I love Daydream Nation, but have always viewed EVOL as the beginning of an essential run of albums from SY, so I have to throw it out there.

Also:
The Fall-Perverted By Language
My Bloody Valentine-Loveless
Cocteau Twins-Vegas

recently reissued!

Also, i know it gets into an intangible realm when you have to use the "i know it when i hear it" phrase, but I do have specific bands in mind when i think of indie rock. if we are using it as an umbrella term to describe all non-mainstream (in both sound and/or presentation/promotion) music, then yes Meat Puppets II and the Ramones would count. But if we're talking about "that indie rock sound," then no, those two albums would not count, because Meat Puppets is alt-country cowpunk and Ramones is punk.

You failed to specify under what conditions Rads needs to make his selection.

Flying Rabbit hates your freedom.

Keep fighting the good fight, Billzebub.

The tarrahrists dun won.

oh no i di nt

Sham Wow, what's your pick(s)?

dumpjack wins

There are none.

seconded

This is true. If, for example, someone is contending that there is a current "indie sound" or style, then I'd like to see it specified. Otherwise, I'm going with my definition of indie, which means independent, which means not on a corporate label, which means not targeted at a large audience.

I'll offer a pick or two when I get back from real life.

essential indie to me - and that probably has a lot to do with when i "came up":

previously mentioned:


for GBV it would most definitely be:


and add:


and finish with a little:

shit, my NP fits for this as well

Indie music is more about the sound rather than the label of the record. In the early 90's when the corporate world hijacked the term alternative into mainstream the term indie was adopted. It became the new alternative. Built To Spill is on Warner Brothers but I don't think you would get any argument from anyone that they are not indie.

i really hate the term "indie"

in my top 50 all time

Firsted

just so i'm understanding this correctly, indie rock began around 1990? or is that when you old fucks discovered your identity?

I'm sure it existed before this time through various other entities, but the Factory Records scene of the late 70's-early 80's and early 80's "College" music scene seem to personify the start of "indie" along with all the various punk labels.
but yeah, I think my overall identity formed in the 90's.

well that wasn't the belligerent response i was hoping for.

I'm not sure I want to get into this, but isn't Indie just the new name that was assigned to Alternative, which replaced Modern in order to move units?

I'm sorry, I haven't started drinking yet for the BCS title game.