It
sure can get confusing these days, what with every other indie band tossing
keyboards, computer-generated blips and beeps, or Fall phrasing into their
mixes. Whatever happened to the days when indie rock was just a bunch
of dissonant squalls of guitar noise, topped with pained, unintelligible
vocals? Oh that's right, the majors bought it all up and called it emo.
Never mind.
So anyway, in our continuing effort to help you figure out which band
is which, we've used extensive mathematical modeling to align each indie
band with their postpunk (or occasionally new wave) forebears. Use these
conversions to plot future career arcs. Because those who fail to learn
from history, well, you know. Or maybe you don't. Regardless, in no particular
order...
| Indie
Band |
Conversion
Factors |
Post-punk
result |
|
"Hi,
I'm Robert Smith. You may remember me from such bands as the
Cure. Let's go have a pint!"
Bright Eyes = The Cure |
The Cure |
|
"No
way, man, that's totally me. Have you ever heard 'The Recluse'
back-to-back with 'Lullaby'? Maybe you should."
Cursive = The Cure |
The Cure
|
|
|
"Yeah,
well, channelling is one thing,
but who do you think I got to guest on keyboards and lead vocals
when I recorded 'Lover I Don't Have to Love,' eh?
That's right, good ol' Uncle Bobby.
Checkmate, Tim!"
Bright Eyes = The Cure |
The Cure |
|
|
Ah
yes, the energetic chugging of keyboard-driven party music. Melodically
barked vocals. An alliterative, internal-rhyming name. Best of
all, radio airplay! It might be, it could be, it is...
Hot Hot Heat = Oingo Boingo
Note: There's
nothing wrong with popularity, Steve, and it can lead to a fine career
in movie and TV scores. |
Oingo Boingo |
|
|
The
Strokes =
Duran Duran
Hair first, music later. You so know
it's true. (Okay, technically, they're not indie, but then
neither are the Strokes). |
Duran Duran |
|
|
Hmm,
this one's a toughie. The closest parallel is Lou Barlow ditching
Sebadoh to achieve radio success as The Folk Implosion, but that's
about fifteen years too late (and ignores Jimmy Tamborello's
contributions). So we'll go with Gary Numan, whose "Cars" drove
electronic music into the U.S.
the first time around.
The Postal Service = Gary Numan |
Gary Numan |
|
|
From
the album covers, to the '60s pop-influenced music, to the twee
vocals, to the lyrics, to the cult followings, this one's pretty
bloody
obvious.
Belle and Sebastian
= The Smiths
(Not that there's anything wrong with that). |
The Smiths |
|
|
While
the result is rather obvious, this one was more of a split decision.
Obviously, if you've heard the music,
Interpol
= Joy Division
But the NYC guys have moved far more units
than the Mancunians ever did, at least
while Ian Curtis was alive.
So we thought, given the similarity in names, The Police might
be a better fit. But they don't sound much alike, and we don't
see Paul Banks doing Jaguar ads in 20 years. Wait, yes we do.
Eh, screw it. |
Joy Division |
|
|
The Faint =
Soft Cell
Yeah, you'd think we'd pick Vince Clarke-era
Depeche Mode here, and true, the comparison is apt. But while
songs like "Agenda Suicide" show the Omaha boys
have the politics down, trying to corner the currently-defunct
market on electronic
dance music has it limits. (Plus, we also had to mark
them down for supporting PETA). |
Soft Cell |
|
|
It
would be fashionable to go with the easy Sonic Youth comparison
here and be done with it. And while Trail do experiment, their
punk-rooted songs and their live shows are the focus, and not
so much the noise. So we'll go with the initially hardcore Minneapolis
unit whose songwriting
gradually
carried
them into the mainstream.
...And
You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead =
Husker Du
|
Husker Du |
|
|
Hangs
out with influential local scenesters? Check.
Has a catchy, producer-driven disco hit? Check.
This one's pretty easy...
The Rapture = Dead Or Alive
|
Dead Or Alive |
|
