5 Great Songs From Indie-Rock and Americana - Home

Before I begin, I must state that I have only recently discovered my love for the Indie Rock and Americana music genres.

© C.Calhoun 2012. All rights reserved.

I’m originally from Colorado and have strong Latina roots. I’ve lived in North Carolina for almost 10 years and have adopted the Appalachian Mountains as home. We have a few NPR stations in western North Carolina, but my favorite is WNCW.

They’ve got a program called World Café and it was on this program where I heard many of these bands for the first time. Ever since then, I’ve wanted to compile my favorites to share with friends and family.

These genres seem like they overlap somewhat. In reading about each of these groups, I’d say that they do indeed fall into Indie Rock or Americana. Some say their music is hard to define. That’s what’s great about them: they’re taking the old, merging it with new and coming out with some harmonious tunes that are sure to catch on in the mainstream.

Before introducing these groups, I must explain what Americana and Indie-Rock are. Americana has its roots in traditional American music paired up with contemporary sounds to create a wide-ranging genre with rich and varied songs to boot. Some simplify it and call it alternative country, but that label cannot possibly do it justice.

Indie-Rock is a genre that includes up and coming musicians performing an eclectic sound of rock, and other types of alternative music, who are still performing independently. They haven’t signed the big labels. Their original sounds and music encompass a wide range of styles. You often hear these groups on college radio stations, so Indie-Rock is sometimes referred to as "college" music. Indie-Rock songs usually aren't on the pop music stations unless a particular song gains popularity and enters the mainstream.

You could argue that all the groups I’ve chosen could be in these two categories interchangeably. That’s part of what makes it fun.

This is one of my favorite groups. They are an African-American string band and I’ve seen them in concert. The three members can play each other’s instruments and the vocals are smooth, like drinking a creamy milkshake on a warm day. Rhiannon’s voice is powerful, clear and resonates with such conviction. The other two guys in the group, Don Flemons and Justin Robinson make this trio a force to be reckoned with. You can’t wait to hear the next heart-felt blues-y, jazzy song with a modern flair.

The group formed in 2005 and one of their first songs was “Hit ‘Em Up Style”. You’ll find yourself humming “Hey, Ladies” long after the song has ended. It’s about a guy who cheats and what the ladies have to do.

Originally from California, this group joins the ranks of Indie-Rock with a heartfelt song called, “Home”. They recorded this video in a newsroom and they make it feel like someone's living room and "please pass the popcorn". They have a regular video to this song, but I just felt like they really embodied their happiness and love of life in this particular recording. They appear to have both feet in hippie-dom, but their message is no less clear: embracing raw love, bliss, and being honest with oneself. Their music is indeed rooted in the 60’s but infused with that modern eclectic twist that draws crowds in. Jade, the female singer, exudes felicity and I always walk away smiling after watching this video. The trumpet seems to tie together the whole song and you can see how everyone "feels" the sound of music...seemingly in their souls.

Calling Asheville, NC home (yes!), Ramsey is quite the tall (6’7”) musical character. He’s a lanky guitar player who grew up listening to country and blues. Before learning the guitar, he learned the piano. His musical influences also include Leo Kottke and John Fahey who picked their guitars right into the ears of Ramsey who then emerged with his own unique sounds. The following video was recorded in Asheville, NC called, “Long Dream”, about swimming across the sea. It's slow and melodic and you feel like you could really fall asleep and dream about a blue sea with colorful schools of fish swirling all around you. Heralded by NPR’s World Café, he is gaining in popularity.

Ralph Lewis has a band with his two sons Martin and Don - creating the Sons of Ralph. He loves it because he’s had a long musical career in the bluegrass and folk music traditions. Now, he’s helping his sons to do the same. They are from Madison County, NC – which is really neat because I live in Madison County, NC. It’s a small, rural place in the mountains but the creative types are finding homes here. As you might guess from the name, this is a band that puts family first. They stay close to their western NC home, but that doesn’t stop their musical prowess from doing performances at the Grand Ole Opry and singing with the likes of Doc Watson. Other members of the band include Ozzie Orengo, who adds a Latin twist with his percussion, and Steve Moseley who does bass. The “Wagon Wheel” is a well-known song among Asheville locals.

Until I asked a friend about the bumper sticker on his car, I hadn’t heard of this band. Their music encompasses a gradual, melodic tune reminiscent of a ballad. But the modern guitar sounds and swang-y country overtones make them seem like a cross between Jewel and Dolly Parton. It’s at once interesting and compelling. I admit, at first their music was a little too slow for my upbeat rhythmic tastes in music, but as I listened, it grew on me. They’re originally from eastern Tennessee and started out a few years ago. They had a brief hiatus and have since reunited, with their songs appearing on regional music stations. This video was recorded in New York City. The song is called, “Lonely Anywhere”.