One time when I was in high school some of my friends were over at my house and my dad started playing this album and telling my friends how great it was. It was one of the most awkward moments of my life. Great record though.

I'll just go ahead and name some and you guys can argue:

Stone Roses
Sugar - File Under Easy Listening
Nirvana - Nevermind
Sonic Youth - Goo
Pixies - Doolittle
Shins - Oh Inverted World
Violent Femmes
Pearl Jam - Ten
R.E.M. - Fables of the Reconstruction
Siouxsie and the Banshees - Superstition
Clinic - Internal Wrangler
Hives - Veni Vidi Vicious
Modest Mouse - Lonesome Crowded West
Interpol - Turn on the Bright Lights

I've gotta remember never to do that. (Not just with this particular album, but any other weird stuff I like.)


Some good noms so far:

Pavement - S & E (or CRCR)
Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation (or Sister)
Pixies - Surfer Rosa (or Doolittle)
VU - VU & Nico (or WLWH or s/t)
Fugazi - 13 Songs
Minutemen - Double Nickels

As for which single one I'd pick, not really sure. VU & Nico is certainly the most prototypical, but Daydream Nation is probably the most fully flourished. I think I probably agree that those are still the two best choices. (And Daydream Nation was not originally released on Geffen, and is legitimately "indie" in every sense.)

I feel like an album by The Fall would be a good inclusion, but I don't know which one. A lot of people might pick This Nation's Saving Grace or Hex Enduction Hour, but I'd pick Grotesque (After the Gramme), The Wonderful and Frightening World Of or maybe even Live at the Witch Trials if we're favoring more foundational, prototypical stuff.

This would be my answer as well

Oh yeah and how come nobody said

Wow, we never knew that.

How do you know what everyone knew

also one could argue for the Shins Oh Inverted World because it (and the single) helped jumpstart the indie song in tv commercials craze that lasted for the rest of the decade. i believe it's one of the contributing factors to making "indie" "popular" here in "2010."

as far as older stuff, just get the Rhino box set Left of the Dial, and then build a time machine, go back to 1990, and get a subscription to CMJ.

also i can't see images at work but hopefuly someone said GBV's Alien Lanes.

They didn't, but I was thinking about that one, too.

Image I posted above is Murmur.

And your argument for that Shins album doesn't really make it essential.

Agreed about the Shins. Sure it's good and popular, but I don't think that many people will be talking about it decades from now like most of the other ones listed.

I mean he makes a good argument for its cultural importance but not for it as essential listening in the genre.

I think two of the great arguments here, is what is "indie" and what is essential?

As with the definition of indie--does it need to be released on an independent label to be considered such? That seems a bit lazy by definition. Some records exhibit groundbreaking sounds that go against the standard definition of rock music.

The R.E.M. nom was a great one. Pavement and Replacements were also great.

What about the Clash or Ramones records? Just throwing those out there as well.

I don't know about The Clash or Ramones (or Sex Pistols, Damned, what have you) that could be considered specifically punk, proto-punk or post-punk. I think a good guideline for finding an essential album that defines indie rock as a genre is to pick something that isn't already considered fundamental in another major genre.

Like what makes indie different from punk? Recommending Ramones as essential to both genres doesn't really help clarify that.

Nice. I think I'll play this today.

This reminded me that I've never heard a single note of Alien Lanes despite owning a half dozen GBV releases.

Now that you mention it, I don't think I've ever heard it either. I've heard random GBV's songs but those never enthused me enough to seek their work. I should probably try and give their masterwork a chance.

great pics Dj.

Meat Puppets II is a solid pick.

Truth, but I see somehow the punk ethics are the cornerstone for indie rock as well. Just keeping the conversation rolling.

This from the guy whose favorite bands are the Zombies and Eels. Please ref. avatar, dummy.

Rads, what would yr picks be?