Underground Bands and Indie Music Reviews

One of the things that I’ve noticed about Indie music in the last few years is how it seems to be dividing. While Indie fas have taken pride in creating an encircling term for bands and music that matches their style, the truth of the matter is that Indie music seems to be drifting into two camps.

First of all, there is the music that is considered Indie because of its association with an independent label. Independent labels producing music was the true origin of Indie music, offering bands an alternative tot he mainstream. Indeed, such a consideration is technically correct because of the history involved. Using independent labels, even bands that seek to blend into the mainstream can be promoted and found, even if they do not strive to be different.

Then there is the crowd that defines Indie music by the sound and culture surrounding it. In the eyes of these fans, the genre is about the musical stylings and lifestyle encouraged by the genre. Therefore, from their perspective, mainstream bands that come from independent labels are not truly “Indie” because they do not match certain parameters.

It is interesting, but Indie music seems to be splitting along those lines, dividing fans and leading to the evolution and possible separation into new genres of music. While it isn’t necessarily a bad thing, it does mark a certain turning point for the music and the industry.

Owl City is slated to play in LA this weekend with other indie groups, which led me to realize that even though they have hit the mainstream, Owl City is still holding on to their roots.

Owl City impressed many with their Postal Service/ Death Cab for Cutie vibe and whimsical lyrics. They served as  a greatly musical way for many people to experience the genre without alienating people with anything too funky. They serve as a good accessible form of music that has lad many to discover more of the genre for themselves.

The band remains committed to their original musical ideals, and has yet to do a Transformers movie cover, so they’ve held onto their identity in my book.

All in all, it’s pretty impressive that the group has managed to deal with their success with such grace and aplomb, while still pleasing fans and finding ways to evolve with the indies genre. You don’t even have to like them to agree that the band is a good example of how to get to the top without forgetting where you came from.

Based on who you talk to, the state of indie music seems to be in a different place with every opinion. Some have happily accepted more mainstream recognition from the general public, while others have derisively seen the mainstream acceptance as pollution of the genre.

All in all, I thin that the state of indie music has managed to maintain an interesting balance. As mainstream appeal and recognition increases, so do the punishing elements from within the community. This essentially has created a self moderating system within the genre wherein a constant cycle of groups originate, go through transitions, until they make it big or flame out, then move on and leave room for the newcomers.

As indie music gathers more fans, the fans themselves serve to moderate and police the genre, boosting the groups that they like while protecting the genre by finding ways to deny the mainstream ready access to the community.

Therefore, indie music seems to be in a cycle of stability, if anything.