Project MUSE - An Academic Resource for Life On Cassette

Building a clubhouse without reading the instructions seems silly to me. Painting a picture without the proper paint almost seems like a waste. So why would I write music without researching the methodology of the genre I am trying to accomplish?

Project MUSE: A Guide to Essential American Indie Rock (1980 - 2005) is authored by Vincent J. Novora and Stephen Henry. It begins at the start of the genre in 1980 and follows it's evolution to 2005. According to Project Muse, the indie rock genre, as a result of artists seeking independence from mainstream expectations, has developed a unique, distinct sound as well as influenced sub-genres.

Artists such as Bee Thousand, R.E.M., and Soul Asylum are examples discussed in the diversity that separates yet unifies, and defines the indie rock genre. Each artist discussed is used to explain unique sounds and styles found within indie rock; the authors even get as specific as to name albums that best describe the style being analyzed. "Guided by Voices" by Bee Thousand is used as an example to represent the “lo-fi” movement.

What surprised me in this book was the idea that indie rock is analyzed as having "the careful balancing of pop accessibility with noise, playfulness in manipulating pop music formula, sensitive lyrics masked by tonal abrasiveness and ironic posturing, a concern with “authenticity,” and the cultivation of a “regular guy” (or girl) image."

Overall, this book helps those who are interested in the genre understand the very roots of the genre as well as the way it has formed over a course of 25 years. It analyzes the styles of specific albums, artists, and music alike.

By reading and researching this book, I hope to get a better understanding of the genre. In doing so, I will be able to accurately write in the style of the genre.