When discussing indie music it’s important to understand that there are at least two definitions of what an indie band is: young bands who are actually signed to independent labels and produce lo-fi music because they haven’t started making money yet, and bands that are deliberately producing this sound regardless of how long they’ve been making music and how much money they have.
These definitions are certainly not all-encompassing, nor are they exclusive. Take The Dodos, for example: their music has a definite “indie” sound, but as their new album “Time to Die” proves, they are making a deliberate attempt to broaden and polish their sound. And they licensed their music to be used in a Miller Chill ad.
Now, right off the bat I want to dismiss the notion of “selling out” as being a negative thing. If licensing their music to an advertisement for crappy beer helps this band actually make money, and in turn helps them make better music, how can that be a negative thing?
But that’s the real question. The reason people criticize bands that make the jump from indie labels to mainstream labels is because something usually gets lost in translation. They don’t necessarily become worse, but it’s impossible to deny that some change doesn’t happen.
This is where it’s important to understand the distinction between the two types of indie bands. Some indie bands just haven’t made it big yet, while others defend themselves as being “indie purists” because they won’t let factors like money or fans change their music.
If this seems vague, then you too have realized the contradiction that is inherent in indie music: you’re only indie until you become popular. When people actually listen to your music and buy your album, you’re all of a sudden not cool enough to be an indie band.
The Dodos are quickly approaching that point in their career. They haven’t signed onto a major label, nor have they become popular—in fact, when I saw them in Detroit last October there were no more than 20 people in attendance.
On last year’s “Visiter” the band’s raw energy really made them stand out from every other band that was attempting to cash in on the new-folk trend. At the same time, that album didn’t really garner them the attention that (in all honesty) it should have. Despite a pretty good rating on Pitchfork, the band still remained in obscurity while Fleet Foxes and Bon Iver enjoyed rapid success. What element was “Visiter” missing that both of those indie darlings have
Guitarist Meric Long and drummer Logan Kroeber are both talented and original musicians, and their chemistry really is what made “Visiter” great. They both play their instruments with incredible passion, and this created a very noticeable roughness to their music.
“Time to Die” is really The Dodo’s attempt to make the leap into the arena of big-name indie acts, and they aren’t even being subtle about it. On new track “This Is A Business,” Long sings “This is a business/this is the only way of life.” He has a pretty good point.
This is a young band of musicians that have been playing gigs in the San Francisco area for years and they finally have a chance to reach a broader audience and start making money. “Time to Die” is likely to appeal to the same rapidly-growing fan base that catapulted Death Cab For Cutie and Modest Mouse to the unlikely role of arena bands.
Unfortunately it may well turn off some fans of the sound they perfected on “Visiter.” The most immediate and striking thing about “Time to Die” is how polished and clean it sounds. Part of that could be credited to producer Phil Ek who clearly tried to give the band the same treatment he gave The Shins, Band of Horses and Fleet Foxes.
But the change in the sound isn’t simply on a production level. It’s clear that Long and Kroeber made a deliberate attempt to eliminate the grit and rough-edges of “Visiter” that were inherent in their actual songwriting. Unfortunately, it really comes off as if they are holding back.
Take opening track “Small Deaths,” which begins as many Dodos songs do: a gentle guitar strum is quickly joined by Longs delicate, dreamy vocals. If this song was on “Visiter” it would have eventually exploded into a wild climax. “Small Deaths” burns slowly, with the band sounding as if they are deliberately trying to keep the momentum and energy constant. When the drums kick in they blend into the background instead of hitting listeners squarely in the face.
To put it bluntly, the song just sounds too safe, as does the rest of the album. It’s popular Indie 101, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
“Time to Die” is an album of solid modern indie-folk, and you really can’t blame the band for writing music that they think people want to hear.
At the risk of exposing myself as a bitter hipster, I just can’t help but feel a bit disappointed in the direction the band chose. There isn’t one bad song on this album, but it definitely lacks that incredible, raw energy that made me fall in love with The Dodos in the first place. I just keep wondering what would have happened if they hadn’t compromised and instead had tried to push the boundaries further.
