I have never known the precise difference between indie and non-indie music. There are different schools of thought with alternative definitions. Music pundits define indie music as one that does not cater to popular taste or that which is outside the influence of mainstream culture. I do not refute nor do I agree. The idea here is not of exactness but of subjectivity.

My idea of independent music is sound created with freedom. Free, from what the masses desire, free from the notion to be the next fab-four, free from the hands of major label record producers scouting for the next Nirvana. When Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth used a variety of tunings more radical than nearly anything in rock music, he never had an agenda to please the masses. When Radiohead went for an expansive sound and explored the theme of modern alienation, the band surely did not anticipate acceptance from a wider audience. When Pavement created music using low-fi recording practices such as inexpensive cassette tape recorders, they never were trying to secure a major record label deal.

With this feature, I bring you a list of 10 albums, which have defined indie music for me. Though these may not be representative of the 10 definitive indie albums, they do reflect the core essence of free music.

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1. Radiohead – OK Computer: This album defines the alienated 90s for me. On listening, loads of music on OK Computer is extremely uplifting. However, only when you read the words would you think otherwise. Every song in this album is subtle with undercurrents of alienation and loss. A meticulously created album of musical genius, one you can come back to for pure enchantment. Electronic beats, varying time signatures, and Thom E Yorke’s enigmatic voice fill each of the songs. Stand out tracks include the whispering “Karma Police”, the complex “Paranoid android” and the dreamy “"Exit Music (For a Film)."

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2. Pavement – Slanted and Enchanted: In the year 1992, I happened to live in the northeast and somehow obtained a copy of SPIN magazine’s annual issue (I lived in Shillong and there was a lot of influx of foreign goods and magazines from the borders). Overcome by the idea of grunge, I expected Nirvana’s “Never Mind” to be the “the album of the year”. However, I was in for a disappointment. The position went to this stupid sounding band name called “Pavement” and I thought that there was a serious issue with the magazine. After grunge faded out, I too sought fresher music and landed up with a pirated CD of “Slanted and enchanted”. The first few listens substantiated my earlier point of view. But after a friend of mine urged me to give it one more try, that 38.41 minutes of music basically turned my fidelity inside out. This new sound, music in low fidelity (lo-fi) was unlike anything that I heard before. Though the band had released a series of indie singles earlier, this album is where they managed to pull their act together. The songs are replete with obtuse and intelligent lyrics, fractured riffs, and cryptic melodies. Stand out tracks include “Here”, “Summer babe”, and “In the mouth a desert”.

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3. Sonic Youth – Daydream nation: This double-album is a masterpiece of post-punk art rock. With this effort, the band cemented its position right there along the likes of Velvet Underground and the Stooges. The album creates a sonic landscape with furious noise explosions and tense hypnotic passages. The opening passages of the anti-anthem “Teenage Riot” still give me goose bumps. Listening to “Eric’s trip” is like hearing waves rolling. All the songs in the album demonstrate a range of emotions and hearing each one would give you a different feel. A treat for any indie music lover.

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4. Spoon – Girls can tell: If I have an option to listen to one music album before I die, this album would be the one. From the album opener “Everything hits at once” to “Chicago at night”, the songs are works of a band at the peak of its creative genius. The sharp wordplay, barbed guitars, and Britt Daniel’s enticing raw vocals showcase a group maintaining a fine balance between fire and ice. All 11 tracks are stunners with each track following a different musical journey. This album came after a disastrous stint with Elektra records after which the band members transformed their pain to create something positive. Spoon has matured into one of the most wanted bands in the indie music scene and this record clearly shows why it is so.

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5. The Flaming Lips – The soft bulletin: Why would you listen to four spaced out guys with lyrics like “When you got that spider bite on your leg”? Because, Flaming Lips are the best contemporary group who actually have the guts to rush into the unknown and still write great atmospheric, feel-good music. The album is a lush symphonic pop masterpiece eons removed from what the band had written earlier. Their previous effort was a four-disc album where the listener had to play four CDs at the same time to actually listen to one song! The songs in “The Soft Bulletin” delve on a range of subjects such as death, insect bites and Superman. Wayne Coyne, the lead singer pours his heart out in each of the tracks. Tracks like "The Spiderbite Song" and "Feeling Yourself Disintegrate" are truly spiritual. “Waiting for a Superman” is the band’s answer to REM’s “Losing my religion”. Check it out!

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6. Pixies – Surfer Rosa: When the Edward Norton starrer, Fight Club ends and the credits start to roll; you can hear the song “Where is my mind?” in the background. The innovative masterpiece is one of the many gems in this path breaking album from one of the most influential American alternative rock bands of the late ’80s. The album starts of with the explosive “Bone machine” and Black Francis’ warped sense of humor is evident right away. “Gigantic” sung by the bassist, Kim Deal, deals with voyeurism and is an absolute knock-out. It begins simple bass line before it explodes with abrasive guitars. One of the most striking and distinctive indie records of all time.

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7. The Clash – London Calling: 27 years have gone and this album is still relevant today as it was in 1979. This double album is the definitive “Politically charged punk” rock album of all time. Touted by many as one of the top ten albums of all time, I would even rate the cover to be one of the best album covers of all time. Songs such as “London Calling," "Spanish Bombs," and "The Guns of Brixton" are explicitly political and throughout the album, the band explore themes of working-class rebellion and antiestablishment. Though being a double album, the band manages to maintain their sheer aggressiveness across all songs. Stand out tracks include “Train in vain”, “Rudie can’t fail” and “Spanish bombs”. Mick Jones and Joe Strummer created music with purpose and recorded one of the greatest rock & roll albums of all time.

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8. Bonnie “Prince” Billy – I see a darkness: Will Oldham’s stunning second album as “Bonnie “Prince Billy” is filled with deathly lyrics and minimalist arrangements. “Death to everyone” is pure poetry where Billy rambles in his most sombr voice “Death to everyone is gonna come”. The latent energy that Billy provides is unmatched by any living artist. “Another day full of dread” is another glorious piece with lyrics that you would imagine were Pablo Neruda’s, “today was another day full of dread, but I never said I was afraid, dread and fear should not be confused, by dread I’m inspired, by fear I’m amused”.
In “Madeleine Mary”, Billy sings a Celtic-style folk song set to a Rastafarian guitar sound. The album ender “Raining in darling” is one of the most poignant songs you would ever hear. An album full of compassion and beauty.

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9. Interpol – Turn on the bright lights: One of the best albums that I have this side of the millennium. Many listeners would say that Interpol is a stylized version of the magnificent Joy Division, but still you have to bow down to the genius of this band in creating tight and spellbinding music with a unique new sound. Turn on the Bright Lights begins with the brooding "Untitled", which opens with a single guitar and signals that they are not here just for cheap thrills. “Obstacle 1” follows with its never ending guitar line and hooks you straight into the song.  “NYC” is a great, sober track where Paul Banks’ gets introspective, "Subway, she is a porno / Pavements, they are a mess / I know you supported me for a long time / Somehow, I’m not impressed." The album stunner is “The new”, a track where the band members display their talent in full bloom.

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10. Wilco – Yankee Hotel Foxtrot: In the making of YHF, Jeff Tweedy and the boys display what it means to be my definition of indie. Unwilling to change the album to make it more commercially viable, the band bought the finished studio tapes from Warner/Reprise for 50,000 dollars and left the label altogether. The songs are genre spanning and range from alternative country to pure rock. The album starts with “I am trying to break your heart”, a bleak humorous song with a simple three chord progression. "Heavy Metal Drummer" is a nice happy-go-lucky number. Stand out tracks include “Jesus etc” and “Pot kettle black”.

(A drifter by nature, Abhishek Borah has dabbled in advertising, public relations and is currently working in an analytics setup of a consulting firm. For one from the slanted domains (read: Born in the hills), he shows the usual inclinations of a north-easterner. Listening to music, drinking a lot of booze, and playing the guitar. He admits to be an encyclopaeida of most genres of western music having followed it since the early 90s. Genres not included would surely be prog rock, black metal, classical music.That’s Abhijit’s territory.)

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