Indie Rock Bands

[mitchell271]

Alright, I've recently gotten into Indie Rock. Not the culture (yet). I love the music, it's fun to play on guitar and there's all sorts of tinnier subgenres that I have yet to explore. Here's the thing though, I only know of a few bands; Airborne Toxic Event, Death Cab for Cutie, Tokyo Police Club and Mother Mother. Can I get a few recommendations for bands that are similar to these?

Also, feel free to post your favourite Indie bands in general. It's nice to see the variety we get in this community.

 

[DugMachine]

Arctic Monkeys!

They're one of my favorite bands and almost all their songs are simple and really fun to play.

And probably not similar to the bands you listed but

Beirut
Iron and Wine
Bon Iver
Fleet Foxes

The xx you'd probably like as well. Very minimalist approach to their music but it's powerful. Have fun!

 

[Vault101]

so indie is a genre?

I dont know much about it really....I sort of imagine a kind of rock sound with multilayerd vocals (is that even a thing?)

that that song..by fun...but then it was a big hit so its kind of....

ironic? HAHAHAHAHA ok no sorry I have no idea

 

[DrunkOnEstus]

Elliott Smith is more Folk, but I love every single song he has ever written and I wept like a damned child the day he died. He was in an indie rock band called Heatmiser, though. Some bands you may like based on OP that I thoroughly enjoy:

Cursive, Quasi (fucking LOVE this band), Sleater-Kinney, Silversun Pickups, Pavement, The Decemberists, Pink Mountain. I say start there, any album will do really.

 

[Total LOLige]

I recommend Miles Kane, Bloc Party, The Strokes, Kasabian are sometimes lumped into the indie category but I'm not sure my favourite and anyhow. The only band I've heard that you listed are Tokyo Police Club, Mile Kane might be similalr but you should definitely listen to the Editors.


EDIT: Franz Ferdinand and We Are Scientists are awesome too.

 

[PsychicTaco115]

Creature Feature

They play horror based music, it's Halloween everyday for them!

 

[Bagged Milk]

Deerhoof

I don't think they're very good, I think they're just hilarious


okay okay, serious. I really, really, really love Tally Hall.

Spoiler

Not only are they amazing musicians, they are also hilarious!

Spoiler

 

[Trivun]

Here are my favourite indie bands and artists that I currently have CDs of - also note some of these aren't quite 'indie', but more 'alternative', yet are still worth a listen.

Biffy Clyro
Bloc Party
Blood Red Shoes
Bombay Bicycle Club
Broken Social Scene
Esben and the Witch
Hurts
Kasabian
Metric
MGMT
Mumford and Sons
Reverend and the Makers
The Big Pink
The Gaslight Anthem
The Temper Trap
Two Door Cinema Club
Warpaint

And yes, plenty of those are British. I know the USA likes to claim most awesome things as being American, but truthfully, the UK has led the way in music ever since the Sixties at least. All good American rock finds its roots in British rock and pop, and that trend continues to this day. So yeah, the British bands are most definitely worth listening to

 

[DustyDrB]

Titus Andronicus. They can single-mindedly chase one idea and totally nail it. As for what they sound like...combine old-school punk and Springsteen. That's sort of it.
Their last album, The Monitor drew heavily on the American Civil War. "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" is used heavily in one song, there are Lincoln quotes, and a lot of the drumming has "drummer boy" feel. It's a top five favorite album for me.

They also have another album coming out later this month. I'm looking forward to it.

 

[Flying Pilgrim]

If you'd be willing to listen to post-rock, Mogwai is a really good one. I actually saw them live back in June. Motionless is also a good one. They are another post-rock band. They have have a lot of other elements thrown in as well; such as post-punk. If you like that, check out Godspeed You! Black Emperor. Their songs are absolutely wonderful; yet they are also extremely long. But if your into music that isn't half an hour long, I'd check out the xx. They are more like Indie-Pop, but they are a pretty nice and mellow band. Their lyrics aren't really creative, but they have a great sound. I almost saw them live tonight; but I didn't go because it conflicted with other plans I had. I could also name a few shoegaze bands you might like?

EDIT

I forgot to mention a few other ones I think you might like. I'm pretty sure that people have already recommended these two, but I think The Pixies and Sonic Youth would be something you'd enjoy. Black Rebel Motor Cycle club is another one you'd probably like.

 

[TakerFoxx]

Creature Feature

They play horror based music, it's Halloween everyday for them!

More Creature Feature is always a good thing!

 

[Ardure]

Well I have one major suggestion go to: http://www.passportapproved.com/

I would say in general it's indie because most of the bands are basically unknown and/or new and getting started. Some weeks are better than others, you will not like all the bands but i have found some gems from here that I really do love. (The Graeme Watkins Project in particular). So to anyone who likes music in general I would say check it out because I can guarantee there is something you will find and love.

 

[j0frenzy]

I love Imagine Dragons and Foster the People, but there are a lot of other good ones mentioned above.

 

[Launcelot111]

If you like the rock part of indie rock most, then Japandroids or Titus Andronicus stand miles ahead of the pack in my book.

My other current favorites of indie rock as a whole are The National, the New Pornographers, Dirty Projectors, St Vincent, Surfer Blood, the Walkmen, and Broken Social Scene.

If you want to be a little more historic, then Pavement, the Minutemen, the Replacements, the Flaming Lips, Silver Jews, Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr, the Smiths, Sleater Kinney, and My Bloody Valentine are good places to start.

I'm a big fan of Stereogum for finding new stuff. They have lots of free songs and mixtapes to listen to, and they have interesting retrospectives on older artists I might not be too familiar with. It can be painfully hip at times (the comment section is terrifyingly smug), but the site in general is a good place to learn about new stuff.

 

[Launcelot111]

And yes, plenty of those are British. I know the USA likes to claim most awesome things as being American, but truthfully, the UK has led the way in music ever since the Sixties at least. All good American rock finds its roots in British rock and pop, and that trend continues to this day. So yeah, the British bands are most definitely worth listening to

Forgetting that the US created rock and roll, much of good British rock found its roots in American blues, and that the US has been without question putting out the best rock since the 80s. Not saying British music didn't do anything, because they definitely did, but people give far too much credit to six or seven artists.

 

[Trivun]

And yes, plenty of those are British. I know the USA likes to claim most awesome things as being American, but truthfully, the UK has led the way in music ever since the Sixties at least. All good American rock finds its roots in British rock and pop, and that trend continues to this day. So yeah, the British bands are most definitely worth listening to

Forgetting that the US created rock and roll, much of good British rock found its roots in American blues, and that the US has been without question putting out the best rock since the 80s. Not saying British music didn't do anything, because they definitely did, but people give far too much credit to six or seven artists.

I'm not saying the Americans didn't pioneer anything, my point was that the British have led the way for the past fifty years or so. Americans may have created rock and roll, based on blues, which itself was actually started by the older music of slave-era America (blues came about based on old slave songs and developed into a new genre later), but since the Sixties (and this isn't just six or seven bands here) the UK started pumping out newer stuff that was American-influenced and then overtook their overseas compatriots to develop newer styles that were more of an influence and sounded fresher and better in general. Cinsider that the US was taken by storm with certain styles such as Britpop and, more recently, dubstep, which were invented in the UK, even if tey were influenced by earlier foreign stuff. Not downplaying American influence overall, I was just saying that Bitish influence has been much greater and more pervasive since the Sixties, and although there's plenty of great US music that is truly original (see that some of my favourites there are Metric, who are Canadian, and The Gaslight Anthem and The Big Pink, who are American), British music continues to dominate at the moment. The USA may end up overturning that within the next few years, but as long as the British continue their amazing output I can't see it happening soon.

It doesn't help as well, you have to admit, that in a large part of America (mainly the South), and this is going by my experience of actually visiting and spending time in the country, the main music style is country music, which has a history of rarely being popular abroad (a few artists being the only exceptions - I can think of Dolly Parton, Shania Twain, and Taylor Swift as being the chief exceptions there, all of whom I do love anyway...).

 

[vun]

Here are my favourite indie bands and artists that I currently have CDs of - also note some of these aren't quite 'indie', but more 'alternative', yet are still worth a listen.

Biffy Clyro
Bloc Party
Blood Red Shoes
Bombay Bicycle Club
Broken Social Scene
Esben and the Witch
Hurts
Kasabian
Metric
MGMT
Mumford and Sons
Reverend and the Makers
The Big Pink
The Gaslight Anthem
The Temper Trap
Two Door Cinema Club
Warpaint

And yes, plenty of those are British. I know the USA likes to claim most awesome things as being American, but truthfully, the UK has led the way in music ever since the Sixties at least. All good American rock finds its roots in British rock and pop, and that trend continues to this day. So yeah, the British bands are most definitely worth listening to

I second most of those bands, especially The Gaslight Anthem. Did I mention The Gaslight Anthem?
I'd keep going on about them but I'm afraid I need the space to mention Pavement, which is probably my favourite band with the "indie" sound. And no, indie isn't really an official genre, but there seems to be sort of an unofficial genre around it.

I can't be bothered posting a list right now, but if you're really interested in my recommendations just ask here or send a PM and I'll make a list.

But in short; check out The Gaslight Anthem and Pavement.

 

[tellytoy]

Last week I discovered the band "Last Dinosaurs" and I love it.

 

[Catfood220]

A band that I got into after seeing them live this year.

Cut Ribbons:



And of course, a band I love and are only going to get bigger.

The Joy Formidable:


So much awesome.

 

[Sacman]

My favorite indie band is one of the original Indie bands...<.<