FKA, it's good to see we agree on "God Only Knows," if not Return to Cookie Mountain.

I know two of my favorite indie rock albums are Mumu and Cooked Rain, Cooked Rain.

quote:

Originally posted by Chamberk:
FKA, it's good to see we agree on "God Only Knows," if not Return to Cookie Mountain.

I know two of my favorite indie rock albums are Mumu and Cooked Rain, Cooked Rain.

Man, and I thought Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain was a unique title, what’s a cooked version sound like?

Here are some questions people need to be asking:

What the hell does Blender know about indie rock?

Or music criticism for that matter?

Should we really be giving any attention to these pubescent margins of talent?

It's a music magazine for frat boys (who are, like, totally feelin' the new Fall Out Boy and Matisyahu and think "Legend" is, like, totally the greatest record of all time) that think Spin is too weird and Rolling Stone is too old.

Yeah, you read that right. It's harsh. I know.

The new Fall Out Boy really. gets. me. pumped.

quote:

Originally posted by Yay!:
that think Spin is too weird and Rolling Stone is too old.

Spin and Rolling Stone ceased being relevant Music magazines ages ago. Not that Blender has any more credibility, but it certainly doesn't have any less.

quote:

Originally posted by EricG75:
The new Fall Out Boy really. gets. me. pumped.

Yeah when I work out, that's all I listen to as well.

I have stood up for Blender a couple of times because even though at times their taste is questionable, their year-end lists usually do have a lot of good choices. I know I mentioned it a few years ago but their 2005 list was full of worthy albums by Spoon, The New Pornographers, Kanye West, Sufjan Stevens, My Morning Jacket, Bright Eyes, The White Stripes, Franz Ferdinand—and half of those were in their top ten alone.

I don’t read their magazine at all but like any other magazine, when they have something interesting like year-end lists or an all-time list—I pick it up and check it out.

As for Spin and Rolling Stone they aren’t nearly as bad as everyone says they are. Like any publication they have their flaws, the one I really notice now is RS—or maybe I just didn’t realize it before. I used to read that one so much when I was younger and the last time I was at Barnes & Noble I checked it out and was pretty disgusted.

I think its odd that the Lonely Crowded West was on there and not The Moon and Antarctica.... I was much rather have TMA as a rather big Modest Mouse fan myself...

quote:

Originally posted by WinnebagoWarrior:
I think its odd that the Lonely Crowded West was on there and not The Moon and Antarctica.... I was much rather have TMA as a rather big Modest Mouse fan myself...

Moon and Antarctica was released on a major label. Thus not indie. Thus not on the list.

quote:

Originally posted by kid_chameleon_86:

quote:

Originally posted by WinnebagoWarrior:
I think its odd that the Lonely Crowded West was on there and not The Moon and Antarctica.... I was much rather have TMA as a rather big Modest Mouse fan myself...

Moon and Antarctica was released on a major label. Thus not indie. Thus not on the list.

Interscope records has Fergie and 50 cent on it. Is that not a major label? and yet there are a number of Interscope artists on the list, and Island is part of a big ol music comglomerate. At the beginning of the Top 100 list they dont make any indication that label size is what defined a record as "indie".

I still think that leaving TMaA off the list was a judement call on their part, and a poor one at that.

Edit- The Strokes were on RCA - definatly major label.

quote:

Originally posted by WinnebagoWarrior:
Edit- The Strokes were on RCA - definatly major label.

Although "Is This It?" was distributed through RCA, it wasn't recorded in a professional studio. They recorded it in a basement in Manhattan. I'm too lazy to look at what Interscope records are on there, but I would imagine the albums were recorded under similar circumstances. Moon and Antarctica was recorded with a larger budget, in a larger studio, by a larger company (Sony/Epic). It's not an indie album.

quote:

Originally posted by FragileKidA:
I have stood up for Blender a couple of times because even though at times their taste is questionable, their year-end lists usually do have a lot of good choices. I know I mentioned it a few years ago but their 2005 list was full of worthy albums by Spoon, The New Pornographers, Kanye West, Sufjan Stevens, My Morning Jacket, Bright Eyes, The White Stripes, Franz Ferdinand—and half of those were in their top ten alone.

I don’t read their magazine at all but like any other magazine, when they have something interesting like year-end lists or an all-time list—I pick it up and check it out.

As for Spin and Rolling Stone they aren’t nearly as bad as everyone says they are. Like any publication they have their flaws, the one I really notice now is RS—or maybe I just didn’t realize it before. I used to read that one so much when I was younger and the last time I was at Barnes & Noble I checked it out and was pretty disgusted.

All three magazines surprise me sometimes. Blender, its lists, are above average sometimes. Rolling Stone, its lists, have gotten a lot better very recently, and that's encouraging.

I have good memories of Spin because it was the magazine that made me want to be a rock critic, and part of me is still in love with the ideal I have of the magazine. And if I could work at any music magazine in any time period, I would totally work at Spin circa 1994.

quote:

Originally posted by Yay!:
And if I could work at any music magazine in any time period, I would totally work at Spin circa 1994.

That's interesting, because it coincides with about the time I thought it went to shite.

I still think Spin is a pretty good music mag. They still cover a little too much commercial stuff for my tastes, but it's head and shoulders above RS or Blender.

well, lists are made for people to disagree with I guess. So there is no point in listing the positioning, the albums that missed, or the albums that made the list.

However, this list is way too . At first I thought each artist was only allowed one entry, but then I found examples where a band was on twice. Assuming the qualifications of being deemed "indie rock" are missing a major label(otherwise the term is quite vague), the list is kind of ridiculous. I agree with a lot of it but.....one Velvet Underground album? One Pixies album? If "Elephant" was the White Stripes on a major label, their first record as well as "De Stijl" should be no-brainers. Indie rock is gnerated in part by aesthetic, which is the main reason "Slanted and Enchanted" was number one I'd say. I'm a huge Pavement fan, but "Wowee Zowee" will always be their best record in my opinion. If indie rock is aesthetic-based, the White Stripes' debut should be in the top ten. Very few records have ever sounded more perfect to be deemed "indie rock"(quotations necessary) as well as so damned original. Plus, "Surfer Rosa" should take the first spot in my humbly humble opinion, although I do love "Slanted and Enchanted" there anyhow with all things considered. "Doolittle"? "Bossanova"? Those instances just seem like the no-brainer instances, my list would look quite different. Interesting list anyhow, and I disagree with this one a lot less than I do with most. Well, I realize I did what I said I wouldn't, but as I previously stated, that's the whole point of lists.

liberal. That's the word I was thinking of.

I don't know why people are so list crazy. It's like a syndrome. The only thing I look for in a list are bands I've never heard of, so I can check them out. Other than that, I don't give a Remy's ass.

That's why you're an Apprentice Guru and I'm a Guru.

You will learn, grasshopper.

Lots of albums I really like in there, although I too think there were too many 2007 releases. I doubt The Reminder would be on that list if it were made later, and maybe even Strawberry Jam. (I still like Feels better, but maybe that's just me...) I would rather have seen "Cooked Rain, Cooked Rain" (I cringed when I saw that...they got it wrong two times!) at #1 but you can't go wrong with Pavement. Overall at least a decent list.

quote:

Originally posted by ezkcdude:
The only thing I look for in a list are bands I've never heard of, so I can check them out. Other than that, I don't give a Remy's ass.

Generally this is a pretty good boat to be in. The problem is that anyone (even me!) who creates a list has an agenda. It's sort of like listening to the news or reading history, you have to know the author's (or listmaker's) bias to fully appreciate the information.