I feel worried about 2k10. It seems like 2k9 is a year that we should feel ‘ashamed of’, and 2k10 is a year that we will sort of just emotionally ‘pull back’ our interest in tastemaking. I feel like 2k9 has had some ‘good products’, but maybe it was just a year where we are learning ‘how 2 use the internet’ when it comes to consuming music. It’s like we went to xtremes when it came to ‘experiencing’ and ‘analyzing’ music, and now we are just trying to work our way out of that era.
Seems like I am ready to ‘close the door’ on 2k9, and ‘fast forward’ beyond music in 2k10. I think in 2k10, we will sort of just stick with familiar bands, and not very many ‘new bands’ will emerge. We will stick with what is ‘comfortable’/'known products’, and just give a band like the Arcade Fire the top album of 2k10, just so we feel like ‘order’ is ‘re-established’ instead of giving 2 much ‘power’ to fresh bands.
Feel like reflecting on 2k9, even though there is still half a year left.
How will u remember 2k9?
- Animal Collective taught us how to ‘excessively anticipate’ an album.
- Grizzly Bear taught us how to ‘ascend’ into a ‘respected maltstream band’ even though ppl just want to ‘evaluate u’ against the other ‘top band’ of the year.
- Neon Indian/VEGA taught us how 2 ‘manipulate the internet’ until u have some how ‘invaded’ major blogs+webzines to seem just as ‘real’ as pre-existing ‘relevant’ bands.
- Major Lazer taught us how to create an ‘interesting’/'ethnic’ product with a strong marketing team
- Dirty Projectors taught us how to be an nyc hi-end buzzband that people feel pressured to ‘enjoy/appreciate’ or else they will seem ‘uncultured’
- Here We Go Magic taught us how 2 be a pretty ’simple’ conceptual band but still achieve a ‘relevant level of success’ that will be sustainable for ‘a long time’
- Passion Pit taught us how to make music that falls between ‘conceptual’ and ‘electro’ genres, appealing to the mass market of ‘indie simpletons’ [very lucrative]
- Phoenix taught us how to become ‘more widely accepted’ even though their product has been the same for the past 10 years, instead of just ‘fading away’ and becoming insignificant.
- St. Vincent taught us how to be a girl, look keut, sound complex, and appeal to the middle aged critic bros
- Atlas Sound will teach us how to ‘collab with other relevant artists’ so ur band is 180% more blggbl
- Classixx taught us how to ‘rise’ to be the most ‘relevant’ remixer of the year
- Crystal Castles will continue teaching us how 2 utilize ‘negative press’ to stay ‘in the headlines’
- WAVVES taught us how 2 ‘not give a shit’ abt anything, even ur alternative career.
- ‘Conceptualcore’ music taught us that ppl are just looking for shit that sounds ‘new/different’, and will go 2 great xtremes 2 justify what is ‘good/relevant.’
- The now defunct chillwave era taught us how alternative websites need a ‘bloggable topic/scene’ to emerge as a coverable topic that unifies a 2-4 month span that can represent ‘progression’ of the indie scene/musicians/the power of ‘the internet’ 2 help promote ‘good music.
Seems like we should be ‘most ashamed’ of how internet users/indie music fans handled the Animal Collective release. I think it will take a year to sort of ‘forget’ how ‘we’ handled that 1. Just really ‘overthought’ the entire year. Seems like we were looking for something that sounded like AnCo, but also something that didn’t sound like AnCo. Feel like we are confused. Not sure what I like. Can’t even remember what pure electro sounds like [via 2k7].
2k10 will probably be ‘boring.’ We will not trust buzzbands and we will not trust ‘internet blog p4k buzz’, sort of resenting new bands. We will not consider new anonymous chill-electro-lofi projects to be ‘worthy’ of our attention, because they will probably be ‘just another meme’/producer with 1.5 ‘good songs’ that u can throw into a falsified ‘genre/movement.’ Seems like in 2k10, we will have learned to have a ‘backlash’ against an entire era, instead of just an individual band.
Seems like 2k9 might be over.
Goodnite 2k9.
What will u remember about the ‘now defunct’ year 2k9?
Will 2k10 be the worst year in the history of indie music?
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IAmCarles.com
47 Comments
first
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//////////Reply by ERIC STROM
//////////Posted August 11th, 2009 at 10:13 pm
h8 eric strom
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//////////Reply by uh
//////////Posted August 11th, 2009 at 10:18 pm
@ERIC STROM, was it thrilling
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Dan deacon taught us that a 9 minute song can be as good as a 9 minute tugjob/cumsesh
can’t wait for the new Julian Casablancas (aka strokeyBro). already sick of these bands since this album will make a new genre.
solocore? strokewave? wavecore?
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//////////Reply by named ready
//////////Posted August 11th, 2009 at 10:38 pm
Dan Deacon taught me how to “freak out” at live shows and make “dance circles” where No Age bro dislocates his shoulder slipping on PBR.
miss those 2 songs Dan Deacon never got to perform because of that
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best yrs, bro.
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In 2k10, I think alt culture will move even more into the mainstream at a faster pace than it has via disney.
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i plead the fifth
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CArles,
ah yes the JImi Hendrix moment where you officially choke on your own puke. the altblogaverse is dead and you can thank yourself! uR officially olDe now. w00t.
(just in time for the merch roll-out)
Best thing is that you’ll start shakin your cane at the kidz who wont give a rat, cos by 2k10.23 they’ll have something you can’t stand.
I think Buick just came out with a new car, for the newly refurbished GM brand. you should check out some of the lease options
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//////////Reply by Wildwood
//////////Posted August 11th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
@skene sir, Ahahahaha! Well played good sir!
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//////////Reply by goodtimes
//////////Posted August 11th, 2009 at 11:41 pm
@Wildwood, fuck you.
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//////////Reply by jim morisson
//////////Posted August 12th, 2009 at 9:58 am
@goodtimes, pluck two
//////////Reply by Wildwood
//////////Posted August 12th, 2009 at 10:01 am
@goodtimes, aw….’goodtimes’ can’t take a joke, is that meant to be ironic or just moronic?
@carles, uh……….what?
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O FUK
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No.
Most bands you mentioned didn’t even get “huge” until 2k9. There’ll be 30 bands in 2k10 that get “huge.” Half will be shit. Half will be deec. A couple will be awesome.
This is how every year has been since the invention of music
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//////////Reply by brand jew
//////////Posted August 12th, 2009 at 8:54 pm
@high fart,
yeah. carles is trying to overcomplicate things to confuse everyone.
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I’m a drunken hearted man, my life seems so misery -Robert Johnson
This blog needs less talk of “re-branding” and making “mad dough” and more self indulgent th(m)emes of substance abuse and self imposed alienation
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//////////Reply by gentleman
//////////Posted August 11th, 2009 at 11:42 pm
@Chrises, this blog needs more portmanteau that starts off ironic, then slowly actualizes into a vernacular abstraction of the thematic elements of the zeitgeist.
‘memecore’
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//////////Reply by Hannah
//////////Posted August 12th, 2009 at 10:00 am
@gentleman,
I want to kiss you on the mouth, among other things.
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//////////Reply by jim morisson
//////////Posted August 12th, 2009 at 9:59 am
yes!
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I have a feelin. 2k10 will be the end ( atleast for the core). Alt culture is becoming more and more ” popular” and “attractive” to the mainstrm, the alt culture is getting bigger ( just look at AA, Jesus Christ) and is slowly but surly being “exploited” for “money” (look at meeeeeee I’m like carles using quotation marks hurrrrr) but the point i’m trying to make is that the mainstrm is catching on to the alt culture, so does that make being a part of alt culture “not cool” any more??
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//////////Reply by scroobin
//////////Posted August 12th, 2009 at 10:06 am
@Future, to answer your question as honestly as possible…yes, it will be / alrdy is uncool.
One thing that is untouchable is going to lokale shoz that your friends put on. Because, it’s your friends, no indie demi-gods that you are always detached from. Your friends will make some cash which they will buy drugs and alchohol with that you can share after the show at a house with everyone who was at the show and have a good time talking about something you have done yourself.
anything else has the potential to be marketed and fikked in the azz. just keep it realz mans!
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2k10 music is gonna be a bummer.
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ha. ridiculous.
alt doesn’t just ‘go away.’ there will always be bands trying to sound different from the mnstrm. Sure, eventually the particular sounds/genres will always get appropriated, but that’s a good thing. It forces bros who care about being ‘alt’ to ‘evolve.’
If Washed Out shows up on the cover of next month’s Rolling Stone, it will not mean ‘teh death of alt!!!1′….ridiculous. there will always be an underground. because that’s what people want. and if an ‘underground’ sounds goes ‘mnstrm’, alt bros will make a new ‘underground’ sound.
Like the Lion King song says: “It’s The Circle Of Liiiiiiiiiiife.”
as long as there is music, there will ALWAYS be an alt. it’s just question of whether or not YOU are part of it.
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//////////Reply by Mari
//////////Posted August 13th, 2009 at 7:58 pm
@Simba, yes. thankyou.
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I always assumed that being a part of a meaningful era would feel differently than it did. It was fun watching everything happen and then explode, but I feel like I was too detached from it (at least in comparison to how those in other decades rode their own movements). I guess it’s just a sign of our times, really.
One day maybe I’ll look back and say “yeah that was fun I think”, but right now I just don’t feel it. At least I won’t be too old when the ‘next decades thing’ begins to take form.
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i don’t think it will be too bad.
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//////////Reply by tao
//////////Posted August 12th, 2009 at 11:02 am
wait nvm
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//////////Reply by daffy
//////////Posted August 12th, 2009 at 6:50 pm
@tao, nice trick bro
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Just be aware of where things came from
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Alt is Dead.
Long Live Alt.
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you realize the only reason the chillwave era is over is because you said it is carles?
now what the fuck am I going to do with my memory cassette 7″? Where the fuck am I going to find “meaning”?
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ugh hate how we have all started to overanalyze everything because we are all on the pulse of the music we listen to and now fckng crls is branding and labeling the months as eras and 2009 as a year that is ‘over’. wait, the I AM CARLES brand killed the year 2009 right????
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At least there’s still blogstep.
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i dont remember 2k9 &;; i’m too worried about 2k12 to be worried about 2k10. hope i have an authentic soundtrack for the end of the world.
ps– goodnight moon = next great childrens/pre-alt-nostalgia movie?
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//////////Reply by Chrises
//////////Posted August 12th, 2009 at 4:05 am
@kate,
goodnight hoppers
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//////////Reply by hey anony anony
//////////Posted August 12th, 2009 at 10:46 pm
@Chrises, goodnite bALTimore
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you have 2 reinvent ur brand, that’s all. THink Maddnna, MJ (RIP) or George Bush/ George W Bush, all the same but allways moving brands, like sharks or chameleons.
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Hey CRLS, can you ‘hook me up’ with Bebe Zeva?
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whatt!
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2k8 was the shittiest year in the history of music/indie music.
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Hipsterauthentic.blogspot.com
aka gorrilavsrunoff
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electrocore music has been mnstrm since justice was on that car commercial like two freakin years ago…c’mon.
Simba is right. In the late eighties it was grunge and alternative music, then that hit mnstrm, and the alt scene mostly revolved around industrial till the early to mid nineties, when hardcore started popping up, then that went mnstrm so fast, everyone started going to raves, which were so over by like 1999, when hip-hop was still mostly underground, then that was appropriated, and emo was big with the alt crowd, untill THAT was stolen and now you see 12 year old emo kids, with their emo moms at the mall shopping for ed hardy shoes. Our love of electro music has pushed it right into the mnstrm, and now you hear it on tv, in movies. *Sigh* I’m just waiting for disco to come back so I can take my bedazzled jump suit out of the closet and relive the 70’s
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i think 2k10 will be revolutionary.. it will b the climax between the battle of mnstream and alt -who will win? i think the respective genres will diverge even more than they are so today. alts will become more elitist to pigeonhole themselves from mnstreamity and mnstreamers will not acknowledge hits outside of the “radio and MTV”
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oh carles you know how to hit right to the core of me
so ashamed of how i acted over animal collective
it was a culmination of my years of telling everyone how good they were coming to fruitition, and seeing them in one year more than i’ve ever in the past 5, and coming out with a new album and crack box all at once
i can’t even show my face at a show anymore
2k10: the year we grow up and realize that music isn’t even real art but just for entrylevelers to feel apart of something cultural.
the year of performance art and installations the true authentic art peices?
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fiery furnaces is starting the 2k10 trend right now since 2k9 is dead. the fewchur is no music.
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2010: the year of Marina and Soko. blog it up. Also, the hip-hop will still be popular. And Lady Gaga won’t die yet.
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Maybe you’re just getting old and clinging to things… There’s sure to be SOMEthing worthwhile coming in the future if you dig around enough… Hmm.. I seem to have had a bit to much…
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i think broken social scene is making a new album, so that should be good for next year.
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finally discovered the kind of genre i want to listen to in 2k9. havent been able to do that in 2k8.
hope 2k10 will be more 320kbps than 2k9.
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Isn’t constantly talking about The Bear Collectives kind of reifying the fascination that the indie blogosphere has with them? If these were just buzzbands made by the internet for the internet, why act like they represent the musical output of 2009? Maybe that was part of the point – I probably missed a level or sarcasm in this post.
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@vegadisco @neonindian ftw
//miss u 2k9
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2k10 = the year of runoffcore
find it!
annie clark = srsly dreamboat status
her next album will prbly sownd soo keut.
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you may have seized power over blogcore. wondering how much power it is possible [for u] to aggregate..
proud of u
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the I AM CARLES /EP/ will save music.
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Carles killed the music.
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http://vimeo.com/6076483
y’all
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every1 shOulD jUsT lISteN tO the LoW EnD ThE0Ry PoDcAsT and Buy bEaT mUsIC CD’s
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http://www.myspace.com/daydaydaytonna
check out his pics, he is ruling all over your ass
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We’ll all just have to wait for the p2k10’s.
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music in 2010 is going to be amazing. listen.
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RAPE MESSAGE BOARD DRUNK
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Dubstep is gonna take over the world!!!!!!!!!
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