Indie: Mirah and K Records

I can distinctly remember listening to (a)spera by Mirah one day two summers ago while driving back home after dropping my mom off at work. I don't remember exactly why I had done this since she works in the city and I work in the suburbs but it happened.

Driving down Elston during late morning with this album playing was oddly peaceful. I'm sure the fact that Elston has no CTA bus also contributed to the mood.

Anyways, that's what Mirah is, not even just this one album. They are very mellow and soothing, not something I would usually choose to put on a summer playlist. But if your car has A/C, I would recommend listening to them to reach maximum amounts of chill.

Mirah belong to K Records, an independent label hailing form Olympia, Washington. The list of artists who have worked with K Records is expanisve, including such acts like Kimya Dawson of Moldy Peaches fame, Talulah Gosh, Tiger Trap, Bikini Kill and more.

The label is opposed to corporate control over music and so strictly supports independent music and underground DIY culture. This documentary was made with the label as its subject.

While I watch that, you should definitely have a listen to Mirah.

Indie: Carissa's Wierd

Carissa's Wierd, a "sadcore" band from Seattle, are so weird in fact that they intentionally spelled the adjective wrong in their title. Very clever.

With the band's relevance and current popularity, it is hard to believe that they formed in 1995. I still listen to a band that began playing when I was 2!

A mix of shoegaze and sad, quiet and slow tunes comprise the band's discography, which spans 6 full length albums, 2 singles and 2 compilations with each Broken Rekids and Keep Recordings.

Jenn Ghetto, one of the band's vocalists, moved on to form the band 'S' and other vocalist Mat Brooke with Ben Bridwell went on to form the popular 'Band of Horses.'

This is a great band to fall asleep to after a long day or when you've had a trying day emotionally. I would know this from experience, of course.

Here is a perfect song that showcases Ghetto's delicate and soft vocals:

Personality Profile: Boys to the Back

Delia Hornik and her history with the Chicago punk and emo scenes began 5+ years. Read on about her experiences within, and attitudes about, those scenes.

In 2009, while a senior in high school, Hornik and friends drove to shows on weekends to be around “like-minded people,” something hard to find in affluent suburbs.

Soon after, she was hooked.

It was a new and baffling sight for Hornik to see kids selling their merchandise. She was unaware that people with this much drive and passion towards local music existed.

However, there are still problems with the scene despite positive and attractive aspects.

“Chicago could definitely benefit from more girl groups and non cis-male groups. [The city] has always felt like sort of a boy’s club and it’s time for ladies to step up and start making killer jams,” said Hornik.

Hornik followed her own advice and learned to play guitar at age 12. She was always attracted to the idea of writing her own music and creating something uniquely hers.

In 2010, Hornik started playing in the band Dowsing. She had never played the piano/keyboard before but quickly caught on and added that skill to her repertoire.

Through being part of a band, she was able to channel creativity in a really positive way. After leaving the group, Hornik and her partner, another member of Dowsing, went on to start a new project called What Gives.

Formed with members and friends in other local bands, including Mountains for Clouds, Annabel and Kittyhawk, the new group makes “super fuzzy rock with some sick riffs.”

While Hornik and other female and trans* musicians are staking their claim in the scene, she had this to say on the current state of Chicago’s music scene.

“I have noticed in the past few years there have been an increasing number of girls at shows and girls in bands, but it’s still not equal.”

Lemuria front woman Sheena Ozzella, when interviewed by PunkNews, said, “I think women should be viewed upon as musicians more than gender should have anything to do with it. I still sleep on the floor. I still poop.” 

Wall of Sound

My own previous knowledge of music has been confined to Chicago, so I’d like to recognize other states with up-and-coming bands featuring one of the female musicians helping to reform music scenes across the world into something other than exclusively male. 

One of those states is North Carolina, so if you ever visit, be sure to attend an Earth Mover show. 

The band, as described by a fan at one of their shows, is a “sludgier version of Jesus and Mary Chain.” So far this has been the members’ favorite description. Influences on their Facebook page include shoegaze bands My Bloody Valentine, Spacemen 3 and of course Jesus and Mary Chain. 

Members include vocalist/guitarist John Russell and bassist Morgan Brown.

I had the pleasure of asking Brown a few questions about her past and current experiences with music, as well as future plans for the band itself. 

Brown has always looked up to bassists Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth, Debbie Googe of My Bloody Valentine and Kira Roessler of Black Flag fame as sources of inspiration.

As a result of learning to play bass and overcoming the struggles facing new musicians, Brown has so far had a positive experience within her local scene. She is no longer as quiet, shy and reserved.

Brown even plans on learning new instruments in the upcoming future, adding to her bass guitar abilities.  She hopes for vocalist and guitarist John Russell’s skills, in addition to his knowledge of drums, to rub off on her.

Earth Mover, Russell and Brown’s labor of love, is currently working on a week-long run of shows in the Northeast region, including the cities of Baltimore, Philadelphia, New Brunswick, New York, Bethlehem, located in Pennsylvania, Washington D.C. and Richmond. 

Not only is the band working on a tour, their future plans also include releasing splits with local bands as well as a do-it-yourself (DIY) compilation through The Root Press that will benefit autism research. 

Brown is more than proud of what her band has accomplished. 

“I went into this project thinking ‘if I can play a few shows and maybe record a few songs to put on tape, I’ll be happy,’ and we’re already doing more than what I ever imagined we’d be able to,” said Brown.

Earth Mover has 2 upcoming shows in North Carolina: May 22 at Area 15 and  June 1 at Static Age Records. Try to catch them before they tour or wait until they hit up your state with some heavy fuzz tunes in the future! 

From left to right: John Russell, Amanda Bartee, Morgan Brown and Keith Bendt Jr., of band Earth Mover play at Black Cat Burrito in Boone, NC on Friday Feb. 7, 2014. Photo credit: Karl Kuehn.

Link to Root Press Compilation: DIY w/ Love

[UPDATE: Made on 5/8/14 at 4:00 p.m.]

Quick FYI

I just want to say that the songs I choose to post are just my favorites or what I believe to be a good introduction to the artists I post.

I highly highly highly encourage you to seek out other songs by these artists because only you can be the true judge of whether or not it appeals to you.

Listen to live songs, listen to recorded songs. I am by no means telling you these bands are good, just influential or inspiring according to me and personal tastes, and sometimes in relation to the larger music genres in general.

Youtube is a great resource for this, as is Wikipedia. If an album sounds interesting after reading about it, try it out. Youtube now has an increasingly large number of full albums and a wide variety of songs and live performances.

Thanks and listen on!
-Ashley

The Fallacy of Indie

I think it's important now, between my posts on indie music, for me to take the time to realize how dominated by white women the indie music genre is.

I have to admit my own and others' naiveté in thinking that these are the only women who produce this type of music when in reality that is not the case one bit.

Sure, these women who all have similar physical appearances (a la Zooey Deschanel's quirky chic) dominate the mainstream indie circuit but there are women of color making significant strides with their own music of this genre.

Recently, I was trying to search for a scholarly paper on the prevalence of women (of all racial backgrounds) in indie music as a whole. Instead I stumbled upon this list of 30 African American women staking their claim in the genre.

Why don't these fabulous young women get as much (if any) radio play as their white counterparts? Kinda fishy, if I do say so myself.

The first artist I chose to listen to was Jennah Bell, whose voice instantly reminded me of a more refined and sweeter version of Macy Gray's. When you search her name on Youtube, you will find a large number of acoustic or live videos which showcase her great talent. Here is a cover she did of Lauryn Hill's song 'Doo Wop (That Thing).'

Take a look through the list and let me know who your favorite is, or tell me any other artists the list missed!

http://www.forharriet.com/2013/02/30-black-women-in-indie-music-you.html

Indie: The xx

You may recognize The xx from Rihanna's song 'Drunk on Love' which samples the group's song 'Intro.'

I know when I heard the Rihanna song, I was excited not by Rihanna but instead by the fact that The xx was in it. This was the exact opposite reaction to my then freshman dorm mates. I was always the odd one out, but that's okay! It let me listen to bands like this.

I can recall countless nights in high school and during summers where I'd stay up late into the night just listening to their first album xx. This was therapeutic for me in a way and a result of the enchanting and dreamy vocals of Romy Madley Croft, their leader singer.

The band from London, England formed in 2005 and still tours frequently. I know this because I missed my chance to see them live not once but twice. As Homer Simpson would say: D'oh.

Up until recently, I was under the impression that Croft was ultra-feminine and had long luscious hair a la Lana Del Rey. I had assumed al this as a result of her voice. I was way off.

The singer in fact has short dark hair and could easily pass as a male, perhaps her goal. She is quoted in a story by Trish Bendix of afterellen.com addressing her often discussed and speculated sexuality:

"It’s not something I really talk about. I mean, I am [gay]. But if I was singing about a guy, I would probably be singing a similar kind of love song, really. I feel like we never explain our songs directly — what they’re about or who they’re about. But I never want to be so secretive that it’s like denying it. It’s the same as everything about us: We don’t want to make a big deal out of everything. We’re not shouty."

Croft brings up a great point: the personal lives of musicians should have no bearing on their music. *Slow claps*

Here is a cover of the song 'Islands' by Shakira and the original. Which do you enjoy more?