Hey folks. Needless to say, we haven't completely kept up with some of the happenings of the indie rock community on this blog. Our shareholders won't be happy. Hah.
Some new bands have signed to some labels. Some bands have broken up.
Basically, I've taken a step back from all this scene stuff and when I look at it from the outside, it appears to be changing a bit. I'm in my second year of college. When I first got into the scene, I was halfway through high school. We've kind of passed the baton, in the sense that the majority of show-goers these days are new high schoolers.
Hardcore shows are less of a sure-thing. They're more hit or miss. 50 kids one night. 200 another. And I've been monitoring other sites news posts, and I can't help but notice that they've been doing the SAME thing for several years. "So and so has posted a new song. They'll be on tour this coming blahblahblah. Their CD will be out blahblah."
I feel like an old man. Talking about how I miss the old days. I'll be honest - 2004 was the best year for music I've ever seen. It brought us Composure, I Am Hollywood, They're Only Chasing Safety, The Need To Feel Alive, No Sir Nihilism Is Not Practical, Catch For Us The Foxes, and so many more quality albums. 2005 was great too with How The Lonely Keep, Son I Loved You At Your Darkest, In Motion...
The point is, at least for me, that can't be topped. The best has come and gone. Who is Search The City? Who is The Becoming? Children 18:3? Corey Crowder? Look, maybe they're good, maybe they've got potential, but here is a FACT:
What makes companies like Starbucks and Apple so appealing? They're more than just companies that create products, they've got magic to their brand name. They've got that special, undefinable substance to their product that makes people pay 4 dollars for a cup of milk. The new Nail bands dont have that. Compared to their previous generation, there's no magic, there's nothing about them that pumps me up for the next album.
This site has spent alot of time, and I like to think has made a small impact, in defending the scene. And I don't think it's completely dead. There have been some standout releases this year. But it's on it's back. I'm sorry that I haven't posted regularly on here, but now you know why. There's no reason to end this blog. Hopefully some peers (AP.net, IVM, The effin NAIL) will see this and it'll make sense. Those of you who want to stick around are more than welcome to. Let's see where this is going. Those of you who are looking for daily posts of who posted what song where: Thank you for your support, but this might not be the place you're looking for.
Thanks for reading this. Hope to talk to you soon.
-Kevin
December 08, 2007
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44 comments:
I agree with you, in a sense, but there are alot more labels out there than The Nail and there is alot of stuff happening that deserves mention.
How about Jon Foreman's stellar new EP??
Or As I Lay Dying getting nominated for a Grammy??
This is such a huge time for the music business and I think there is alot of stuff to be talked about.
But as far as knowing when somebody posted a new song on MySpace or stuff like that, I could go with that so I agree with leaving that stuff out...
I agree with Andy, there is so much better stuff out there besides the new Nail (except for The Glorious Unseen and the three major hardcore bands: Once Nothing, Gwen Stacy, and MCMB.)
I think it might be time to shift focus from the purely "Christian" music industry and take a look at other stuff. The way the industry is now, the "Christian" bands aren't only on "Christian" labels, they are everywhere. In a world where Paramore and This Providence are tearing up the mainstream, "secular" airwaves, I think we'd be putting ourselves in a massive box if we only cover a certain "brand" of music.
But that's just my two cents.
100% agreed with Dan
I can't believe you forgot "The Weak's End" for 2004 and "The Question" for 2005 there, Kevo, haha.
The Fold was also nominated for a Grammy (same one Norma Jean was in 05, and Fair in 06)!
Dood! Brother, Sister.
2006 was a good year.
brother, sister was a sweeeet cd.
also, 2005 brought i call this abandonment by chasing victory.
2006 was the best!!!!!
Needtobreathe - Daylight
MewithoutYou - Brother, Sister
Dalton - Taste The Sky
Mute Math - Mute Math
The Fold - This Too Shall Pass
Sleeping At Last - Keep No Score
The Listening - The Rock 'N' Roll Worship Circus Becomes The Listening
Norma Jean - Redeemer
Underoath - Define The Great Line
Sanctus Real - The Face Of Love
Watashi Wa - Eager Seas
The Lonely Hearts - Paper Tapes
Fair - The Best Worst-Case Scenario
Showbread - Age Of Reptiles
Red Umbrella - Wishing For Boardwalk
Downhere - Wide-Eyed And Mystified
Shawn McDonald - Ripen
Mainstay - Well Meaning Fiction
Edison Glass - A Burn Or A Shiver
Far-Less - Everyone Is Out To Get Us
Leigh Nash - Blue On Blue
Anathallo - Floating World
Leeland - Sound Of Melodies
This Day & Age - The Bell And The Hammer
Nice post. This scene is on it's back. Too much repetition and otherwise bland stuff. Screamo is dated, metalcore is overated, and some other genres are not turning as many heads as once have. We at IVM try to keep people informed of new music from independent artists as much as possible because to be frank, that is the future of music. Labels are scouring for new talent and every "Signed" band has to start somewhere. I'm a few months from being 30 and I've been around long enough to see the formation of The Nail and to watch their bands grow, evolve, and die out. Sure, I miss alot of the old bands but there are some new ones that aren't half bad. I probably listen to more "secular" music than I do "Christian" bands however I believe there is hope being produced by some indie Christian artists that needs to be shared with a hopeless world. We are in the midst of a changing and evolving industry and like it or not, we all have a small part in it. It's our responsibility to make it a better place and to hopefully expose new music to these Record Labels that are looking for something fresh and inspiring. You guys have always done a nice job with your blog/site and I've read it since the old design and enjoy the news. Keep it up and stay inspired.
^ too bad your unsigned bands are fourhundred times as generic as popular bands.
Nice comment, gee thanks. I am sure all of the hard working bands out there appreciate it. Dont you realize that all of your favorite "signed" bands with their big time produced and pro tooled albums started off small and "unsigned"? I always support independent music because I know the struggle these bands are up against.
I've been a longtime of Tooth & Nail they were ahead of their time as Christian Music Labels goes but they're kind of losing it.
Brandon, I'm a big fan of your site. And I'm insanely flattered you'd stop by our measly little blog just to give your opinion.
As for unsigned bands being "Generic" well, how else are you going to be noticed if you don't do what other bands are doing? This isn't necessarily a bad thing, until it gets to the point where the knock-offs are influencing the newcomers.
It scares me that we live in a world where Devil Wears Prada is influenced by Underoath is influenced by Poison the Well.
Fresh blood is what we need. A metalcore band with pop-punk influences. Bring back jazz. DO SOMETHING!!
I know what you mean. Part of it is that everyone is trying to be someone else. Even if they are copying a great band, how many Underoath copycats do we need? How many pop-punk copycats do we need? Also, there's alot more bands than there used to be(who is'nt in some kind of band?!). The sounds become stagnant because there's only so many guitar chords....
If you this blog. Check out Christian Music Rant and Suggestions Weekly @ http://cmras.blospot.com
"there's only so many guitar chords...."
But there are so many inversions and variations of those chords, so many different progressions they can be played in, and in so many different keys, in many different time signatures, with all sorts of various instrumental and vocal accompaniment. To limit music to simply "so many guitar chords" is nothing but an insult to musicianship and creativity.
And there is music and noises people haven't even TRIED yet to put in a rock band.
Like we need a hardcore band with a kazoo section.
I agree with Dan. How about a hardcore band that has a theremin instead of a synth. Or a Hardcore band that has Ambient breakdowns.
Post-rock Post-hardcore.
Explosions in the Sky meets mewithoutYou.
I could go for hours with this.
what kind of genre would you put explosions in the sky into?
i always wondered...
and mewithoutyou already does some of these things youre talking about. granted, theyre not really hardcore as much as they are indie, but aaron plays an accordion and some harmonica.
Explosions is post-rock, or ambient rock, because they use no lyrics in their music.
But Sigur Ros is Post-Rock and they sing.
hahahaha wow, "explosions in the sky is post rock cause they dont sing."
i disagree with sigur ros being post-rock..... i think thats a misnomer for them.
i heart post-rock though. do make say think is one of my favorite bands ever.
Fine Matt you tell me Why isn't Sigur Ros Post-Rock? And give me a better answer than because they sing.
Post-rock.
I think Sigur Ros is more prog. There is some post-rock stuff in there, but for the most part it qualifies as prog.
And Explosions In The Sky is post-rock because they don't sing.
i dont need a reason because i am always right.
seriously though, i don't have a reason... just a matter of opinion.
Matt you sound like my ex-girlfriend.
WHAMMY!
ZING!
i look at certain hardcore bands myspaces and they're like guys in their mid 20's dressing and acting like high-schoolers.
thats just not really gonna cut it anymore.
no one says stuff like that.
correction:
people do say that. its just never taken seriously.
Like what band? Name names!!
for starters, try a plea for purging, gwen stacy. featuring classy beards, ridiculous hoodies, guages, tank tops.
obviously this is just my opinion. you can do what you want.
im just sayin - youre twenty-what?
it looks like the way a high schooler would dress to score fashion points.
im not as fond of sigur ros as i am of explosions and gybe.
gybe blew me away the first time i heard them.
i think the singing kind of takes away from the artistic meaning of their style, personally.
i dont mean to get all artsy and crap, but even though it does start to look kinda awkward once youre past high school/college and youre still wearing it, it is their style. and if their going to make music for a living, its more than their style - its their way of life.
so even though i do agree a little about the age-style thing, i dont really want to rag on it too much.
i agree with everything you just said, jakimus
ya know i agree with you. the fashion IS a petty issue. they're not bankers, they're musicians, and thats fine.
i think an example of a quality hardcore band is ABR. i still think thrill seeker is way above average, and as individuals, theyre pretty fly for some white guys.
Sorry Kev, people aren't going to talk about August Burns Red in the next 20 years. They brought nothing new I'm not saying that they suck but they're unorginal compared other hardcore bands like The Dillinger Escape Plan.
just because explosions in the sky hardly sing doesnt make them post rock.
whoever you are, you are hilarious
OMG I love the new Dillinger record.
I agree, ABR reuses the same breakdown in every song, shoot, even in Carol of The Bells it has THAT SAME BREAKDOWN!!
So they need to revamp or get out of the game. After I go to a show, of course.
why is takingrefuge.com back up?
kevin, you're such a music noob. music has always been like this. stop whining and wait for the next generation of good acts.
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