Moka's Best Indie Albums list

I've been meaning to discuss my best 'indie' albums list for a while in here... I'm sure it will get ravaged by many of you but that's in a way what I'm looking for. I want to get some critiques and recommendations to see if we can get to a more general consensus. Which albums do you feel should get nipped and which ones are absent. The basis for 'indie' that is being used is simply albums being published by any label other than Universal, Sony, EMI, Warner and all their sublabels. For those of you who don't know it yet riaaradar.com is a good way of finding out if an album is being published by any major label's subsidiary.

Here's the link:

http://www.moteldemoka.com/best-indie-albums/

I'll copy paste it entirely in this thread either way for reference.

The 60′s

001. Thelonious Monk – Misterioso LIVE (Ojc, USA, 1958)
002. 13th Floor Elevators – The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators (Collectables, USA, 1966)
003. Misunderstood – Before The Dream Faded (Cherry Red, UK, 1966)
004. Moby Grape - Moby Grape (San Francisco Sound, USA, 1967)
005. Zombies – Odessey and Oracle (Big Beat UK, UK, 1967)
006. Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band – Safe As Milk (Buddha, 1967)
007. Sun Ra and His Astro Infinity Arkestra – Atlantis (Evidence, USA, 1967/69)
008. Anthony Braxton – For Alto (Delmark, 1968)
009. Pearls Before Swine – Balaklava (Get Back Italy, USA, 1968)
010. Donovan – A Gift From A Flower To A Garden (Collector’s Choice, UK, 1968)
011. The Flat Earth Society – Waleeco (Arf Arf, USA, 1968)
012. Mad River – Mad River (Edsel Records UK, USA, 1968)
013. Savage Resurrection – Savage Resurrection (Mod Lang, USA, 1968)
014. HP Lovecraft – II (Collector’s Choice, USA, 1968)
015. CA Quintet – Trip Thru Hell (Sundazed Music Inc., USA, 1968)
016. Ed Askew – Ask the Unicorn (ESP-Disk, USA, 1968)
017. Amon Düül – Psychedelic Underground (Repertoire, Germany, 1969)
018. Frank Zappa – Hot Rats (Zappa Records, USA, 1969)

The 70′s

019. Vashti Bunyan – Just Another Diamond Day (Dicristina Stair, 1970)
020. The Art Ensemble of Chicago with Fontella Bass – Les Stances a Sophie (Universal Sound, 1970)
021. Funkadelic – Free Your Mind and your Ass Will Follow (Westbound Records Us, 1970)
022. Pretty Things – Parachute (Repertoire, UK, 1970)
023. Os Mutantes – A Divina Comedia Ou Ando Meio Desligado (Omplatten Records, 1970)
024. Popol Vuh – In Den Gärten Pharaos (SPV, Germany, 1971)
025. Ash Ra Tempel – Ash Ra Tempel (Spalax, Germany, 1971)
026. Klaus Schulze – Irrlicht (Inside Out U.S., 1972)
027. Nick Drake – Pink Moon (Umvd Import, UK, 1972)
028. King Crimson – Larks’ Tongues in Aspic (Discipline Us, UK, 1973)
029. Betty Davis – Betty Davis (Mpc Limited, 1973)
030. Faust - Faust IV (Blue Plate Caroline, 1973)
031. John Fahey – Fare Forward Voyagers (Takoma, 1973)
032. Can – Ege Bamyasi (Mute, 1973)
033. The Meters – Rejuvenation (Sundazed Music Inc., 1974)
034. Frank Zappa – Apostrophe (‘) (Zappa Records, USA, 1974)
035. Robert Wyatt – Rock Bottom (Hannibal, 1974)
036. Richard Hell – Blank Generation (Stiff, 1974)
037. Charlemagne Palestine – Strumming Music (Shandar, 1977)
038. Townes van Zandt – Live at the Old Quarter (Tomato, 1977)
039. Pere Ubu – The Modern Dance (Blank Records, 1978)
040. Steve Reich – Music for 18 Musicians (ECM, 1978)

The 80′s

041. Dead Kennedys – Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables (Manifesto Records, 1980)
042. Glenn Branca – The Ascension (Acute, 1981)
043. Jon Hassell – Fourth World, Vol. 2: Dream Theory in Malaya (Editions Eg Records, 1981)
044. Durutti Column – LC (Factory Records, 1981)
045. Wipers – Youth of America (Restless Records, USA, 1981)
046. The Television Personalities – They Could Have Been Bigger Than The Beatles (Fire UK, UK, 1982)
047. Rain Parade – Emergency Third Rail Power Trip (Restless Records, USA, 1983)
048. Arvo Pärt - Tabula Rasa (ECM, 1984)
048. Husker Du – Zen Arcade (Sst Records, 1984)
050. Minutemen – Double Nickels on the Dime (Sst Records, 1984)
051. Cocteau Twins – Treasure (4AD, 1984)
052. Scraping Foetus Off The Wheel – Nail (Thirsty Ear, 1985)
053. Beat Happening – Beat Happening (K. Records, 1985)
054. Einsturzende Neubauten – Haus der Lüge (Thirsty Ear, 1985)
055. They Might Be Giants – They Might Be Giants (Bar/None, 1986)
056. Sonic Youth – Daydream Nation (Sonic Youth Record, 1988)
057. Big Black – Songs About Fucking (Touch & Go Records, 1988)
058. Pixies – Surfer Rosa (4AD, 1988)

The 90′s

058. Royal Trux – Twin Infinitives (Drag City, 1990)
059. Fugazi - Repeater + 3 Songs (Dischord, 1990)
060. Spacemen 3 – Recurring (Space Age Recordings, UK, 1990)
061. Les Rallizes Denudes – ’77 Live (SIXE, 1991)
062. Kinski - Be Gentle with the Warm Turtle (Strange Attractors, USA, 1991)
063. Bikini Kill – Bikini Kill (Rock Stars, 1991)
064. Slint – Spiderland (Touch & Go Records, 1991)
065. Nation Of Ulysses – 13-Point Program to Destroy America (Dischord, 1991)
066. Sebadoh – III (Homestead, 1991)
067. Current 93 – Thunder Perfect Mind (Pidm, UK, 1992)
068. Juliana Hatfield – Hey Babe (Mammoth, 1992)
069. Aphex Twin – Selected Ambient Works 85-92 (Play It Again Sam Us, 1993)
070. Loud Family – Plants & Birds & Rocks & Things (Alias Records, USA, 1993)
071. Shellac – The Rude Gesture: A Pictorial History (Touch & Go Records, 1993)
072. Even as We Speak - Feral Pop Frenzy (Sarah, 1993)
073. Vampire Rodents – Lullaby Land (Reconstriction, 1993)
074. Red House Painters – Red House Painters I (4AD, 1993)
075. Tav Falco & Panther Burns - behind the magnolia curtain (Triple X Records, 1994)
076. Alex Chilton – Feudalist Tarts/No Sex (Razor & Tie, 1994)
077. Portishead – Dummy (Go Discs, 1994)
078. Bardo Pond – Bufo Alvarius (Drunken Fish Records, 1995)
079. East River Pipe – Poor Fricky (Merge Records, 1995)
080. Will Oldham – Viva Last Blues (Drag City, 1995)
081. Autechre – Tri Repetae++ (Tvt, 1996)
082. Roy Montgomery – Scenes from the South Island (Drunken Fish Records, NZ, 1996)
083. Danielson Famile – A Prayer For Every Hour (Tooth & Nail Records, 1996)
084. Tortoise - Millions Now Living Will Never Die (Thrill Jockey, 1996)
085. Blonde Redhead – Fake Can Be Just As Good (Touch & Go Records, 1997)
086. Elliott Smith – Either/Or (Kill Rock Stars, 1997)
087. Ken Vandermark, The Denison/Kimball Trio – Neutrons (Quarter Stick, 1997)
088. Derek Bailey – Guitar, Drums ‘n Bass (Avant Japan, 1997)
089. Labradford – Mi Media Naranja (Kranky, 1997)
090. Amon Tobin – Bricolage (Ninja Tune, 1997)
091. Don Caballero – What Burns Never Returns (Touch & Go Records, 1998)
092. Squarepusher – Music Is Rotted One Note (Nothing Records, 1998)
093. Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (Merge Records, 1998)
094. Ani DiFranco – Ani DiFranco (Righteous Babe, 1998)
095. Refused - The Shape of Punk to Come: A Chimerical Bombation In 12 Bursts (Burning Heart, 1998)
096. Iditarod - the River Nektar (Bluesanct Music, USA, 1998)
097. Lounge Lizards – Queen of All Ears (Strange & Beautiful, 1998)
098. Kruder & Dorfmeister – The K&D Sessions (K7, 1998)
099. Keith Jarrett – Vienna Concert (ECM, 1999)
100. Thievery Corporation – Sounds from the Thievery Hi-Fi (Eighteenth Street, 1999)
101. Arvo Part – Te Deum (ECM, 1999)
102. In Gowan Ring – The Glinting Spade (Bluesanct Music, USA, 1999)
103. The Magnetic Fields - 69 Love Songs (Merge Records, 1999)
104. Make-Up - Save Yourself (K. Records, 1999)
105. Dismemberment Plan - Emergency & I (Desoto, 1999)
106. Sigur Ros - Ágætis Byrjun (Play It Again Sam Us, 1999)

The 00′s

107. The Mercury Program - From the Vapor of Gasoline (Tiger Style, 2000)
108. Godspeed You Black Emperor - Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas To Heaven (Kranky, 2000)
109. Dirty Three - Whatever You Love, You Are (Touch & Go Records, 2000)
110. Acid Mothers & The Melting Paraiso U.F.O. – La Nòvia (Eclipse, 2000)
111. Songs: Ohia – The Lioness (Secretly Canadian, 2000)
112. The Third Eye Foundation – Little Lost Soul (Merge, 2000)
113. Happy Apple – Body Popping, Moon Walking, Top Rocking (Midwest Artists Dist., 2000)
114. Ken Vandermark – Burn the Incline (Atavistic Records, 2000)
115. Spaceways Incorporated – Thirteen Cosmic Standards by Sun Ra & Funkadelic (Atavistic Records, 2000)
116. Microphones – Glow Pt. 2 CD (K Records, 2001)
117. Spoon – Girls Can Tell (Merge Records, 2001)
118. Fridge - Happiness (Temporary Residence, 2001)
119. Dntel - Life Is Full Of Possibilities (Plug Research, 2001)
120. Tarentel - The Order of Things (Temporary Residence, USA, 2001)
121. Lali Puna – Scary World Theory (Morr, 2001)
122. Henry Threadgill – Everybody’s Mouth’s a Book (Pi Recordings, 2001)
123. Kammerflimmer Kollektief – Hysteria (Temporary Residence Limited, 2001)
124. The Nels Cline Singers – Instrumentals (Cryptogramophone, 2002)
125. Sharron Kraus – Beautiful Twisted (Camera Obscura, UK, 2002)
126. Jessica Bailiff - Jessica Bailiff (Kranky, 2002)
127. Boards Of Canada - Geogaddi (Warp Records, 2002)
128. Tom Waits - Alice (Anti, 2002)
129. Deerhoof - Reveille (Kill Rock Stars, 2002)
130. Broken Social Scene - You Forgot It in People (Arts & Crafts, 2002)
131. Death Cab For Cutie - Transatlanticism (Barsuk, 2003)
132. Low - Things We Lost in the Fire (Kranky, 2003)
133. Do Make Say Think - Winter Hymn Country Hymn Secret Hymn (Constellation, 2003)
134. Manitoba - Up In Flames (Leaf / Domino, 2003)
135. Surface of Eceyon - Draggyn (Strange Attractors, USA, 2003)
136. John Zorn – Masada Guitars (Tzadik, 2003)
137. Four Tet – Rounds (Domino, 2003)
138. Ricardo Villalobos – Alcachofa (Playhouse, 2003)
139. Mum – Summer Make Good (Fat Cat, 2004)
140. Landing - Sphere (K. Records, USA, 2004)
141. Animal Collective - Sung Tongs (Fat Cat, 2004)
142. 50 Foot Wave - 50 Foot Wave (ThrowingMusic, 2004)
143. Charalambides - Joy Shapes (Kranky, 2004)
144. 65daysofstatic – The Fall of Math (Monotreme, 2004)
145. The Fiery Furnaces - Blueberry Boat (Sanctuary Records, 2004)
146. Arcade Fire - Funeral (Merge, 2004)
147. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (Self-Released, 2005)
148. Devendra Banhart – Cripple Crow (2005)
149. Sufjan Stevens – Illinoise (Asthmatic Kitty, 2005)
150. The Books – Lost And Safe (Tomlab, 2005)
151. Paavoharju – Yhä hämärää (Fonal, 2005)
152. Venetian Snares – Rossz csillag alatt született (Planet Mu, 2005)
153. Alva Noto – For (12k/Line, 2006)
154. Liars – Drum’s not Dead (Mute, 2006)
155. Boris, Sunn O))) - Altar (Southern Lord, 2006)
156. Uzeda - Stella (Touch & Go, 2006)
157. Panda Bear - Person Pitch (Paw Tracks, 2007)
158. Radiohead - In Rainbows (Self-Released / XL, 2007)
159. Li Jianhong- San Sheng Shi (Archive, 2008)
160. Scott Tuma- Not for Nobody (Digitalis, 2008)
161. Shed - Shedding the Past (Ostgut Ton, 2008)
162. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion (Domino, 2009)
163. Sholi - s/t (Quarter Stick, 2009)

The 10′s

164. Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti - Before Today (4AD, 2010)
165. Jatoma - s/t (Kompakt, 2010)
166. Zs - New Slaves (Social Registry, 2010)
167. EMA – Past Life Martyred Saints (Souterrain Transmissions, 2011)
168. Colin Stetson – New History Warfare Vol. 2: Judges (Constellation, 2011)
169. Shabazz Palaces – Black Up (Sub Pop, 2011)
170. Barbara Morgenstern – Sweet Silence (Monika, 2012)
171. Chromatics – Kill for Love (Italians Do It Better, 2012)
172. Moon Duo – Circles (Sacred Bones, 2012)
173. Vampire Weekend – Modern Vampires of the City (XL, 2013)
174. Widowspeak – Almanac (Captured Tracks, 2013)

Ignore 2012 and 2013. In a few months that I've finished hearing my pending albums for 2012 the list is going to change and 2013 isn't even over.

oops, it seems riaaradar was taken down almost a year ago due to hosting costs being too high.

A lot of the labels you list for the 60s stuff are just reissue labels. Odessey and Oracle originally came out on CBS iirc.

Mad River were on Capitol.

Moby Grape were CBS too

Are the rights for those albums still on a major label?

Who knows? Possible that they've just been reissued under licence. Not sure things become retrospectively 'indie' when the rights change hands anyway.

I didn't remember since we started the list around 2006 but the original purpose of the list was for our readers to know which great albums from the past decades are riaa-free regardless if they we're originally signed to a major label. The point was if you were to buy them today you wouldn't be supporting the riaa and therefore we considered them part of an independent company.

O I C, makes more sense to me now.

There are in there, though some albums that were originally released by an indie label which should be removed. eg: Ege Bamyasi belongs to Mute Records and their catalogue was bought by EMI in 2002. I think most the label was sold back to the original owners a couple of years ago... not sure if Ege Bamyasi applies then.

It would be exhausting to review each and every one of the albums on this list to know if their rights haven't been bought or sold to a major label or whatever, so you'll just have to trust me that when this list was created the albums were riaa-free and let's pretend and hope all of them still are.

Lots of good stuff there. My list would be 90% different in specific choices but that's always the way (like, the first two Mutantes albums are far superior to "A Divinia Comedia..." for me). These two jumped out as personal favourites of mine:

109. Dirty Three - Whatever You Love, You Are (Touch & Go Records, 2000)
110. Acid Mothers & The Melting Paraiso U.F.O. – La Nòvia (Eclipse, 2000)

You don't like rap it seems (or country or Afropop or soul or electronic dance), and the only 70s punk related stuff that interested you were those single albums by Richard Hell and Peru Ubu. Hmmm. To each his/her own I guess.

This list should be seen as work in progress with primary focus on rock and downtempo.

From your link. Ok.

"OJC" is just the original jazz classics imprint that is seen in Fantasy Records/Prestige/Riverside's jazz catalog. According to Wiki their distributor is Universal.

and Buddha's parent company is Sony

Buddah, rather

I didnt want to pretend Im an expert on those genres curmudgeon and I didnt want to recur to tokenism a la pitchfork. If you have any 70s punk recommendations they're more than welcome. Thats the point of this thread.

Also Hurting youre right! Those two should be off the list. Thanks for the notice.

Its interesting that you like those Betty Davis and Townes Van Zandt albums, even if someone might suggest their inclusion (based on everything else) is tokenism.

why atlantis and no other sun ra albums? is that really your favorite? i know he has zillions so it's hard to choose but i could never get into atlantis and would be interested in hearing why you think it is his best.

This was a collaborative list made wih two other members of the mdm staff we each picked a couple of albums per year and we cut it down afterwards. The Sun Ra, Townes Van Zandt are actually their inclusions. I cant remember the argument for townes but the one used for atlantis was that it is one of the most daunting and unique records, it's really schizoid sounding when youre not in the mood but if you ever get in the mood to listen to it, it's one of his most expansive albums particularly the title track.

So personally I would have also picked another sun ra album but atlantis has a well executed concept, spazzy solos and it was the first Sun ra album where things began to get weird and interesting, so it gets contexts points for its release date.

It was the culmination of ideas he has around at the time, so in a way, it's his first great album.

cool. i wasn't aware it was his first "weird" album. it was the first one i heard, but it didn't make too much of an impression. cosmic tones for mental therapy is the one that really made me a convert.

Oh thats a difficult one as well and its pretty good. The problem with that one is that its under a Universal license so it doesnt apply. I think I actually suggested that one instead.

interesting. yeah, i'm not a sun ra or jazz expert, but that one is really absorbing to me. i love the interplay of the various drums.

Honestly I think any Bardo Pond record is better than Bufo Alvarius.

Otm

quality lists,

for 60s - no USA, Feminine complex or Wendy and bonnie tho?