as a DJ it becomes harder and harder to decipher whether you actually like something or you're buying into the marketing.

I take pride in keeping focus on melody and hooks (I have never been interested in the charts). But truthfully, I am really tired of this "Indie-Rock-as-a-trend" situation. I am tired of hearing bands that sound alike (at best); I am constantly on the look out for something fresh and new. I want more of the music that makes my heart race and my soul want to dance the night a way.

Luckily, the international (and local) Indie Pop scenes hold lots of hidden gems and a lot of Indie labels have taken to reissuing forgotten rarities (check out www.darlashop.com). Additionally, there are a few up and coming melody makers hitting the "big scene" that lead me to believe that there is still some hope after all. ;-)

[mm]

np. Afghan Whigs, Rebirth of The Cool