#re: the national - bryce dessner is (was?) also very involved in a subset of new classical music around this time

[caroloftheshells]

Re: indie rock/indie folk, which I cannot meaningfully distinguish between because I attended SUNY Purchase: Jenny Owen Youngs, Kiss Kiss, Langhorne Slim, Regina Spector, Joanna Newsom, and O’Death come to mind on the “folkier” end. On the “rockier” end: The National, Arcade Fire, Waxahatchee, Japanese Breakfast, Vampire Weekend. I enjoy a handful of records from a handful of these bands/artists and openly disdain others but for the most part characterize the “indie rock” that I prefer to listen to — louder, dumber, angrier, hornier — as “alternative rock.” I wouldn’t classify myself as a hater but I regard the labels with admittedly ungenerous suspicion.

As for indie classical: uhhh Max Richter? Jack Treese?? Zero real reference point here for what that means. I asked my husband and he went, “…like NPR shit?” LOL

this is super interesting! thanks for sharing!

i definitely find myself distinguishing between "indie" and "alt" as signifiers (both supposedly shorthand for "non mainstream") along the lines of "how obvious is the guitar distortion," which seems super specific and/or arbitrary but then so are many learned associations and it's interesting that this one is shared. i also feel like the music i associate with the terms in my op generally does not "do" anger in the way mainstream or even "alt" rock does anger as a primary or comfort-zone subject matter / affect, like you mentioned. this may also just be the word "indie" having a diminutive feel; idk; but it's interesting to note

"npr shit" is also evocative, lol. max richter absolutely checks the boxes of "classical crossover" and "new music" for me while somehow not being on my radar of what those things connote which is interesting! same deal with ólafur arnalds for example. for me "indie classical" brings to mind discourses on artists that are “rockier” & more bang on a can-ish, ie more self-consciously "not easy listening," but that's strictly from a u.s. perspective too and my own perception of it is maybe more about self-marketing than sound anyway. thanks!