---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: therealmxyzptlk@comcast.net
Date: Tue, 10 Jan 2006 17:52:02 +0000
quoted 7 lines i totally agree.>> i totally agree.
>> indie rock killed idm in america.
>> discuss.
>>
>> -kiya
>
>Hmmm....idm (at least some of it) has possibly suffocated itself with redundancies and (in
some cases) indie has branched into that 'sound garden', picked some nice flowers and
redecorated to make itself more interesting.
totally agree, jeff. i'm going to take that a step further and put a finer point on it.
indie rock, following in the footsteps of their patron saints radiohead (though they were
never indie they seem to exude an indie-like spirit), incorporated IDM and other electronic
influences and rejuvenated itself. in some cases, electronic acts brought in indie rock
influences, with varying results both artistic- and sales-wise.
the biggest success story is of course the postal service, who are the second-biggest selling
act on sub pop after nirvana. yet despite all the music being done by DNTEL's jimmy
tamborello electronically, for some reason TPS has been more wholeheartedly embraced and
claimed as an indie rock breakthrough rather than an IDM/electronic one. perhaps it's the
label and marketing, perhaps it's the poppy songs and vocals, but it also comes back to the
insular nature of certain scenes. certainly some factions of indie rock can be very snobby
and cultish about its most underground bands, keeping them a secret or crying "sellout!" at
the earliest sign of mass acceptance (i.e. someone else has ever heard of a band). but at
least the music seems a bit more potentially eclectic and inclusive of various styles while still
basically being called "indie rock".
on the other hand, many electronic music writers and fans seem ready to split off and name a
new genre every time a new instrument is added or beats are changed around a bit. thus
rather than giving electronica/IDM a shot in the arm, the addition of guitars simply created
yet another sub-genre for a weary public to assimlate or ignore - "indietronica". united we
stand, divided we fall.
but actually, indie rock today is in just as much danger of suffocating itself with redundancy,
its biggest and most frequent practicioners following all sorts of unspoken rules of conduct
in their music and presentation. that sort of thing will hasten the demise (or at least
dormancy) of any scene.
d.
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