Top Indie Rock Albums (1-25) Pt. 2

No rambling, no explaining, no extended descriptions of what Indie music is, here are my choices for the top 25 best Indie albums EVER…

1. “Fever To Tell” by Yeah Yeah Yeahs. It’s hard to pick between the art-rock noise of Yeah Yeahs Yeahs and the smooth subtle hooks of Metric, but I’ve decided since I’m not a fan of “Hustle Rose” or “Calculation Theme” on Metric’s “Old World Underground, Where Are You Now?” I must go with this brilliant CD released in 2003. Karen O’s addictive wail and bizarre yet provocative lyrics will put you in a trance and have you playing this raucous album on repeat, and repeat, and repeat again. Key tracks include, well, all of them. Some favorites are “Date With The Night,” “Black Tongue” and the most overrated and slowest song on the CD, the still astonishing and bewitching, “Maps.” The only reason I say this about “Maps,” is that it is one of the biggest misrepresentations of a band. It was only strange that a single that was released and played across all music mediums was the single that happened to be the band’s slowest song. This CD is not slow and thoughtful. It is loud and fragmented and crazier than Courtney Love and Tila Tequila combined. The songs blend together one after another as well as Green Day’s “Dookie.” If you have any dislike for this CD, it’d better be because your eardrums are blown from already listening to it thousands of times, otherwise you’re a lost cause and probably need to be kicked in the ribs.

2. “Old World Underground, Where Are You Now?” by Metric. The best Canadian band, the best Metric CD, the most innovative female voice in Indie Rock, all in one. Emily Haines is the voice of our generation that not enough people know about. Haines is the potential leader of a whole new wave of patient, innovative, mature young minds. No more Daughtry, no more Nickleback. She is the answer, the sword in the eye of Emo and all other feminine rocker-guys, not because she’s brazen and nuts, because she’s smart. She has something to say, and it isn’t a boring cliche message of an unachievable hope, it’s an observational realism that can be universally admired. She is notably wise, and a luminous gem in the Indie community. “Old World Underground, Where Are You Now?” reads like a best of Metric CD. Featuring beautifully fast-paced and ingenious spot-on songs like “Combat Baby,” Dead Disco,” “Wet Blanket,” “The List” and “Succexy.”

3. “Hot Fuss” by The Killers. Awww yes once upon a time a man named Brandon Flowers dropped juicy Indie rock melodies into our hearts then turned into a giant bag of arrogant snot, making one other good CD and then a horrible vomit festival of an album called “Day & Age.” The Killers can no longer be described as an Indie band, but at the time of this CD, they were one. Key tracks are the epic dance hit “Somebody Told Me,” “Jenny Was a Friend of Mine” and the equally dancey “Mr. Brightside” which I jokingly refer to as “Mr. Buttslide.”

4. “Elephant” by The White Stripes. The pink elephant that is NOT in the room, is always the White Stripes. You can’t help but notice them, critics love them, including me, though I’m hardly that sort of “critic.” I do find that they are best listened to in the background, and I mean that in the best way possible. Some of their songs are bizarre and contain strange noises that bang into my ears like a bag full of tin cans. Somehow it all works out for the best. Key tracks from the translucently pale duo include “Seven Nation Army,” “In The Cold Cold Night” and “The Hardest Button To Button.”

5. “What’s The Time Mr. Wolf?” by Noisettes. This CD may not be a “classic” to the general music listening public, but for me it is a classic addition to my music collection that I will never get tired of hearing. As a music- obsessed girl with partial ADHD, I find myself constantly looking for new things and new sounds. This is it. These Brits miraculously mix garage-rock with soul. The album is never boring, though it slows down in some parts. “Sister Rosetta” is a wild, fast ride that quickly blends into the more thoughtful “Bridge To Canada” which then leads you into the even more lovely “IWE.” Key Tracks are “Don’t Give Up,” “Scratch Your Name” and “Sister Rosetta (Capture the Spirit).”

6. “Either/Or” by Elliot Smith. Deceased ex-Heatmiser singer’s CD “Either/Or” was his best work. This album features Smith’s usual whispery vocals with equally quiet guitar melodies and poignant, depressing lyrics. It might sound a little hard to take in, but at a certain moment in your life this could be the perfect CD to relax to, or just to feel to. You need not know depression to feel what Elliot Smith was feeling when he wrote his songs. He conveys that mood very well, and he will put you in a trance. If you aren’t into the slow sad vibe of Elliot Smith’s solo work please by all means check out any CD by Heatmiser, Smith’s former much much more rock-oriented band. Key tracks are a song Metric once covered, “Between The Bars,” “Angeles” and the Portland-inspired “Alameda.”

7. “Midnight Boom” by The Kills. Pushing the boundaries of sound itself, comes a man, his guitar, a drum machine and a raven-haired woman. Their dangerously loud bluesy rock sound will burn a hole through your cranium. It feels like stain in your ears, then maybe a rusty nail almost hitting your face. ALMOST, but you’re safe. Alison Mosshart is one of the hottest women in rock who can actually belt it out right next to the best of ‘em. Key tracks are “U.R.A. Fever,” “Sour Cherry” and “Cheap and Cheerful.”

8. “Plans” by Death Cab For Cutie. “If heaven and hell decide, that they both are satisfied, illuminate the no’s on their vacancy signs,” is a lyric that stands out to me on this album. But it’s only one of many heartfelt lyrics written by this sensational group based in Seattle. Ben Gibbard’s light angelic voice is a staple of Indie Rock music, along with Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse. Ben Gibbard, you have my blessing and respect, as you managed to reel in fellow Indie darling Zooey Deschanel. This is their best overall album, though many might disagree. Key tracks include “Crooked Teeth,” “I Will Follow You Into The Dark” and “Soul Meets Body.”

9. “Swoon” by Silversun Pickups. Okay, so there are many male lead singers who sound as if either their balls never dropped properly, or as if their balls are constantly being restrained and/or tugged on vigorously. Claudio Sanchez of Coheed and Cambria is one of these people, along with Mat Devine of Kill Hannah. The other is Brian Aubert, lead singer for Silversun Pickups. I want to publicly thank the person who is responsible for restraining Brian Aubert’s balls, because he sounds amazing this way. I’ve come to realize I quite appreciate a womanly sounding male singer. “Swoon” is a delight of a CD, each time I listen to it I hear something new. It’s full of sounds, clear guitars and even a nice violin here and there. Key tracks are “The Royal We,” “Panic Switch” and “There’s No Secrets This Year.”

10. “Sainthood” by Tegan & Sara. This is the most recent CD from Canada’s only recognizable twin lesbian Indie sensations. Every song is high quality, and worth multiple listens. Two CDs of theirs that didn’t make it to this list are “So Jealous” and “If It Was You,” simply because of a few lame tracks here and there. “Sainthood” is an album that cannot make this claim. Each song is dazzling and memorable. Though, they are an acquired sound, or maybe one that to some, can never be acquired. Like Laura Marling, Elliot Smith and The Decemberists, Tegan and Sara can be classified mostly as Folk. So if you’re not into folk-influenced stuff don’t bother. Key tracks are “Don’t Rush,” “Hell” and “On Directing.”

11. “Cansei De Ser Sexy” by CSS. Freaky beats from Brazilian masterminds. This CD is unclassifiable, though it’s mostly Electronic, it often appears in Indie rock lists of sorts, so I must include it here. Their first CD is one of my favorites on this list with the imagery of dwarfy singer Lovefoxxx bouncing around in her multi-colored bodysuits popping into my mind. They put on a hell of a show. I actually won tickets to see them. I had to write why I deserved to win the tickets. I told the true story of how the last time I’d seen them the speakers at the bar they were playing at went out during my favorite song. Then I threw in some witty quips and managed to win basically because everyone else who entered the contest seemed completely challenged. They mostly wrote, “I desserve to go becuz i want 2 dance hard.” Key tracks are “Meeting Paris Hilton,” “Music is My Hot, Hot Sex” and the song I love that I didn’t get to hear at the bar, “Alala.”

12. “Good News For People Who Love Bad News” By Modest Mouse. On the track “Black Cadillacs,” Isaac Brock sings, “And we were done, done, done with all the fuck, fuck, fucking around.” Yes well, they aren’t a band who fucks around, ever. This 2004 album is full of upbeat songs including Modest Mouse’s most recognizable song in their whole discography, “Float On.” Best songs are “Float On,” “Black Cadillacs” and “The World At Large.”

13. “Fantasies” by Metric. Metric’s most recent CD is their most synth-happy CD to date. It features their usual commentaries on society in an easy to swallow format. Key Tracks are “Gimmie Sympathy,” “Satellite Mind” and “Gold Guns Girls.”

14.  “Picaresque” by The Decemberists. The Decemberists don’t seem like they belong in this era. Their songs are time capsules of a time when pirates weren’t just prevalent off the coast of Somalia. Their shows seem more personal than the harsh trends of the usual bands of today. When lead singer Colin Meloy does talk he’s humble and soft-spoken. No pyrotechnics, but plenty of unusual instruments. This CD, “Picaresque” may sport song titles like “The Bagman’s Gambit” and “Eli,The Barrow Boy” but it’s largely their least quiet, most present CD. Key tracks are “The Infanta,” “Los Angeles, I’m Yours” and “We Both Go Down Together.”

15. “Alas I Cannot Swim” by Laura Marling. Indie-Folk goddess/muse/genius/darling/youth Laura Marling deserves all the recognition she can get. This whole CD is packed to the brim with melodies that are the closest to perfection you might hear. The song “My Manic And I” is especially haunting with hardened lyrics like, “The ring on my finger slips to the ground. A gift to the gutter, a gift to the city the veins of which have broken me down.” She sings this line with the conviction and pain of an 80 year-old armless woman who just got out of jail. Along with Marling’s voice, which is a rare style you don’t often hear, clear and bold, she’s lyrically poetic on songs like “My Manic and I,” “New Romantic” and the classic “Cross Your Fingers.”

16. “Show Your Bones” by Yeah Yeah Yeahs. I had high expectations for Show Your Bones, too high it turns out. My new attitude for most everything, such as movies, people, books and sometime music, is to have low expectations. Now, most would say that I lack confidence, but at least I’m not disappointed all the time, or disillusioned with arrogance and false ideas. So, in 2006, I felt like I’d waited forever to hear a Sophomore effort from this three-piece band. When I finally heard the single “Gold Lion,” on the radio, I liked it, but it was a bit of a stretch from the bands rambunctious debut. It only took me a week or so to realize this was actually a really good CD. Maybe not as good as “Fever To Tell.” But this CD incidentally, is better than their newest material, “It’s Blitz.” At this rate Yeah Yeah Yeahs will keep making great CDs that are just slightly less amazing every three years. Best tracks from this album are “Honeybear,” “Phenomena,” and “Cheated Hearts.”

17.  “Civilian” by Boy Kill Boy. Lead singer Chris Peck is a British Brandon Flowers, only less cocky, more ballsy, maybe. This CD didn’t receive a ton of airplay in the States besides “Suzie,” but it’s actually one of the top 30 best CD’s ever in general, not just in the Indie field. I try to go for overall album quality with this list, and this CD delivers the goods 100 percent. Key songs are “Killer,” “Civil Sin,” and “On and On.”

18.  “Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not” by Arctic Monkeys. Oh the sweet calming sound of a British accent. I love when it’s obvious and unavoidable, and kind of uncaring, just a guy basically talking. This CD is soothing to me. Some might not describe Alex Turner’s crackling voice in this way, but I don’t care. I’m certainly not the only person who highly regards The Arctic Monkeys. This CD was the fastest selling debut in British music history. It even surpassed those overbearing tools, Oasis. Key tracks are “I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor,” “Fake Tales From San Francisco” and “A Certain Romance.”

19. “Franz Ferdinand” by Franz Ferdinand. Simple, to the point and smug, these British/Scottish lads make fun-loving music reminiscent of a better time. That better time being the years 2004-2005 when some of the best indie albums were released. Such as “Hot Fuss” by The Killers, “Employment” by Kaiser Chiefs, “Silent Alarm” by Bloc Party and Metric’s “Live It Out.” Key songs on this Franz Ferdinand spectacular are “Take Me Out,” “This Fire,” and “The Dark Of The Matinee.”

20. “Snakehouse” by The Cliks. This is a band who was featured on the infamous show “The L Word.” The lead singer is a trans-gender, woman to man, named Lucas. The other members are lesbians. The name comes from a combination of the words “dick” and “clit.” This is not what makes the band interesting. What makes them interesting isn’t any sort of association with the queer community, as their music doesn’t reflect a clear message in those regards. The noticeable thing is that Lucas Silveira is an amazing singer and “Snakehouse” is actually really just a straight up excellent rock CD. Along with this CD I also recommend you check Silveira’s Youtube cover videos. Lucas takes requests from fans and whichever song gets the most requests, Silveira covers. So, not surprisingly there are two covers of not only Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face,” but also “Bad Romance.” You may not have heard of them, but Tegan and Sara are fans as well as Margaret Cho and even Paris Hilton has been Twittering Lucas expressing her hatred for homophobia. Key songs are “Oh Yeah,” “Complicated” and “Back In Style.”

21.”Get Behind Me Satan” by The White Stripes. Like the single “Seven Nation Army” and even “Icky Thump,” this CD’s first single “Blue Orchid” follows a certain formula. Raw drums and a unmistakably bluesy guitar, emitting a sound like there’s at least 4 people in the band. We all know that Meg White and Jack White, who once urged the press to believe that they were a divorced couple, are only two people. Sometimes Jack White seems like he is many people. He plays the guitar like Jamie Hince from The Kills. He sings like he was born to be noticed, to cause a commotion. Born to stir up a massive fan base. Like U2, The White Stripes are loved by many many different types of people, universally. “Get Behind Me Satan” is just another reason why people universally love Jack White, and Meg too. Key tracks are “Blue Orchid,” “My Doorbell” and “The Denial Twist.”

22. “Grow Up And Blow Away” By Metric. Metric’s slowest most unique CD, features mood music and as usual, amazing lyrics. This is a CD to drive to the beach to. To contemplate to. It’s hard picking just three but key tracks are “Hardwire,” “Raw Sugar” and “On The Sly.”

23.  “With Love And Squalor” by We Are Scientists. When “With Love And Squalor” was released We Are Scientists were a virtually unknown band from New York. After their second CD, they’d put themselves on the map with that dance-synth sound that so many bands have taken on, such as The Killers, Boy Kill Boy and even Metric. This CD, their debut, is more rock-driven, and can be compared with Arctic Monkeys or Kaiser Chiefs. Key tracks are “Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt,” “In Action” and “Cash Cow.”

24. “Morningwood” by Morningwood. Morningwood once opened for Kasiabian and The Music at The Crystal Ballroom in Portland. I was lucky enough to be at this show, when no one in Portland cared about Morningwood or seemed to know who they were. Their debut CD was far from being released and they just seemed to be a bunch of misfits with excessive stage props and witty banter. Not to mention their songs were actually really good. I saw them a second time, opening for The Bravery, and lead singer Chantal Claret not only partially stripped a girl onstage but chewed on a banana peel then threw it into the crowd. Guess where it landed? Splat, right on my boyfriend’s forehead. Just so happens, I got out of the way in time, but left him covered in potassium. Key songs on this delight are “Jetsetter,” “New York Girls” and “Body 21.”

25.  “Wild Young Hearts” by Noisettes. The second CD from English band Noisettes is a complete reinvention of the band. A total takeoff from “What’s The Time Mr. Wolf?” The best thing a band can do is recreate themselves, we’ve seen this with Beck and with Yeah Yeah Yeahs and U2. U2’s “Pop” wasn’t taken seriously and neither was Beck’s “Mutations.” I feel like this Noisettes CD is more like Beck’s “Midnight Vultures” but maybe less odd. “Wild Young Hearts” is disco-y, and a homage to the 60’s and 70’s. Key songs are “Never Forget You,” “Don’t Upset The Rhythm” and “Saturday Night.”

About This Writer

Position: Contributing Writer (Features)Location: Lake Oswego, ORBio: I live in Lake Oswego, just a few miles from the famous Indie melting pot of Portland, Oregon. I spend most of my time with my fiance, family and friends. I love playing tennis and watching most sports; excluding golf. I thrive on music and try to go to concerts often. I like to laugh and make others laugh. I'm enthralled with video games, making me somewhat of a nerd. I have three cats and don't mind being called a crazy cat lady. I love to read. I believe in reincarnation. I sometimes wish I was born in Canada, but I guess Oregon is second best. I blame my love of writing on my mom.Likes: I like every genre of music, the majority of my favorites are rock or indie bands. Some of my favorites are: Metric, Garbage, Sonic Youth, The Kills, Depeche Mode, Tegan & Sara, Nirvana, Lady Gaga, Heatmiser, Gregory Isaacs, Faith No More, The English Beat, Fight Like Apes, Kill Hannah, Five Finger Death Punch, Britney Spears, Suffrajett, The Cliks, Seaweed, Boy Kill Boy, The Sounds, Noisettes, Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Silversun Pickups and Be Your Own Pet.Columns At CWG: The FeaturesTwitter: Twitter.com/halliem03Facebook: Facebook.com/halliem03

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