Music Talk (Beware!)
Indie music sheds all associations it could possibly have with what its name actually means! I know I rag on the classification of "indie music" a lot, but seriously, first its name doesn't actually apply, linguistically speaking, to much of the music it covers (seeing as the bands are signed on with record labels or are being produced by someone who isn't themselves), and second "indie" doesn't actually describe the sound of the music! It means nothing! I guess you could say the same for pop music, but what has been classified as "pop music" often doesn't really fit within the confines of rock, which is sort of the go-to genre of popular, instrument-based music. But anyway, yeah, "indie rock" has no business calling itself that anymore. There really only is Rock n' Roll anyway.
And yes, I know it's not actually a part of the NOW! label, but the compilation really is the last stop on the long and windy road to selling out. Which, y'know, whatever, gotta pay the bills, doesn't really bother me. I'd take the money too. It just bothers me that the whole presentation of much of this sort of music is trying to keep with some sort of independent spirit, when that clearly isn't the case.
So anyway!
I don't hate country music as such. I really don't. But songs like this make me want to. To say this is the worst song I've ever heard...kind of an overstatement, but also not really. It's also the least-country Country song I've ever heard. Well, maybe...Country's been leaving the country for some time now. A little set-up: For the past few weeks, Nordstrom has played the same music every single morning and a few times during the day just for kicks - Maroon 5's It Won't Be Soon Before Long (can we put an end to titles of films and records that make no sense to anyone? I guess it'd be okay if the record was actually any good, but that's not the case so let's move on). I remarked to a coworker just yesterday morning how this music will certainly drive me insane, and how just about anything would be a suitable replacement. As I folded a table of jeans this morning being forced to listen not just to Brad Paisley's "Online," but EVERY SONG off of 5th Gear (which I guess is the country equivalent of "this one goes to 11"), I wondered if I was wrong in my previous statement.
I'm starving! And I need aspirin. May have more to say in a second. Hang tight.
I have nothing! My apple tastes like poo and my water's kinda dusty! But the English Muffin is so wonderful. I do wonder how they make the Extra Crisp English Muffins extra crisp, though.
posted by Scott Nye @ 6:07 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
i guess i kind of feel like "indie" as a musical definition is meaningless, but indie pop and indie rock both have meanings relative to the 'scene' and its history, and certain assumptions of the sounds of both (other bands they sound like basically) can be extrapolated from the terms. i don't encourage the use and usually i tell people at college that i like a lot of stuff from the 80's and leave it there, throw in a couple bands if they're curious.
i think miles davis said there is good music and bad music. shakeer used to tell people he listened to good music.
indie as a definition is pretty self-referential and smug, but so is the scene so in that light its kind of an apt description.
That Ben is right. "Indie" used to signify a band with a very scrappy, self-recorded sound to them or their own records, not so much the style, tempo, pacing, or musicality of their work. But these days, "indie" has gone down the same road as "alternative," "emo," and "punk," all of which have lost what bit of meaning they used to anyway. Pointless terms now, really.
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