The New Pornographers
The New Pornographers is an amazing super-band. All the band members have their own side projects of which many are on this list. Their music is a mix of melodic power pop and indie rock. Despite their name, this band is one of the coolest and classiest indie bands of the 2000's.
Destroyer
This band started out really strong. Their first few albums were full of fantastic melodic indie pop with lo-fi aesthetics and original vocals. When they really became big with their album Kaputt, in my ears they had lost it. The newer albums are a bit generic electro pop. Listen to the early albums, because they're great!
Hot Hot Heat
Hot Hot Heat is one of the greatest guitar-driven indie rock bands of the early-to-mid 00's. Their energetic rock melodies would, no doubt, sound great live. Their first album was a bit too noisy for my taste and the later albums have become a bit too overly produced by their sound, but the albums in the middle are fantastic.
The Organ
This is one of the best bands that Canada has ever put out there. Unfortunately they split up after their fantastic debut album Grab That Gun. Dark and melancholic post punk revival sounds performed by an amazing all female band. The lead singer got stressed out by their popularity, which is a shame, since not many people now know this band.
Black Mountain
Stoner rock masters Black Mountain makes hypnotic and heavy sounding rock with amazing and innovative sound worlds. They have some folkier numbers but they perform their best in overdriven stoner rock pieces. Male and female vocals take turns.
The Pack a.d.
This band looks up to bands like The White Stripes and The Black Keys. Their music can be categorised as something like garage blues. Guitars are on overdrive and the attitude takes the forefront from melodies.
Pink Mountaintops
The male lead singer of Black Mountain makes a bit more melodic music in his solo project. This is more basic power pop with catchy melodies and skilfully played guitars. Some of the songs are a bit noisy, but at best this music works brilliantly.
Odds
This power pop band knows how to make catchy melodies and rising songs with danceable tempo. There's maybe not much originality in their songs, but this is the kind of music that it's fun to dance to at the indie clubs while drinking the night away.
Acres of Lions
This band's sound is maybe a tad too commercial for my taste, but I decided to include it on this list, because of their danceable tunes and rhythms. Indie rock aesthetics have definitely influenced their overall sound.
Ladyhawk
Ladyhawk is one of those cool guitar indie bands that know how to make catchy, yet original sounding songs. A little bit more melodic approach would be more to my liking, but I guess this is more about the attitude than the melodies.
Zumpano
Zumpano's power pop songs are catchy and melodic. There are definite similarities to bands like The New Pornographers. That is no surprise, since the lead singer of the named The New Pornographers also sings in this band.
The Zolas
The Zolas is a guitar indie band with a twist. Their songs have surprising rhythm solutions and many different parts. These tricks known from progressive rock does not mean that The Zolas really sound like modern indie.
Louise Burns
I don't really care that much about Burns' older albums. Many of the songs on those are a bit too produced and too pop for my taste. However, her newer albums have some great indie-pop melodies and skilful songwriting.
The Grapes of Wrath
This power-pop/indie rock band sounds quite amazing. They really know how to write great pop music. The verses are really melodic and catchy, but when they actually get to the chorus, it's even greater. Excellent, yet simple, songwriting.
Yukon Blonde
Another power-pop band is moving in the same territories as the previous bands. yukon Blonde's sound is a bit more modern though. There's some skilful use of echoes and electric guitars and bass make great harmonies together.
Young and Sexy
I really like it when melodic indie-pop bands include weird instruments to the conventional band instruments. This is what's happening with this band. The great piano-playing, fantastic female vocals and great songwriting get more points from odd synth sounds.
Derrival
Derrival reminds me instantly of The Gaslight Anthem and Bruce Springsteen. Still, I think only the sounds are similar. Derrival's songs have more complicated song structures and they'll also surprise you with strange space-sound instruments.
The Clumsy Lovers
This country, celtic, balkan, folk band has some really cheesy songs, but also some great folk rock numbers. Their albums are very uneven, but there's a good chance of finding a great playlist if you just aim to find the good songs.
Said the Whale
This band is really what modern indie music is all about. They combine indie rock, folk and progressive rhythms to make original sounding pop music. More than anything, the sound of the band is cool.
Ginger
Ginger is a 90's alternative rock band that sounds a lot like the ones in UK at the time. This could well be one of the Britpop wave's well-known names, had this band been in England rather than Canada. There are some grunge influences there as well. Very 90's.
Awkward Stage
This indie pop band's songs range from delicate pop melodies to louder pop-rock. Their songs have a lo-fi quality even though the production actually sounds quite good. I think it's more to do with the skills of the band really. But that's just endearing.
Great Aunt Ida
Great Aunt Ida belongs in to that genre of artsy female singers making great little tunes about everyday life and love. They're mostly about playing piano and singing, but it's still a band effort. For all the singer-songwriter fans out there.
The Ruffled Feathers
This folk band uses skilfully authentic sounding instruments to make pop-oriented songs. The female lead-singer's voice is quite high-pitched but it's nicely contrasted with a deep baritone male on the background.
Cathryn Calder
This is music taken to its very roots. Only a female singer with her guitar. Songs are great and sound very endearing with the lo-fi recording. It sounds as it has been recorded at home with just one microphone. Only some doubled vocal harmonies break the illusion of listening to a live performance.
Siskiyou
This band plays folk music with aggressively indie-styled vocals. The vocals remind me of Frightened Rabbit, only without the Scottish accent. The instrumentations range from quiet folk to full-on indie jamming.
Geoff Berner
This music is quite fantastic gypsy folk punk. I especially love the clarinet, fiddle and accordion working together. The lyrics are witty and interesting. This is a kind of artist I would really like to see live, since I'm sure the party would be guaranteed.
Current Swell
I don't know whether I should call this music indie folk or indie rock. It's something in between. Acoustic guitar gets accompanied by hand claps, bass, organ and drums. The vocals are skilful and have that raspy spice of indie singing in them.
Wake Owl
Wake Owl plays indie folk with authentic guitar sounds and peaceful songs. The vocals are not trained and there's some off-key action going on in those, but that just makes the music more interesting.
Pharis & Jason Romero
This duo plays beautiful country-folk-americana with excellent guitar picking and beautiful vocal harmonies. The songs are really traditional, but there interesting as that. This combines modern production with traditional playing.
Jon and Roy
Absolutely fantastic americana folk with raspy male vocals and acoustic sounds. The melodies have sadness but it does not go to weeping despair. There's an earthly feel to these songs and at least I become happy instantly listening to this warm music.
P:ano
Quite stupidly named band, I agree. Still, their quiet singer-songwriter folk is beautiful in it's own sleepy sort of way. Great relaxing music to just listen to while keeping eyes closed.The melancholic vocals are beautiful in their laconic expression.
Immaculate Machine
Hopefully you'll make it this far on this list, because Immaculate Machine plays absolutely fantastic tunes with folk sounds. The melodies are absolutely beautiful. There's melancholy and power in these melodies.
Frazey Ford
This singer-songwriter makes chillingly beautiful sad folk music. Her trembling vocals are not very conventional but really beautiful in their insecurity. The compositions are great and some fantastic instrumentations are used to create this quite magical sound.
Frog Eyes
This band is not always very enjoyable. The off-key vocals and artsy rock instrumentation may put you off, but I guarantee that if you take your time finding the good songs, you'll be glad you went through the effort. Blood chillingly ominous indie rock.
The Buttless Chaps
Now, I won't even go to the name of the band, because you can just figure out yourself your thoughts on that. Musically this band is great country-folk with many traditional spices. There are some melancholic melodies here that'll make you feel very sentimental.
Barney Bentall
This country artist is really good at what he does. His dark country tales have interesting storytelling qualities and his guitar playing is top notch. His vocals are also a great mix of clear higher notes and lower raspy tones. Excellent musician!
The Be Good Tanyas
Another fantastic Americana band with guitars, bass and banjo working together to create beautiful, melancholic songs. The lead singer's voice is terrific! Her clear voice is full of emotions and you can feel the grief in the sadder songs.
Choir Practice
This is a weird concept for a band. They make indie-pop with choir singing. They decipher some songs by The New Pornographers. If you were in choir at some point in your life this may sound familiar, but the song picks they have make you wish you had been in their choir.
Jets Overhead
Bass plays an important role in this band. It's keeping the other instruments running with it's ominous pounding. On top of the bass, there are harmonies of male and female vocals, great, yet subtle electric guitars and creeping drums.
Mindil Beach Market
This band's music could probably be described as modern bossa nova. The rhythm is definitely bossa nova, but the sounds are those of a melancholic indie rock band. The result is interesting misx of soulful rhythms and moody atmosphere.
Joshua Hyslop
This singer-songwriter's voice reminds me a bit too much of American Idol singers and that's the main reason why I can't fully enjoy his songs. If you don't think of his voice, the folky songs work quite well.
Doja
Doja uses really echoey guitars to create a sound familiar from many post-rock bands. The music is not however nowhere near post-rock. It's much more pop than that. There are some rhythm tricks familiar from progressive rock, but mainly it's just pop with clear echoey guitars.
Tommy Alto
The main characteristic in this indie band is the skilful use of electric guitars. Rhythms take some influences from African music but the guitars play complicated patterns on top of it all. The vocals could maybe benefit from a bit more rough approach.
Japandroids
I left this quite famous band last on the list, because I could not really put it next to any of the other artists on the list. Their aggressive rock music has influences from punk and guitar indie. It's aggressive, but melodic at the same time.
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