The Indie Anthology 82: essential songs

Winter season (well, not so much in Barcelona, but anyway), perfect time of the year to move to sunny California in order to look back to one of the most exciting and influential bands (and records) of the so-called Paisley Underground movement in our Indie Anthology. Guitars, attitude... and a timeless tune!

Song: Tell Me When It's Over 
Artist: The Dream Syndicate 
Year: 1982

Although my favourite group from the Paisley scene might be The Rain Parade (won't be long until one of their songs ends in this section) it's hard not to consider 'The Days Of Wine and Roses' as, arguably, the most accomplished, explosive and enduring record from that period. Edgier and rockier than their Californian peers, The Dream Syndicate were not so obsessed with the sun-soaked psychdelic vibes, but instead were focused in experimenting with energy, distortion and crunching guitars. And there's not a better example of that "make no prisoners" sound than the sonic blast of single 'Tell Me When It's Over', with Karl Precoda's rattling guitar riff sounding almost like a "call to arms", being quickly joined by the rhythmic section of bass player Kendra Smith and dummer Dennis Duck, before Steve Wynn impersonates Lou Reed's vocal delivery, pointing out the obvious Velvet's reference. 'Tell Me When It's Over' is "a song of songs". You can hear the echoes of the past tunes that fuelled its existence, as well as the pieces that, going forward, pushed to create... left of the dial. "That beautiful noise", again...

The Indie Anthology 66: essential songs

The next chapter in our anthology is devoted to a now, again, extincted band that I was lucky enough to see during the last Primavera Sound. And a song devoted to a music legend (loved by this Blog), which unfortunately I'll never be able to see. Find you.... left of the dial!

Song: Alex Chilton
Artist: The Replacements
Year: 1987

Never been more than a very occasional fan of The Replacements. Love 'I Will Dare', 'Color Me Impressed', 'Left of the Dial' and a little bunch of alternative rock bullets. But they'll always have a place in the indie Olympus for me. Because Paul Westerberg and Co. penned the immense ' Alex Chilton', a wonderful homage to the lead singer, songwriter and soul of Big Star (and The Box Tops). 'Alex Chilton', the song, is one of these rare tunes that, no matter the place or situation, gives me goosebumps all over. The combination of the Replacements' trademark biting guitars, melodic lines and living euphoria (several times, very close to chaos) with a lyric that melts personal memories of youth with heartfelt lines on his music hero, still has to be beaten. And I can't even begin with the chorus without getting emotional. Killer.

Children by the million sing for Alex Chilton when he comes 'round
They sing "I'm in love. What's that song?
I'm in love with that song."

Watching The Replacements live playing 'Alex Chilton' past May was memorable. After many years, still in love, of course. I never travel far, without a little Big Star...

The Indie Anthology 65: essential songs

For the next chapter in our anthology we are still under the influence (well, safe guess is that I'll always be) of that "band from Athens, Ga" with mumbled cryptic lyrics and guitar lines from another space and time... But it's a tribute to another underrated music genius: Mr. Mark Mulcahy. College rock, you're gone but you'll never be forgotten...

Song: The Heart is Attached
Artist: Miracle Legion
Year: 1984

Again, it's very easy to know how I got into Miracle Legion back then. Of course I was looking for every other band on the planet with that early 'R.E.M.'s jangly sound, so there's no point on extending myself on these. Instead, allow me to focus on what does it means hearing 'The Backyard' in 2015 and how Mr. Mark Mulcahy songs keeps knocking at my door from time to time, thankfully.

'The Backyard' is one of those records you hear with reverence and some kind of fear, worried by the possibility the magic, the connection with the six tunes have gone because you are now an older, wiser, uninnocent, sadder person. But it never happens. It's a trip to familiar places, from the first guitar line and chord change of Ray Neal. From the title track and Mark delivering the killer line "The world was so big and I was so small", saying everything with so little, to the high-energy of  "Closer to the Wall" to my favourite, 'The Heart Is Attached', with its ups & downs, the bright and gloom altogether, this stories of young & old still ring true through my ears, still go close to my heart.  

Funnily enough, I never got myself into Polaris or Mulcahy's solo work, kind of losing track of his career... until my "other band", The National, delivered an astounding version of 'Ashamed of the Story I Told' in 2009, for the lovely tribute album 'Ciao My Shining Star', warning me there was a lot of music awaiting me to hear. The second coming of Mulcahy in my life. See? Always around...

The Indie Anthology 59: essential songs

A shift from shoegaze today, moving back to our dear, warm, eternal jangle-pop in our anthology. Although this time comes from a quite unusual place, Haledon, New Jersey. Impossible guitars!

Song: Higher Ground
Artist: The Feelies
Year: 1988

I got into The Feelies because of R.E.M., which I don't think it comes as a surprise to anyone. Everything I readed could resemble or recall to the Athens legend it was automatically checked by me, expecting to find more glimpses of that unmatched, glorious beauty & mystery. But to be honest, 'Crazy Rhythms' didn't click with me at first. Glenn Mercer's voice paled in comparison with Stipe's (well, as 99% of voices do, as a matter of fact) and in several tunes, guitars were too repetitive, building up tempos that seemed to develop into tranced-out rock. But then I listened 'Only Life', their third album, and the floodgates opened. Leaded by the immense 'Higher Ground', this is jangle-rock unafraid of going further, with dreamy lead guitars, quietly, confidently thrilling, with Mercer and Million inviting us to listen to their guitar dialogue: chiming riffs, controlled distortion, tension, clarity, pace. Higher grounds, indeed.