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:

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?

Indie Rock: Camera Obscura

My first impression of Camera Obscura as being a group from the 60s or 70s due to the old-timey vocal styling of Tracyanne Campbell and the music accompaniment was, to my dismay, false. Why do they have to be so reminiscent of Nico but with a twee pop twist?

Upon looking the group up on Wikipedia for the first time, I was finally rightly enlightened that they were in fact formed in 1996! Really, truly.

It is kind of embarrassing how long I've went without knowing this fact but I am now even more impressed knowing that the group is able to produce a classic sound while being a modern band.

Even more shocking to me is the fact they are from Scotland, not California, as I thought them to be, based on their mellow surfer sound a la a more polished Best Coast.

This group is perfect to blast through the speakers of your car while driving around in the summer time with the windows down, sunglasses on and hand waving through the wind. Or at least that's how I maximize my enjoyment of these feel good, poppy indie tunes.

A perfect example that can be used for this is their entire album Let's Get Out of This Country.

But here is one of my favorites of theirs, for purposes of blasting in a car with the windows down or listening to quietly in your bedroom:

[UPDATE: Made on 4/8/14 at 3:30 pm]

Indie Rock: Rilo Kiley

One of my favorite quintessential indie groups would be Rilo Kiley, although you won't hear lead singer Jenny Lewis label it as such.

In 2003, Marli Guzzetta of the Houston Press, described the sound on Rilo Kiley's The Execution of All Things as "the diary of an optimistic '50s pop star whose music has been deflowered by electric guitars and synthesizers, crushed and disenchanted by lost love and broken homes."

If that description doesn't make you want to listen or doesn't already enforce your own views on the band, then you must be listening to Rilo Kiley the wrong way. Please see an indie doctor ASAP.

This song was the first I heard because as with most bands, you are first introduced to their most recent work rather than previous albums. I would relentlessly (and embarrassingly) belt it out alone in my room and dance when I felt sad.

Hopefully it makes you do the same and becomes as inspiring of an anthem to you as it is to me. 

[UPDATE: Made on 4/10/14 at 4 pm]