Discovering good music may seem like a challenge when rappers with bling-names dominate the top 100, but if you dig a little further than the Ryan Seacrest charts you many be pleasantly surprised.
The Indie music scene isn’t dying; in fact it is stocked with some real jewels. There has been a wave of wonderful alt-music that is breaking free of the chains of anonymity and leaking into pop culture, which may renew your faith in humanity if Miley Cyrus stole it from you.
Here are a few bands that know no bounds to awesomeness from the new and popping to the oldies back on the scene:
1. Alt-J (∆)- The Newbie Chart-Toppers
If you’re looking for a band that has range and impact down, look no further. Some of their songs could be added to soothing sleepy-time playlists while others demand to be toe-tapped to.
The band is often categorized under experimental music, which makes sense as vocally and instrumentally there seems to be an agreement to step outside of the box enough to catch someone unexpected without compromising the equation which comprises a good song.
This band dares to be different which is refreshing in an age where songs are so similar lawsuits are being filed. This quartet shows a creative entrepreneurship that grabs both the listener’s interest and ear, a must-listen to! Expect great things from these musical daredevils who are taking the music scene by storm.
2. Arctic Monkeys- The Old Dogs with New Tricks
Although this band isn’t new to the scene they are making a comeback which is sure to win over fans new and old.
Arctic Monkeys have been a familiar name in the indie world since their debut album in 2006, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, where they charmed their home turf England as well as the rest of the world with songs that became instant classics.
Since then they have released four studio albums, their most recent album, AM, is available to buy on September 10th! Its this new album that is making them more relevant than ever, as its surprisingly spectacular, even though it should be expected from a band that has already changed the music scene so much.
This album, despite the evident indie roots, works some less Arctic Monkey-typical style into the album including songs with both a rougher edge and others with a poppier vibe.
This band is so great because they have been redefining and reworking themselves for seven years and have ground-breaking material to prove it.
3. Daughter- Indie Folk-tastic
Another new English band with music so unique and captivating it deserves all music-lovers undivided attention.
The band was originally just the vocalist but with the addition of a couple more group members the band now has an original, and deeply emotional feel.
The band has only released one full album, If You Leave, but the one album has an unbelievable amount of soul that is evident in both the echoing vocals and the resonating instrumentals. Daughter has managed to capture the attention of many through a couple of songs that have hit it big, but their album does something singles can’t, give the listener the feeling of a complete emotional journey.
The album is revealing in ways that a lot of music fails to be these days.
The fact that twerk ballads are number one on the charts right now gives Daughter’s music a new dimension of depth and sincerity.
If you’re interested in something that is influenced by everything else but sounds like nothing else, give them a listen!
4. Vampire Weekend- A Rockin’ Revival
Just as Arctic Monkeys are proving they have more tricks up their sleeve, Vampire Weekend is wowing people with a return that proves many years of cultivated hard-work. Their music has always been both catchy and truthful, and this album is no exception.
Modern Vampires of the City, released this year, has songs that have a positive vibe but an underlying sadness. The New Yorker City band has evidently worked hard to fill the album with a both songs that let the music do the talking and those that rely on the strong vocals.
The band has received an amount of attention unusual for an independent band, attention that has put them #1 on the billboard list for two consecutive albums, but don’t let this scare you off. The band has been critiqued for what some claim to be inauthenticity, but this album proves the band doesn’t need to rely on their image because they have crazy musical strength. If you haven’t already, revisit these blood-sucking, music quenching geniuses.
5. The National- Taking a Nation by Storm
This band, in its sixth album Trouble Will Find Me, demonstrated that they can create a sound like never before without straying too far from its roots.
The band has always been extremely emotionally present, and has a slow and stirring sound that speaks to that. The new album doesn’t abandon that presence, but it allows for music that is bittersweet with bursts of genuine hope and happiness. Their evolution musically can be seen in this album that shows a confidence in their sound that takes years, in their case more than a decade, to really harness.
Their sound has always been their own, so worry not, you will still immediately recognize their gentle and stirring sound at first listen, but you just may find new things to love about these brooding Brooklynites.
With a new album opening up new possibilities, this not-so-new but improved band may be just as on the rise as the newbies on the scene! Expect more greatness to come!