The difference, by ear
Alt-country is an indie genre by distribution and ethics, playing country material. The label politics are indie's.
Both are sung cleanly, but indie rock is a little faster: 100 to 140 bpm against 80 to 120. To hear the difference, play Uncle Tupelo next to Pavement. They share a root in rock, and indie rock came first, by five years. United States appears in the origins of both.
In figures
Alt-country / Americana
Where it sits
Rock › Folk rock › Country rock › Alt-country / Americana
In short
Country filtered through punk and indie: same instruments, very different attitude toward Nashville.
How it sounds
- Country instrumentation with indie rock dynamics and distortion.
- Deliberately unpolished production, opposed to the Nashville standard.
- Lyrics about declining small towns, work and disappointment.
Key acts
- Uncle Tupelo
- Wilco
- Drive-By Truckers
Start here
The pickWilco - Being There. A double album that cannot decide on a genre, to its benefit.
Full page →Indie rock
Where it sits
Rock › Alternative rock › Indie rock
In short
Originally an economic description - independent labels - that hardened into an aesthetic: modest production and total freedom.
How it sounds
- Modest production, with a small budget treated as an aesthetic choice.
- Clean or lightly saturated guitars; solos are rare.
- Untrained, natural vocals, often deliberately vulnerable.
Key acts
- Pavement
- Sonic Youth
- Arcade Fire
- The National
Start here
The pickPavement - Slanted and Enchanted. Studied indifference, excellent songs.
Full page →