The woes of Indie Rock

I have to allow myself a wry smile when on the odd occasion I come across a write-up in something like the New York Times on indie musicians. The burgeoning popularity in this sort of music seems to have a far greater reach than many of us think. To me, I subscribe to the more negative notion that an awareness of the music is distinct from knowledge of the band. It is a cynical view, which may, perhaps, not be entirely correct, but anyway, in my childish "outsider" mentality, that is what I am going to stick to for the present.

In any event, I came across the New York Times' article on Surfer Blood, which, predictably, proclaimed the woes of the modern age of indie, and the struggles of a "smart band" and their aspirations. It is the ordinary schtick on the fleeting nature of fame (and no, I am not interested in hearing the Andy Warhol quote again).

I have the Surfer Blood album, and, admittedly, I am glad that I do. I am a sucker for this sort of music- it has all the tags of Pacific Northwest pedigree (despite being from Florida), but funnelled through surf rock ideas. In other words, this music is just a collection of tight pop/rock tunes, layering hook after hook on a bedrock of guitars, drum and bass. The vocals have the copyright James Mercer effects that is smattered with reverb, and echoes in your brain, with each progressive line. And there is, what seems to be now obligatory reference to West African music, courtesy of our favourite Ivy League dropouts, Vampire Weekend.

However, for all this, there is this nagging feeling that I am not privy to some in-joke, because, there is just so much of this sort of music around these days. The Shins may be defunct, but their brand on the realm of indie rock is probably to remain a bedrock for some time to come yet. Surfer Blood might have a slight lead on some of the other pretenders to the crown, and yet, I remain uncertain as to their longevity beyond being that
of a novelty item. The prime example at the moment seems to be Girls, who had everyone jumping up and down- seemingly more obsessed with the life history of the lead singer, than anything they had actually played. And now, they seem like a distant, and forgotten entity, although, I had to note that I was amused to see their "album" in the stores here, being peddled at the usual grossly over-inflated price. Better late than never, I guess. 

But I shall concede an inherent negativity to my thoughts, and hope, sincerely, that I am wrong. I really do, as I like Surfer Blood, and for all my doubts, I do keep listening. Repeatedly. I have also laid this accusation before Band of Horses, and yet, they remain, one of my favourite artists. So take from this what you will.

What did pique my interest were the comments by Carrie Brownstein (the former guitarist for another favourite, Sleater-Kinney). I suppose one does have to take into account the present backlash from many that SXSW (for those not in the know, South By South-West is a major "festival" - read A&R exercise - held annually in Austin Texas, where the who's who of up and coming talent converge in the hope of record deals, product placement and the possibility of a career) is actually a pretty poor event for the reason that it is a victim of its own success. Basically, it has just grown too big. One is constantly feeling torn between the myriad of artists- many worthy of attention- but physically lacking the ability to be there. No one is paying sufficient heed, everyone is battling alcohol, and sleep deprivation- the bands as well, and thus are probably not at their best and brightest in their attempt to wow- and fans are subjected to the insanity of it all- never mind the crowds, and an awareness of being a cog in the big corporate.

I know some of you are thinking it, so let me admit that I have never been to SXSW. This opinion elucidated above is entirely sourced on hearsay, so if I am entirely incorrect, I would welcome the contrary view.

But in any event, in her interview with the band, Ms. Brownstein had the following to say: “Yes, the Internet obviously foments a lot of buzz and chatter,” she said, “but there’s nothing more exciting than having a friend tell you that they saw a great show by a great band and that you should check it out. So hopefully by the time you’re on your 10th show, every single person that wants to see you will see you and go back to their towns across America and the world and preach about Surfer Blood. That’s the only way to keep a band on
your radar.”

“The blogs,” she added, “will already be on to something new.”

There is definitely something to be said for the primacy of the live show- and it has been famously proclaimed that due to the draconian business practices of many in the music industry that the only true source of income for artists lies in their ability to play live.For those of us, however, banished to the outer reaches of the world, there is only the music to rely on. I would love to see any number of bands' shows, even if physical realities
preclude this.

But the sentiment is true. There is nothing better than being introduced to a new artist through experience, even if this is only through an enthusiastic friend. In the dry realm of the blogosphere, too many people are pompously informed, airing views too readily garnered from those more "influential", and everything can just become stale. The consumerist tendencies of our time are also forefronted, and as Ms. Brownstein says- too often people have already moved on to the next big thing. As, ironically, said by (more commonly known as
Seth from the OC), being an indie rocker these days is tough, and you just are forced to do something different to distinguish yourself from the crowd.

But I often wonder to what extent, in this fickle world, that artists are promoted as too much of a gimmick- thrust into the limelight far too quickly, and then tossed aside at almost at the same time. This fame goes both ways- its unfair on the many fans, who just don't have a chance to properly evaluate what they are hearing (why do that? There are plenty of far better informed people to do that for you!) before the next thing is already in front of you, and like a child in a sugar induced fit of ADHD, our attention is lost. But on the other side, the bands also sit, having never been given a chance. The world is buzzing, often, before they even realise it, and they have scant chance to understand why. For many bands, the idea of just being one hit wonders is horribly depressing- and one can certainly understand why. At the same time, they are left to try and crest the wave, and give themselves a crash course in all those things they are meant to know, but cannot,
unless you are actually living in the music world.

In other words, the problem lies in the fact that there is just so much out there at the moment, that for many, it is an impossibly daunting exercise on where to find stuff. There is just so much vying for one's attention that it can be quite overwhelming. And this goes equally for the bands, as they face the prospect of entering this morass, and trying to figure out where they fit into this PR exercise.

This is the reality, and it becomes a question on how to overcome this. I am not one who decries Pitchfork, nor do I agree with many of the more barbed comments made in regard to it. I almost always tell people looking to get into the world to start there, but I also tell them to keep a sense of what it is they are looking for. Read the reviews, rather than look at the rating given, and see if there is something you think you might like. Not whether this is a "9.2" and a must-have. It might well be, but the thing is to find that out for yourself. It is a guide, not a moral code.

But I do continue to fret over the concentration span of many- I shall not reair my views on this- but at the same time, it is truly fantastic to see how many artists are getting an opportunity today. Sure, in a market as wildly rampant as the present, it is extremely tough to get noticed. And yet, there is a sense of the broom cupboard being aired, as the exclusivity of indie music is removed from the cloistered scenes of those in the know. The information is readily (and easily) available for those that are interested.

I suppose my point is really this. For all the hype and plastic superficiality of many of the blogs, the fans (and some are writing excellent blogs) are still out there who will love an artist just for their music, and want to support them as much as they are able to. I shall never forget the loathing with which those of us following the indie scene regarded the hipsters that would always show face at only the coolest of parties. They knew nothing of the music, only that they were obliged to be seen there. It is possible that it is this manifestation that has driven many in the indie scene slightly underground, to hide their music, rather than display it as a brand and invite the possibility of the hipster accusation (I leave aside the inherent outsider aspects of indie music lovers- the need many of us feel for some sort of private connection to the music we love).

There is a whole other scene beyond that of the blogs and the music press. The fans do still trade music, largely unimpeded by the whims of the world, and recommend things close to their heart for their own reasons. Of course, getting on the radar does present its own problems, but the bands should not for a second think that the fans are as fickle as the blogs are often portrayed as. I, for one, don't think the album is a dead art-form yet, and as there are only so many hours in a day, many are listening. Not skipping stones on the surface, like a child faced with a plethora of buttons to press.