Being a fan of indie music is incredibly time-consuming. It’s not just that you have to jump on the bandwagon (pun intended) before they gain mainstream notoriety—although that’s certainly a large part of it—it’s also the sheer volume of material you have to wade through to find music you actually enjoy. Indie music fanship requires research. You’ve got to be proactive, and carry a pen in your purse. I can’t tell you how many little slips of paper I’ve got crumpled in the corners of my apartment and floorboard of my car with things like “Grizzly Bear” and “New Stills-Aug 19!!” written on them.
I’ve been stricken useless with an incapacitating cold these past few days, and I’ve had energy for little more than poking at my laptop keyboard. The cold coupled with a week-long network upgrade at work has left me with a lot of free time, which I’ve used to catch up on my quest, namely reading through back issues of Paste and delving through playlist and metacritic.
Here’s what I’ve learned: bearded falsettos, back in a BIG way. Truth is, I really like what I’ve heard of Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes, and the beards and the harmonies seem so perfect this time of year as things get colder. I’ve listened to most of the new TV on the Radio album and it’s getting sort of mixed reviews from me. I love Halfway Home, but Crying sounds like Flight of the Conchords and Dancing Choose is just irritating. I’ll admit, part of my ambivalence towards the album might be the drugs and dulled senses. I made a big pot of soup the other day, and there’s no telling what it actually tastes like. I might have to hold off on cooking and buying music until my health is restored. Speaking of health restoration (last fever-induced tangent, I swear.), I’d kill for a crpg and the harddrive space to play it right now. For me, computer games go right along with chicken soup and kleenex when I’m laid out with a cold.
ANYWAY, here’s the list I’m crumpling these days:
TV on the Radio – Dear Science
Of Montreal – Skeletal Lamping
The Stills – Oceans Will Rise
Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes
Bon Iver – For Emma, Forever Ago
Liam Finn – I’ll Be Lightning
Islands – Arm’s Way