The Earlies...

I'm a bit late getting on this bandwagon (pun intended) but better late than never and at least it's not a post about CYHSY or Bell Orchestre or any other organically hyped indie band. It's not that I have anything against the current indie rock promo methodology given that I'm a part of it, but I do believe that there is so a thing as over hype. An excellent article by Alex Bemis in the LA Times argues that bands like Arcade Fire and Clap Your Hands can't get over hyped because they're not being marketed. In the olden days (remember paper cups with strings?) hype was created and sold. It was a commodity manufactured by publicists and music labels and was always in danger of imploding. If a band didn't live up to the hype or the music listening community found the hype to be false or unwelcome in the scene, well, so long. Now adays hype is "organic" in the for instances of Arcade Fire, CYHSY and Broken Social Scene. The love of these bands goes bottom up not top down and because of that we just love them more. I suppose the real test will be follow up records. We've already seen the new BSS record get a fraction of the love that We Forgot It In People did. It will be interesting to see how subsequent releases by buzz bands get treated. At the very least I imagine they'll find a small place in our hearts. But remember all "hot' bands eventuallly get overtaken by new hot bands, new generations discover their own hype and so the circle is completed.

Anyway, how'd I get on that tangent? Oh yeah, The Earlies. A band I'm late in praising. I've been listening to These Were The Earlies a good bit lately. I've been having the hardest time geting my ears around what they're trying to do, electronica? Indie Rock? Laptop squibbling? Then it clicked the other day. They're uniquely adept at producing melodic electronic tinged kitchen sink rock. There's everything in there, kno wut ah meen? It's a really strong record, but then again I kinda think that Secretly Candian does very little wrong.

1 song from These Were The Earlies:

Morning Wonder

Have a good weekend.