What is the most generic "indie" album of all time?

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I want to find the dullest indie rock record ever made, because of some douchebag who won't stop buying the same CDs as I own. I'm in no way a "music prick," but every CD he owns (over 200) is one that I own, except for three. He hears about bands by going to my Audioscrobbler and then buying the CDs, and openly admits it. I want to tell him that [this record you recommend me] is the best thing in the world and have him come back and tell me he loves it.

― Christian, Friday, 29 April 2005 00:00 (twenty years ago)

Maybe he's got a crush on you!

Recommend Bright Eyes' "I'm Wide Awake It's Boring," er, "Morning."

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Friday, 29 April 2005 00:05 (twenty years ago)

THE KILLERS?

xpost

DIGITAL ASH IN A DIGITAL URN

― Open your eyes; you can fly! (ex machina), Friday, 29 April 2005 00:08 (twenty years ago)

dullest indie rock record ever made

Too many to choose from.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 29 April 2005 00:11 (twenty years ago)

jon probably otm, i can't think of anything duller

― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Friday, 29 April 2005 00:11 (twenty years ago)

here are some crappy bands for you:

http://www.trustkill.com/bands/bios/

― Open your eyes; you can fly! (ex machina), Friday, 29 April 2005 00:12 (twenty years ago)

actually i can: the star spangles

― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Friday, 29 April 2005 00:12 (twenty years ago)

The problem with that idea is that a lot of people seem to like some of the dullest, most generic crap in the world. Hence the genre "indie rock."

― walter kranz (walterkranz), Friday, 29 April 2005 00:13 (twenty years ago)

THERE ARE 3,604 INDIE BANDS DULLER THAN THE KILLAZ

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Friday, 29 April 2005 00:28 (twenty years ago)

US indie: the For Squirrels album
UK indie: Primal Scream - Sonic Flower Groove

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Friday, 29 April 2005 00:31 (twenty years ago)

The Killers are great - this thread is dumb.

Delete and re-start thread with Be Here Now please.

― Cza, Friday, 29 April 2005 00:31 (twenty years ago)

btw, what's your audioscrobbler handle?

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Friday, 29 April 2005 00:33 (twenty years ago)

Two words: Victory Records.

― Stupornaut (natepatrin), Friday, 29 April 2005 00:38 (twenty years ago)

Delete and re-start thread with Be Here Now please.

GOOD choice!!

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Friday, 29 April 2005 00:47 (twenty years ago)

not really. it's got too much personality. ("too much")

― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Friday, 29 April 2005 00:49 (twenty years ago)

Maybe something like Archers of Loaf's Icky Mettle, or Superchunk's "On the Mouth"?

I like both btw but theyre pretty genericindie.

― Trayce (trayce), Friday, 29 April 2005 00:50 (twenty years ago)

Into the Sun - Sean Lennon

― Steve Gertz (sgertz), Friday, 29 April 2005 00:52 (twenty years ago)

You guys are so old. There's new dull indie, you know!

― Open your eyes; you can fly! (ex machina), Friday, 29 April 2005 00:54 (twenty years ago)

Hot to Trot - Dot to Dot

― RJG (RJG), Friday, 29 April 2005 01:05 (twenty years ago)

It was all too dull Jon, so I stopped buying it =)

― Trayce (trayce), Friday, 29 April 2005 01:05 (twenty years ago)

Polyvinyl 2005 Sampler

― Ian Riese-Moraine has a grenade, that pineapple's not just a toy! (Eastern Mantr, Friday, 29 April 2005 01:10 (twenty years ago)

but the 2004 one was great!

― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Friday, 29 April 2005 01:11 (twenty years ago)

Archers of Loaf - Icky Mettle

― Mr. Snrub (Mr. Snrub), Friday, 29 April 2005 01:23 (twenty years ago)

Mine is www.audioscrobbler/user/nowigotworry , for the guy who asked.

― Christian, Friday, 29 April 2005 01:31 (twenty years ago)

The Postal Service!

― scott seward (scott seward), Friday, 29 April 2005 01:39 (twenty years ago)

Built To Spill!

― scott seward (scott seward), Friday, 29 April 2005 01:39 (twenty years ago)

Silkworm!

― scott seward (scott seward), Friday, 29 April 2005 01:39 (twenty years ago)

Yo La Tengo!

― scott seward (scott seward), Friday, 29 April 2005 01:40 (twenty years ago)

Scott, I'm sure you can think of much worse indies

― Open your eyes; you can fly! (ex machina), Friday, 29 April 2005 01:41 (twenty years ago)

American Music Club!

― scott seward (scott seward), Friday, 29 April 2005 01:41 (twenty years ago)

"Generic" is a term better used for 'mainstream' music. But I guess that'd be too easy...

― cdwill, Friday, 29 April 2005 01:43 (twenty years ago)

I HEART EQUAL VISION HARDCORE YOU CAN'T SAY I DON'T!

― scott seward (scott seward), Friday, 29 April 2005 01:43 (twenty years ago)

Death Cab For Cutie!

― scott seward (scott seward), Friday, 29 April 2005 01:44 (twenty years ago)

http://g.myspace.com/00043/60/84/43024806_l.jpg xpost

― Open your eyes; you can fly! (ex machina), Friday, 29 April 2005 01:46 (twenty years ago)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v38/killerwaves/earthcisisguy1.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v38/killerwaves/earthcisisguy2.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v38/killerwaves/earthcisisguy5.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v38/killerwaves/earthcisisguy4.jpg

― Open your eyes; you can fly! (ex machina), Friday, 29 April 2005 01:47 (twenty years ago)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v38/killerwaves/colleeneaten.jpg

― Don't drink! Don't smoke! Don't pluck! (ex machina), Friday, 29 April 2005 01:48 (twenty years ago)

No, it really is Silkworm. They sound like everybody, nobody LOVES them, they have a million albums and they aren't completely horrible, and they got da indie cred. A.K.A. BOOOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRIIIIIIINNNNNNGGGGGGG!!!!!!

― scott seward (scott seward), Friday, 29 April 2005 01:48 (twenty years ago)

THERE IZ NOTHING GENERIC ABOUT THAT FREEK'S FACE. IF I WAS IN THAT BAND I WOULD RUN FOR THE HILLS!!!!!

― scott seward (scott seward), Friday, 29 April 2005 01:49 (twenty years ago)

KILL CREEK

― Open your eyes; you can fly! (ex machina), Friday, 29 April 2005 01:50 (twenty years ago)

Scott Seward, do you like REVERSAL OF MAN?

― Open your eyes; you can fly! (ex machina), Friday, 29 April 2005 01:50 (twenty years ago)

http://www.noidearecords.com/images/shirts/combat_mopgirl.gif I AM WEARING THIS SHIRT

― Open your eyes; you can fly! (ex machina), Friday, 29 April 2005 01:51 (twenty years ago)

I'd say it was Silkworm except they have like two or three or five songs that sound like really great Counting Crows songs. Surely the most generic indie band shouldn't have that in their resume.

― miccio (miccio), Friday, 29 April 2005 01:53 (twenty years ago)

i never heard them. my friends from high school were in wide awake and they wanted me to come and sing choruses for their first seven inch but i was too hungover to make it. i loved those guys. CONNECTICUT STRAIGHTEDGE STILL RULLLLLLLZZZZZZZZ!!!!!!!!!

― scott seward (scott seward), Friday, 29 April 2005 01:53 (twenty years ago)

what about Gumball?

― miccio (miccio), Friday, 29 April 2005 01:53 (twenty years ago)

Ian and I were supposed to do backups on some H4ppy C0uples N3ver L4st label thing but it fell through.

Ian has a really good voice for hardcore. I do not.

― Open your eyes; you can fly! (ex machina), Friday, 29 April 2005 01:54 (twenty years ago)

JON DO YOO KNOW THA DUDEZ IN TRANSISTOR TRANSISTOR??? THEIR ALBUM KIKKKKSSS ASSZZZZZ.

― scott seward (scott seward), Friday, 29 April 2005 01:55 (twenty years ago)

What about something like Bedhead? I've never heard Bedhead!

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Friday, 29 April 2005 01:56 (twenty years ago)

I hear Macha loves Bedhead, so that's a possibility.

Also maybe Ida.

― miccio (miccio), Friday, 29 April 2005 01:57 (twenty years ago)

my 3 favorite albumz of da year so far:

TS: The New Kylesa -vs- The New Transistor Transistor -vs- The New Raging Speedhorn

generic ilm fuxxors don't wanna know about that shit.

― scott seward (scott seward), Friday, 29 April 2005 01:57 (twenty years ago)

you should chase us down some mp3s if you care that much.

― miccio (miccio), Friday, 29 April 2005 01:58 (twenty years ago)

NO I THINK I SAW THEM THOUGH? I FORGET. HARDCORE SUMMERS ALL MIX TOGETHER.

Best show ever:

Friday, July 5
show starts promptly at 7

anton bordman
ted leo and the pharmacists
the body
off minor
milemarker
life detecting coffins
v for vendetta
these are in no particular order

Saturday, July 6
show starts promptly at 1

dropdead
and i can't wait
wolves
combat wounded veteran
orchid
manbeard
sinaloa
vincebus eruptum
tigerface
virginia black lung
he taught me lies
the weigh down
and more...
these are in no particular order

Sunday, July 7
show starts promptly at 1

fat day
there were wires
moment
neptune
lesser of two
cathy cathodic
rainy day regatta
hya kacha
mike law
and more...

I swear I saw the Olneyville Sound Systen there but I forget.... :/

― Open your eyes; you can fly! (ex machina), Friday, 29 April 2005 01:58 (twenty years ago)

Macha is good IIRC...?

― Open your eyes; you can fly! (ex machina), Friday, 29 April 2005 01:59 (twenty years ago)

Why does that straight edge guy prune his eyebrows so thin?

Ida can be generic, but they're not very "indie," are they? Maybe they are now; but they were definitely more MOR/AAC before.

Maybe something on Jade Tree? Fuck, this thread makes me feel kind of quesy.

― I.M. (I.M.), Friday, 29 April 2005 01:59 (twenty years ago)

ida's vocals too distinctive to be generic. actually some of polyvinyl's also-rannish sort of stuff like AMFM would fit right in

― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Friday, 29 April 2005 01:59 (twenty years ago)

Why does that straight edge guy prune his eyebrows so thin?

GERMANS

jim, otm!

― Open your eyes; you can fly! (ex machina), Friday, 29 April 2005 02:00 (twenty years ago)

oh yeah AMFM! What about Satisfact? I was thinking about them the other day I and I couldn't remember a thing other than that they knew Modest Mouse or 764-Hero.

― miccio (miccio), Friday, 29 April 2005 02:01 (twenty years ago)

Paris, TX

― Open your eyes; you can fly! (ex machina), Friday, 29 April 2005 02:01 (twenty years ago)

how about someone names the worst Braid-soundalike ever and we call it a day plz?

― Open your eyes; you can fly! (ex machina), Friday, 29 April 2005 02:02 (twenty years ago)

the worst has yet to come

― miccio (miccio), Friday, 29 April 2005 02:03 (twenty years ago)

satisfact had one really good song. not that that disqualifies them from genericness

― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Friday, 29 April 2005 02:03 (twenty years ago)

Just searched "Ida". They've signed to Polyvinyl, so I guess they must qualify now.

Oh God--Braid. I can't read this thread. This is what I escaped in 1999 when I cut myself out of the painful loop.

― I.M. (I.M.), Friday, 29 April 2005 02:05 (twenty years ago)

i adore ida so i veto their inclusion!

― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Friday, 29 April 2005 02:07 (twenty years ago)

SATISFACT WERE GREBT ANTHONY THEIR FIRST ALBUM WAS THEE FIRST MAJOR NEW WAVE PO-MO ALBUM AND IS GREBT ALL THE WAY THROUGH EXCEPT FOR MAYBE THE LAST COUPLE SONGZ?

― Tim Ellison (Tim Ellison), Friday, 29 April 2005 02:08 (twenty years ago)

please, don't torture yerself!!! cut yerself out of the painful loop once again!!! let's say yo la tengo and call it a day. 400 albums of boring plod that people have to knife themselves to stay awaake t o listen to. case closed!

― scott seward (scott seward), Friday, 29 April 2005 02:09 (twenty years ago)

it's ira's fault I can't play guitar solos right. :(

― miccio (miccio), Friday, 29 April 2005 02:12 (twenty years ago)

wut the fuck is that snarkiness thread about??? i just saw that. what a weird thing. i would play yoo those bands anthony but i don't hava an mp3 player :(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((

i got a new coffee machine tho.

― scott seward (scott seward), Friday, 29 April 2005 02:16 (twenty years ago)

It's gotta be Silkworm.

I actually really like Combat Wounded Veteran but I don't know anything about them. My hardcore roomie was listening to their COLORED VINYL SINGLES COMP the other day and I dug it. H4ppy C0uples etc has had some great Indiana bands (ie the only 'scene' i'm actually familiar with) so I dig them. BR43TH3R R3515T AND R4C3B4NN0N are opening for Melt Banana next week SO PSYCHED DUDE

― Sonny, Ah!!1 (Sonny A.), Friday, 29 April 2005 03:16 (twenty years ago)

Pixies!

― Michael J McGonigal (mike mcgonigal), Friday, 29 April 2005 03:24 (twenty years ago)

I recommend second-tier Elephant 6ers. Like Marshmallow Coast.

Actually, first-tier Elephant 6ers would do just as fine.

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Friday, 29 April 2005 03:31 (twenty years ago)

Preston School of Industry: All This Sounds Gas.

― Ernest P. (ernestp), Friday, 29 April 2005 03:36 (twenty years ago)

promise ring - nothing feels good

― a banana (alanbanana), Friday, 29 April 2005 03:37 (twenty years ago)

oh man silkworm, you guys, you are making n/a cry.

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 29 April 2005 03:46 (twenty years ago)

71 POSTS IN AND NO ONE HAS MENTIONED...

BUTTERGLORY.

― cutty (mcutt), Friday, 29 April 2005 03:47 (twenty years ago)

VERSUS.

― cutty (mcutt), Friday, 29 April 2005 03:47 (twenty years ago)

SPATULA.

― cutty (mcutt), Friday, 29 April 2005 03:48 (twenty years ago)

PUMPERKNICKEL.

― cutty (mcutt), Friday, 29 April 2005 03:48 (twenty years ago)

I liked a Silkworm album once! It was on sale and someone recommended it. If I'd heard it first, I probably never would have given it a chance, though. C'mon, they're boring!

― Sonny, Ah!!1 (Sonny A.), Friday, 29 April 2005 03:49 (twenty years ago)

naw, silkworm "in the west" and "libertine" are fucking stellar albums.

― cutty (mcutt), Friday, 29 April 2005 03:49 (twenty years ago)

i love versus! boy/girl vocals! argh!

― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Friday, 29 April 2005 03:53 (twenty years ago)

*diverting attention from Silkworm*

How "indie" do we need here. Because IMHO "Some Cities" is as dull as it gets, yet with impeccable indie-ish cred.

Or there's always Snow Patrol.

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Friday, 29 April 2005 04:48 (twenty years ago)

snow patrol is probably a good example. whenever i hear one of their songs it's always familiar but i can never remember who they are.

― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Friday, 29 April 2005 04:51 (twenty years ago)

That's easy - they're Keane!

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Friday, 29 April 2005 05:20 (twenty years ago)

with less pianos

― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Friday, 29 April 2005 05:20 (twenty years ago)

There's this band called Wheat from Boston. I think they are pretty fucking generic.

http://www.wheatmusic.com/

― Matt Boch (Matt Boch), Friday, 29 April 2005 05:30 (twenty years ago)

It's funny how the word "indie" has become an synonym of bland, dull, generic. I still remember when it meant completely the oppossite.

― daavid (daavid), Friday, 29 April 2005 05:36 (twenty years ago)

What you should do is listen to a lot of albums that are not only crap, but OUT OF PRINT-- then they don't even have to be that bad. The price should wear him out quicker..

― poortheatre (poortheatre), Friday, 29 April 2005 05:36 (twenty years ago)

VERSUS.

-- cutty (holle...) (webmail), April 29th, 2005 12:47 AM. (mcutt) (later) (link)

WRONG

― Open your eyes; you can fly! (ex machina), Friday, 29 April 2005 05:41 (twenty years ago)

yay

― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Friday, 29 April 2005 05:44 (twenty years ago)

What you should do is listen to a lot of albums that are not only crap, but OUT OF PRINT

Unfortunately, this is surprisingly difficult. Most crap is readily available (and affordable!).

― daavid (daavid), Friday, 29 April 2005 05:48 (twenty years ago)

...and gets re-issued all the time

― daavid (daavid), Friday, 29 April 2005 05:49 (twenty years ago)

It's funny how the word "indie" has become an synonym of bland, dull, generic. I still remember when it meant completely the oppossite.

The problem is with music that can't really be described as anything but "indie" because it doesn't have any other identifying factors. Music that can only be categorized by it's mode of production & distribution is sort of inherently dull. Good independent music typically gets some other label slapped on it that attempts to describe what it actually sounds like.

― walter kranz (walterkranz), Friday, 29 April 2005 06:03 (twenty years ago)

True, and also a lot of what is described as "indie" now is far from from being independently produced and distributed.

― daavid (daavid), Friday, 29 April 2005 06:09 (twenty years ago)

Beulah

I win; lock thread.

― Open your eyes; you can fly! (ex machina), Friday, 29 April 2005 07:07 (twenty years ago)

This is bad, from only a few years back:

OK Go - S/T
Rooney - S/T
Matthew - Everybody Down

― BeeOK (boo radley), Friday, 29 April 2005 08:21 (twenty years ago)

ewwww

― shine headlights on me (electricsound), Friday, 29 April 2005 08:25 (twenty years ago)

why has no one mentioned Starsailor? or Keane for that matter. or indeed, the Stereophonics. or maybe Athlete. or Travis.

anyway, Geneva own this thread from a UK pov. probably the most dull, generic indie ever churned out.

― Lee F# (fsharp), Friday, 29 April 2005 09:00 (twenty years ago)

Any late period Mega City Four album

― Bidfurd, Friday, 29 April 2005 09:11 (twenty years ago)

fake indie -- coldplay!

real indie -- joan of arc!!

― Michael J McGonigal (mike mcgonigal), Friday, 29 April 2005 09:27 (twenty years ago)

OK Go - S/T
-- BeeOK (deons...), April 29th, 2005.

OTM

― Matt Boch (Matt Boch), Friday, 29 April 2005 10:03 (twenty years ago)

Ah, that Andrew from Geneva had a lovely voice. That alone should be enough to save them from the blandness bucket. You may think you've got it bad with Keane, but delve deeper and there is worse. Oh, so much worse.

THE HORMONES
http://pds.exblog.jp/pds/1/200501/30/64/b0052664_21231661.jpg

What can I say? I bought it because I liked the cover and thought it was going to be alt-country. What I got was twelve tracks of the most generic power-chord pop you've ever heard. It's like someone extracted the DNA of every slightly dull college rock band and used it to breed a creature of such staggering blandness it could make Steve Lamacq wail and gnash his teeth. A little bit Weezer, a little bit Lemonheads, a little bit Fountains Of Wayne, but without any of the redeeming features of those bands. It's the kind of music that, when you listen to it, doesn't leave any impression at all. It's just kind of...there.

There's also another lot called SENSEFIELD who could possibly be the same band. I once read a review of their album which was so scathing that years later I went looking for mp3s to see it was right. And it was, every single word.

― Philip Alderman (Phil A), Friday, 29 April 2005 10:19 (twenty years ago)

black keys

― AaronK (AaronK), Friday, 29 April 2005 13:51 (twenty years ago)

Archers of Loaf-Vroom Vroom

― 57 7th (calstars), Friday, 29 April 2005 13:58 (twenty years ago)

Friends of Dean Martinez

― 57 7th (calstars), Friday, 29 April 2005 14:00 (twenty years ago)

Jawbox

― 57 7th (calstars), Friday, 29 April 2005 14:01 (twenty years ago)

Tell your friend your favorite band ever is Pedro the Lion, and get rid of him once and for all.

― Jena (JenaP), Friday, 29 April 2005 14:06 (twenty years ago)

ARCHERS OF LOAF ARE NOT BORING YOU FUCKS!

SILKWORM IS BORING IN A GOOD WAY!

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Friday, 29 April 2005 14:10 (twenty years ago)

The most boring indie band ever is some local band from somewhere that we've all never heard.

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Friday, 29 April 2005 14:11 (twenty years ago)

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

― Open your eyes; you can fly! (ex machina), Friday, 29 April 2005 14:17 (twenty years ago)

real indie -- joan of arc!!

Wrong

― Open your eyes; you can fly! (ex machina), Friday, 29 April 2005 14:17 (twenty years ago)

Neutral Milk Hotel

― darin (darin), Friday, 29 April 2005 16:05 (twenty years ago)

Wheat seconded! Saw them live once.

― miccio (miccio), Friday, 29 April 2005 16:08 (twenty years ago)

Somebody bought a Hormones album? They used to have a good live show, but I wouldn't be surprised if their material was not good enough for an actual album.

M@tt OTM, and some scruple has been keeping me from posting bands I saw in such a context that later went on to be heard by the world-at-large.

But the person who really cut through the Gordian knot challenge posed by this thread is scott.

― Ken L (Ken L), Friday, 29 April 2005 16:16 (twenty years ago)

A kid gave me his CD in Union Square and told me to go see them at the old office. Fuck, EVERY BAND THAT PLAYS THE OLD OFFICE. Their CD was tempered on all sides in every way possible. Light guitar, light vocals, slight violin blah blah blah god FUCKING TRY. PLEASE I KNOW YOU WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW YOU MAKE MUSIC AND BE ON A LABEL BUT JUST BUY THE CLOTHES AND STOP MAKING ME HEAR IT.

― I staple my bank statements to the wall and I know my father, Friday, 29 April 2005 16:56 (twenty years ago)

There's also another lot called SENSEFIELD

I had a Sensefield CD a few years ago! I think I ordered it with a Jack Johnson CD. worst amazon order evar!

― sleep (sleep), Friday, 29 April 2005 17:37 (twenty years ago)

"But the person who really cut through the Gordian knot challenge posed by this thread is scott."

Um, I was a little drunk. But only a "little" drunk. You know, indie-drunk.

― scott seward (scott seward), Friday, 29 April 2005 17:44 (twenty years ago)

Midway Still? Kingmaker? Kinky Machine? The Senseless Things? Fretblanket? Thousand Yard Stare?

A look through my stolen-out-of-the-student-paper-promo-cupboard mid-to-early-90s record collection would give you lots and lots of ~~nightmares~~ opportunities to laugh at this guy (though I think you are being a bit mean to him).

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 30 April 2005 10:49 (twenty years ago)

four months pass...

Just correcting the absence of any mention of...

Rilo Kiley - More Adventurous

Tepidtastic! But there's a good song, too!

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Wednesday, 31 August 2005 22:25 (twenty years ago)

There are way more boring indie albums, most without a killer single.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Wednesday, 31 August 2005 22:29 (twenty years ago)

Death Cab For Cutie - ALL OF 'EM

― Brooker Buckingham (Brooker B), Wednesday, 31 August 2005 22:36 (twenty years ago)

There are way more boring indie albums, most without a killer single.

Totally agreed. My angle was that the killer single gives the OP plausible deniability for the audioscrobbler pump-fake.

― rogermexico (rogermexico), Wednesday, 31 August 2005 22:39 (twenty years ago)

Built To Spill--Ancient Melodies Of The Future.

Everything else they've done is masterful, but this one blows. And it's boring.

― kornrulez6969 (TCBeing), Wednesday, 31 August 2005 22:42 (twenty years ago)

Rilo Kiley would be a good call except that nobody has listened all the way through to one of their albums without shooting themselves in the face.

The Charlatans' Greatest Hits deserves respect in this category.

― I Ain't No Addict, Whoever Heard of a Junkie as Old as Me? (noodle vague), Wednesday, 31 August 2005 22:42 (twenty years ago)

Rilo Kiley would be a good call except that nobody has listened all the way through to one of their albums without shooting themselves in the face.

Well that's just not true.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Wednesday, 31 August 2005 22:44 (twenty years ago)

Proof?

― I Ain't No Addict, Whoever Heard of a Junkie as Old as Me? (noodle vague), Wednesday, 31 August 2005 22:46 (twenty years ago)

The Monolith - Here Comes the Monolith

there can be no othah

― tremendoid (tremendoid), Wednesday, 31 August 2005 23:00 (twenty years ago)

Jeez, new question: What is the most generic anti-indie ILM thread of all time? I haven't been posting here long enough to know. The recent CYHSY thread could be up there but it's mostly just anti-Pitchfork.

― marc h. (marc h.), Wednesday, 31 August 2005 23:58 (twenty years ago)

Yep, ILM is full of people hating Indie just to be contrary. Certainly nobody criticises generic guitar bands just because their songs are shite.

― I Ain't No Addict, Whoever Heard of a Junkie as Old as Me? (noodle vague), Thursday, 1 September 2005 00:04 (twenty years ago)

I like SILKWORM!

for real, I only know two other people that love them like I do...even my friends that like boring guitar bands like I do think SKWM is boring, but they grab me for some reason...I think they're tops.

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Thursday, 1 September 2005 00:06 (twenty years ago)

new Dressy Bessy out!

― Aaron A, Thursday, 1 September 2005 00:46 (twenty years ago)

no word on new Jale material

― Aaron A, Thursday, 1 September 2005 00:46 (twenty years ago)

Jale broke up years ago, no?

― jimmy glass (electricsound), Thursday, 1 September 2005 00:51 (twenty years ago)

i'm pretty sure the answer is Jets to Brazil, Four Cornered Night

― gear (gear), Thursday, 1 September 2005 00:56 (twenty years ago)

it is hard to pick which post-Jawbreaker band is duller, isn't it?

― Aaron A, Thursday, 1 September 2005 00:59 (twenty years ago)

Ooh, I got a good one: THE NEW FOLK IMPLOSION.

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Thursday, 1 September 2005 00:59 (twenty years ago)

Gear wins with the Jets To Brazil.

Lock thread.

― Brooker Buckingham (Brooker B), Thursday, 1 September 2005 02:12 (twenty years ago)

OK, fine, to be sporting, New Folk Implosion wins.

Jets to Brazil at least had "Sweet Avenue."

― marc h. (marc h.), Thursday, 1 September 2005 04:03 (twenty years ago)

I'm going to vote for Iron & Wine. It's DEEP, you can tell by the beard.

the first Jets to Brazil album is half-good (if you liked Jawbreaker's poppier stuff)

― milozauckerman (miloaukerman), Thursday, 1 September 2005 04:09 (twenty years ago)

black keys

-- AaronK (fuzz_...), April 29th, 2005 12:51 AM.

OTM. Or something by Radiohead.

― Sasha (sgh), Thursday, 1 September 2005 04:21 (twenty years ago)

not to be too pedantic but i'd imagine that things like iron & wine and radiohead are a bit too immediately recognisable to pass for 'generic' even if they are boring/have 'influenced' a thousand lame soundalikes

― jimmy glass (electricsound), Thursday, 1 September 2005 04:31 (twenty years ago)

(not saying that about i&w or radiohead, but i'm not not saying it either)

― jimmy glass (electricsound), Thursday, 1 September 2005 04:31 (twenty years ago)

The debut Echobelly album (was there ever a follow up?). Or maybe that's just the most generic britpop album ever.

― Robin Goad (rgoad), Thursday, 1 September 2005 05:49 (twenty years ago)

the most generic britpop album ever

it would be up against some mighty strong competition for that title

― jimmy glass (electricsound), Thursday, 1 September 2005 05:51 (twenty years ago)

Or something by Radiohead.

hardly generic

but i will nominate all that overrated pavement and guided by voices crap

― rizzx (Rizz), Thursday, 1 September 2005 09:11 (twenty years ago)

These nominees are totally freaking wrong:

Guided By Voices - way to distinctive and instantly recognizable at GBV to be anywhere near generic. Dumb.

Pavement - They basically invented the shit, pick one of the 8 million bands that copied them instead.

Black Keys - are a frickin' blues band, sound nothing like indie rock...

Radiohead - Again, way too instantly recognizable...and honestly, how is Kid A or OK Computer generic sounding.

People seem to be thinking this thread is "Man here's a "indie band" I don't like or think it overrated"

Best answers:

I think something in the Death Cab/Jets To Brazil area...those bands are getting closer to the truth of the ultimate in generic indie...Of course, obv. the real answer is probably a local band that's playing in your town tonight.

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Thursday, 1 September 2005 13:33 (twenty years ago)

The Smiths "Hatful of Hollow", the first and the best.

― nocure, Thursday, 1 September 2005 13:39 (twenty years ago)

grrrrr

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Thursday, 1 September 2005 13:40 (twenty years ago)

Teh Arcade Fire

― fandango (fandango), Thursday, 1 September 2005 13:40 (twenty years ago)

seriously, none (except for those of you that said death cab and jets to brazil) of you know what generic indie gangsta is.

y'all should come to some shows with me.

i'm knee deep in generic indie. mpls has rice paddies filled with it. i'm in the shit.

― M@tt He1geson (Matt Helgeson), Thursday, 1 September 2005 13:43 (twenty years ago)

Pavement - They basically invented the shit, pick one of the 8 million bands that copied them instead.

on that note, i nominate SAMMY.

― spasticheritage, Thursday, 1 September 2005 13:52 (twenty years ago)

GENERIC INDIE 4 LIFE - BITCH

― Baaderonixx and the choco-pop babies (baaderonixx), Thursday, 1 September 2005 13:56 (twenty years ago)

Semisonic

― Baaderonixx and the choco-pop babies (baaderonixx), Thursday, 1 September 2005 13:59 (twenty years ago)

Silkworm can't qualify -- if only because their cover The Comsat Angels - "Our Secret" (which I love love LOVE the original) actually *gulp!* gave the original a run for its money. And it sure as hell smothered the second version the CSA did in 1986 on the flip side of the single for "The Cutting Edge".

― Ian Riese-Moraine: a casualty of society's derangement. (Eastern Mantra), Thursday, 1 September 2005 14:09 (twenty years ago)

i actually pulled out silkworm and versus albums this morning so i could get my generic indie fix at work today.

― spasticheritage, Thursday, 1 September 2005 14:21 (twenty years ago)

Arlo. Any of Arlo's albums.

― js (honestengine), Friday, 2 September 2005 00:15 (twenty years ago)

pedro the lion or deathcab

― Sym Sym (sym), Friday, 2 September 2005 05:56 (twenty years ago)

juliana theory?

― Jena (JenaP), Friday, 2 September 2005 06:10 (twenty years ago)

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/drc700/c724/c724331x83q.jpg

― Michael B, Friday, 2 September 2005 06:47 (twenty years ago)

Kill the Last Romantic by Easyworld.

I win.

― ian p is playing at my house (ian p is playing at my house), Friday, 2 September 2005 19:20 (twenty years ago)

Bah. Tsunami are not the answer here! Especially not Deep End, that's my favourite album of theirs!

My vote goes to a probably unknown band to most called Coast from the Britpop years. My friend used to wear a T-shirt of theirs because she liked it (the T-shirt, not the band), and another friend had the album to review for Brighton University student newspaper, it was so bland I can't remember a thing about it.

― Colonel Poo (Colonel Poo), Friday, 2 September 2005 19:51 (twenty years ago)

Teh Arcade Fire

I don't like them but come on, you know that's not true. Boys got their idisyncracies.

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Friday, 2 September 2005 20:14 (twenty years ago)

Idiosyncracies. INDIEsyncracies. Oh, I should just give up on the written word.

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Friday, 2 September 2005 20:15 (twenty years ago)

Tsunami OTM.

But how have we gotten so far into this thread without mentioning THE NEW RADIANT STORM KING?

― Jacobo Rock (jacobo rock), Friday, 2 September 2005 20:19 (twenty years ago)

NRSK are very near the center of the indie rock.
mot mediocre probably = august revital?

― autovac (autovac), Friday, 2 September 2005 20:48 (twenty years ago)

Death cab is perfect for this!!

― Fushigina Blobby: Blobania no Kiki (ex machina), Friday, 2 September 2005 21:26 (twenty years ago)

Yeah? What about Elliott - False Cathedrals? HAve any of you guys heard this shit?
http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/cov200/dre200/e223/e2230212u80.jpg

― Jena (JenaP), Friday, 2 September 2005 22:10 (twenty years ago)

Tuscadero? Velocity Girl? Most any band that was on Simple Machines would also probably fit the bill.

― Joel (aquabahn), Friday, 2 September 2005 22:17 (twenty years ago)

http://www.epitonic.com/art/artists/764hero/nobodyknowsthisiseverywhere_cover250.jpg

― gear (gear), Friday, 2 September 2005 22:18 (twenty years ago)

These covers nail the gamut of generic indie art, too: a Murmur-wannabe black & white photo of a structure VS slanted-&-enchanted-wannabe naive scribbles on top of a collage.

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Friday, 2 September 2005 22:41 (twenty years ago)

SUPERCHUNK!

― funky fufo (sjjd111), Friday, 2 September 2005 23:27 (twenty years ago)

i actually owned that Jets to Brazil LP I mentioned upthread, purely based on an impulse purchase.

It's actually the album that forever put me off buying music that I hadn't a clue about. Oftentimes I'll have a CD in hand that has something appealing about it aesthetically, and a five-years-younger version of me, attired in horrible clothes and with slightly more/longer hair, appears on my shoulder and whispers, "ooo, four cornered night, ooo...."

Subsequently, I'll yelp and run out of the store.

― gear (gear), Friday, 2 September 2005 23:33 (twenty years ago)

Yes, 764-HERO is the answer!

― Mike O. (Mike Ouderkirk), Saturday, 3 September 2005 00:36 (twenty years ago)

I really liked one of Coast's songs! ("Polly's Domain", it was called). Rest of what I heard of them, total shit though.

New candidate for most unmemorable band ever = 3 Colours Red.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 3 September 2005 10:52 (twenty years ago)

Teh Arcade Fire
I don't like them but come on, you know that's not true. Boys got their idisyncracies.

-- joseph cotten

Yeah, that was mostly snark. Superchunk, now that is a good answer.

― fandango (fandango), Saturday, 3 September 2005 11:18 (twenty years ago)

Seriously, Death Cab, people.

― Roz (Roz), Saturday, 3 September 2005 12:37 (twenty years ago)

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