Question: Are all indie music listeners pretentious?
Answer: Yes, we are. It’s hard for us to share our music because we know your commercial pop ridden ears can’t handle true awesomeness. It takes time to develop an exquisite indie palette and catching you up slows us down.
I’m feeling particularly bodhisttva after rereading “Living Buddha, Living Christ” by Thich Nhat Hanh, so I decided to temporarily leave some pretense behind and post some baroque/chamber rock music.
If you are already indie, or you’ve found enlightenment after listening to this post, then we may be music soulmates and we should probably exchange naked photos of each other over the internet (you first).
1. Percussion Gun—White Rabbits
This isn’t modern baroque or chamber rock, but it is very indie and awesome. Modern baroque and chamber rock music fuses orchestral instruments and arrangements with rock sounds, and/or instruments.
2. Pretty Ballerina—The Left Banke
Left Banke was a two hit wonder in the 1960s. Note the string arrangements—that’s early baroque rock!
3. Symphony 1 In a Barrel of a Gun—Emily Wells (Drat! No more link. See video below.)
Ms. Wells uses an electric violin and synthesizer—you know what, you have to see it. Prepare to be wowed:
4. Phenomena—The Section Quartet (Queens of the Stone Age cover)
This song is pure chamber rock. The Section Quartet strips the original song of all its rock instruments and lyrics, and it uses chamber instruments to maintain a quality rock sound.
5. In My Room—The Last Shadow Puppets (Drat! Another broken link! Click youtube vid to hear)
The Last Shadow Puppets emerged in 2008 with the song (and album) “The Age of the Understatement.” Alex Turner, of The Arctic Monkeys, is also a lend singer in this band. "In My Room" is my pick off the album. So dark and seductive! Oh the drama that those strings provide!
6. Black Mirror—Arcade Fire
You’ve heard of Arcade Fire, yes? C’mere, c’mere, come out from under your rock. You have to hear this band live! It took me two days, but after spamming the hell out of craigslist I convinced a girl to sell me a ticket for an awesome seat at the Hollywood Bowl for a mere $20. Once there, I also convinced her to pay for my beer (I assume she quickly realized that inebriation makes me tolerable).
7. Winter Windows—Sea Wolf
Alex Brown Church is the genus behind Sea Wolf. You *must* see Sea Wolf live; the more intimate the setting the better—was what I was thinking when he had an ultra hot cellist playing with him. I fall for female cellists and violists quite easily.
I’m drooling.
Um, here, watch “You’re a Wolf.” It’s Sea Wolf’s best-known song. (Hey where’d my hot cellist go? Sad Panda.) Also, look up “Black Dirt.”
8. Imitosis—Andrew Bird (Thanks AK G.)
Andrew has the subtlest string arraignments in mix, but much of his work is still considered baroque. I’m particularly intrigued by Andrew’s diction and metaphors. For some reason this song reminds me of Damien Hirst’s art: Mother and Child. Damien likes to combine science, religion and dead animals/bugs. He’s kinda creepy; no he’s really creepy.
(BTW, I recognize that referencing Damien Hirst makes me sound even more pretentious, but I can only let go of one pretense at a time. End note.)
9. Journey of the Feather—Cloud Cult
I LOVE this song. It makes me feel like a cheerful, successfully non-tragic, Icarus—just flyin’ around, seein’ what I can see.
10. Pioneer to the Falls (Orchestral)—Interpol
The indie darling, Interpol, moved to a major record label, but they were still able to maintain greatness, as noted in the orchestral version of "Pioneer to the Falls". This is a granddaddy of a modern baroque song. Really, the song requires a top-notch sound system and hours worth of repetition.
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