Indie-Rock Genre Analysis

CW/ISL WK2

The 'Indie-Rock' genre was created in the United Kingdom & United States of America in the 1980's, as genre of alternative rock. The term was used to describe bands who retained an 'outsider' perspective as bands became more mainstream in the 1990's. This is also related to the Indie-Pop genre that developed in 1986.

Many famous indie-rock bands have developed over the years, including Oasis, The Arctic Monkeys and Mumford & Sons. These bands have been highly successful, using their brand and identity to help them sell records. These bands use their alternative, laid-back style to give the genre an identity.

Mumford & Sons used unconventional instruments and performance style in their music video of 'I will Wait', which defines the Indie-Rock genre. In the video, Banjos and  Acoustic Guitars are used, which are perhaps not instruments that people would associate with a popular modern song. Also, the performers are presented in a somewhat 'rough and ready' style - unshaven and wearing open-neck shirts and jeans, which is perhaps not style that people would associate with successful bands. In many ways, this adds to the appeal of the genre for many, as people feel that it allows their core values and beliefs to come through.

Many messages are conveyed in the lyrics of songs in the Indie-Rock genre, and that is highlighted below in the lyrical analysis of Roll with It by Oasis.

Indie-rock bands typically comprise of males, who are often based in either the United States or the United Kingdom.

They represent people who come from 'ordinary' backgrounds, and often choose not to live the lifestyle of artists who have been incredibly successful, in the way that bands such as Take That or One Direction may choose to do.

 

Indie-rock bands often dress in a casual way, which is how many people in their target audience may also choose to dress. This helps them to fit in with their target audience, and also represents their background and history.

 

Members of Indie-Rock bands are often middle aged - usually in their 30's or 40's - meaning they have enough real life experience so that their audience believe in their message. This perhaps means that fans have more respect for the members of indie-rock bands than they would for a younger 'boy band', and this adds to the appeal of the genre.

 

Indie rock bands tend to be fairly 'in' with the current fashions. They always dress in fairly conventional and normal clothing, usually casual, therefore not being completely unique like punk bands or creating their own new fashions like emo and heavy metal bands tend to do. Pop is usually fairly similar to indie rock costume but pop sometimes tends to use extravagant costumes and unique ideas to convey the morale of the song or just generally the artist of the music. For example, Lady Gaga is one pop artist who dresses in a very strange way regardless of her audience or what the lyrics of the song she is singing are. This leads to her having a fairly true identity and being unique within the pop industry.

Indie-rock lyrics always seem to be about life in general, they sometimes talk about things to do with relationships but they can also talk about other more random things like Foster the People do with their song 'Pumped Up Kicks' which basically relates to the life of a young person within society who obviouysly isn't as fortunate as other children that surround him.There are lots of indie-rock bands who sing about more random yet still common ideas like Foals, Empire of the Sun and Passion Pit. Although most indie-rock bands do wear traditionally fairly normal casual clothing, Empire of the Sun are one particular group that do not follow these conventions and in some of their muysic videos, they dress very strangely, especially in their video for 'We are the People'.



The conventions of an indie-rock promo:

- Location - tends to be fairly perfromance-based and if it isn't, it usually relates to the moral of the lyrics or the title of the song, indie-rock bands never really use disjuncture as it just isn't conventional for the genre.
- Costume - is usually quite casual and normal in relation to society's norms.
- Props - band perfomance-related props are used quite often in this genre as it portrays to the audience the atmosphere of a live-perfomance as well as shows off the talents of the band members.
- Camerawork - Lots of movement shots as well as mid-shots that are used effectively to show the band members faces as well as them playing their instruments, again promoting the talents of the band to the audience.
- Editing - Fast-paced editing adds to the atmosphere of the music and maintains the audience interest by using a good variety of shots and effects to 'spice up' the overall promo.

There are 2 different types of CD covers for indie-rock bands and performers.

The first of these is band covers; These generally show the members of the band in a fairly normal environment but in a humorous or traditional manner. For example, the Mumford and Sons 'Sigh No More' album cover shows the 4 members of the band standing in a shop window highlighting that they are a casual band. The album covers also sometimes show the band members in fairly unique or unconventional surroundings. Foals are a good example of this with their album cover for 'Total Life Forever' which portrays the band members in a surreal environment (underwater) and shows their carefree style of music by the fact that they are deep underwater without any equipment or breathing apparatus.

The other types of album cover and magazine advert for indie-rock bands is an abstract view of the band or artist. Yet again, Foals are another good example of this with their album cover for 'Antidotes' which shows a drawing of a man with his mouth agape and a type of stained glass window image held within his mouth.

Also, they tend to be quite colourful so that they stand-out to the audience as well as being quite complex or random which shows a good understanding of the genre as I would describe indie-rock music as being catchy and definitely highlighting a carefree and fast-paced way of life. For example, Empire of the Sun and Foster the People highlight this randomness as well as the colourful abstract type of CD cover.