(ANNA TURNER | The Miami Student)
In 2009, indie rock was dominated by the recurrence of a trend: indie rock bands going "pop."
Bands like Animal Collective and JJ fused pop vocals with synth overlays to create a sound that would be mirrored by many and A Sunny Day In Glasgow released Ashes Grammar, an album that was praised by Pitchfork as a pinnacle of the dream-pop sound. Of course, trends don't die easy.
There are some huge releases from indie-rock bands on the horizon for 2010. Jonsi, the front-man of Sigur Ros, is releasing his first solo album, and if the single is any indication, it will be an album full of the kind of spacey art-rock we've come to expect from Sigur Ros — in English!
No longer on the "horizon," JJ's 3rd album, JJ n3, furthers the electronic ridden atmosphere and ambiguous vocals of their first two releases. Songs like "My Life" bring the band to a much closer and more intimate setting than the previous two allowed.
Furthermore, they've brought the vocals to the forefront making the songs much catchier and poppier than the debut. The free track floating around titled "My Way" furthers their Weezy affixation by stripping his verse from a Trina track and making it their own.
How about High Places? Their take on female-fronted eclectic pop will surely win them a few fans, and from what I've heard of their release this year, I'll be surprised if they don't catch the eye of the blogosphere. Single track "On Giving Up" has the well-endowed vocalist singing over dark background noise before the song takes a turn for the spacey as it closes with reverbed vocals and sparse percussion.
Surely to be a front runner again this year, Animal Collective has plans to release another album in 2010. It may be a while off, but it will be worth it for that first gasp when you hear whatever single they release. If it's anything like "What Do I Want, Sky?" this album will help solidify them as one of the better bands releasing eclectic pop music of recent years — if 2009's Meriwether Post Pavilion didn't already.
Woodpigeon released Die Stadt Muzikanten in early January, and anyone that caught their whimsical 2008 Treasure Library Canada knows this band has what it takes to write swooning pop-hooks like the ones present on Love in the Time of Hopscotch. This album presents a much more stripped down and raw sound than their 2008 album and Woodpigeon, of course, tackles their new sound in the utmost elegance.
The songs have a rustic, antique sound to them that few bands can really channel in this day and age. Intricate yet intimate, this album has a charm that only Woodpigeon is capable of producing.
If 2009's offerings were any indication, 2010 is going to be a huge year for the indie-rock underground. Sites like Pitchfork Media will be on the rise, and bands like Phoenix that no one knows about will end up in the spotlight.
Enjoy what you're reading?
Signup for our newsletter
I'm definitely not complaining. The releases I've heard from 2010 are looking great. We're only a month in, but with some of the releases headed our way, I think it's best to start the buzz now.
Read More
How one professor and her classes are preserving Oxford’s Black history
By Sean Scott | March 20, 2024Jazma Sutton, an assistant professor of history, teaches The Black Midwest (HST 350Q) and Black Women in America (HST 450D) classes. In both courses, she has students working with the Smith Library of Regional History and Miami’s archives to document and preserve Black history in Oxford.
Miami faculty members recount Freedom Summer in new documentary
By Luke Macy | February 25, 2022After seven years of work, “Training for Freedom,” a documentary highlighting Oxford’s involvement in the Freedom Summer of 1964, premiered on PBS Western Reserve on Valentine’s Day.
“Documenting the COVID-19 Pandemic”: History in the making
By Alice Momany | August 29, 2021In March 2020, Miami University’s archives launched “Documenting the COVID-19 Pandemic,” a collection focused on life during the COVID-19 pandemic.