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IGN has a good list of indie rock releases that should have gotten more recognition when they were first released. Here’s what they said about my favorite of the list, Hum’s Downward Is Heavenward:
Despite all of the guitar histrionics, Hum always had gorgeous melodies and top-shelf songwriting just beneath the surface. A song like “If You Are to Bloom” foreshadowed the amplifier crunch and honeyed vocal line recipe current acts like Brand New and Moneen use so frequently.
Written by Jay DiNitto
good list!
“How it feels” is definitely NOT the essential SDRE record.
Good call on Quicksand. I was much more of fan of “Slip” though.
Kudos on Kyuss as well.
j - Yeah, I’m wondering why it wasn’t Diary.
I think I misread the article’s intent. It’s more about the bands than crucial releases. It would’ve helped if I read the title. The blog gods heap woe upon me.
i contend that how it feels to be something on is better than diary. but i also liked you’d prefer an astronaut more than downward is heavenward. but i have to say good call on water and solutions, that record is amazing.
cool article. I agree with Jay: Diary should have been the one listed for SDRE, but “How it Feels…” is quite good too. I also love that Texas is the Reason made the list.
i would personally pick “rising tide” before i picked how it feels, but “diary” is def the essential.
there are 2 main types of SDRE fans-
1. lovers of “How it Feels” & “Pink”
2. lovers of “Diary” & “Rising Tide”
Of course I know this isn’t always true, but I’ve found myself in this debate with lots of friends over the years. I’m def in the #2 category.
Edward, we’re definitely on a different page because “you’d prefer” was good…but come on. better than “downward”???!?!?!?!? really???? i respect your preference, but wow.
Great, great list.
Although I don’t think they’re nearly as good as Hum, SDRE, Far, etc., it was cool to see an old personal fave of mine in The Stereo on the list.
Christie Front Drive deserved way more respect than they got.
I’m surprised that I own five of the ten albums on this list. I’m even more surprised that Christie Front Drive was on there. This is all surprise in a good way.
Also, according to j, I’m a Type 2 SDRE fan.
i own every album on the list.
catherine wheel has been one of my favorite bands for years now.
hum, quicksand, sdre, far, titr…soo much good music that is overlooked.
may i have a buzzgrinder tshirt for owning all of the records on the list? thanks seth.
wait, i own all the cds on the list too. do i get a free shirt?
All of these records are classics, but i think Far “Water Solutions” to me stands out the most.
I agree Taylor… Perfect timing for this now that Far has gotten back together!
I know what you mean Kevin…boy did i pick a stupid time to move from L.A. to Nashville…i’m bummed.
hopesfall? …what?
out of HUM’s catalog I favor “You’d Prefer an Astronaut,” and also I still cant get enough of The Stereo’s “Three Hundred.”
Far never really impressed me that much and, as blasphemous as it is, I prefer The Fire Theft over Sunny Day Real Estate…
good article. if you’re into those bands, it’s nothing new, but a few surprises - like the stereo and catherine wheel; no one says shit about those two bands anymore.
Piker- hopesfall (pre A-types) cited Hum as a big influence, and you can definitely hear it, especially on Astronaut. I’m pretty sure one of the Hum guys produced their first Trustkill release, too…not sure.
I don’t think there would be so many melodic metalcore bands if it weren’t for that hopesfall EP/Hum.
Actually, post A-types .hopesfall. cited HUM as huge influence of theirs, as well. Their second vocalist (who’s name escapes me) was always talking about them being his favorite band. No Wings to Speak of and Satellite Years are incredible, the rest I could do without, although I do listen to Frailty of Words every once in a while.
hopesfall sucked and so did the legion of boring sing/scream bands they inspired
J - You separate SDRE fans like that? Pink + HIFTSO vs. Diary + Rising Tide? Really? That’s interesting, I’ve never heard of that. From my experience, it always seems to be Diary + Pink vs. How it Feels and Rising Tide, seeing as those are the two different eras of the band in sound. It’s like once they broke up and then got back together without Nate Mendel, this switch went off and they decided to start experimenting.
I personally am a fan of all their records, and How it Feels is my favorite of theirs, but I’ve never heard of any of their albums aside from “Diary” being influential really in any way. It’s totally interesting that this writer chose “How it Feels.” Huh.
This writer also nailed it about Hum. When I was younger of course I was obsessed with the guitars but over the past year or two I realized that the vocal melodies are amazing. And what a kickass drummer!
Jamison- true about hopesfall. I meant that the Hum influence was greater on their first album, EP, and Satellite Years…at least that’s how it seemed to me.
I own 5 of the 10 albums, so do I get a half-a-shirt? If you split front from back, I want the front part with the logo. Left to right, I would like the right or “ZZ over DER” side.
I have had alot of people who I musically respect tell me I would love the band Far, but never heard anything by them. What else do they have? Were the members in any other bands? ….anyone?
“How It Feels…” is definitely a far superior album to “Diary,” but “Diary” is certainly more “influential.”
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