Liner Notes: Hipster: A new genre

Anna Taylor
Features Editor

I wouldn’t consider myself a hipster. I might occasionally find myself listening to what would be considered “hipster music,” or unknown music that could eventually go mainstream, but still, I don’t fit the bill. I love too many genres, decades and styles of music to be set to just one type.
Today, I’m classifying hipster music as a genre of its own.
After some meaningful thinking and mild research, I have compiled a few bands that deserve a spot in this new genre. See for yourself if you think they actually fit.
1. Two Door Cinema Club
I was introduced to this band from a blog a couple of years ago. Their song “Make You Mine” constantly played on my iTunes for weeks.
2. Young The Giant
I’m not familiar with the band’s music but I have heard of them (and that counts, right?). For the sake of this list, I listened to them and they are hipster approved.
3. Foster The People
The band that gave us “Pumped Up Kicks” with lyrics that we had to look up in order to sing along to, (it’s “outrun my gun” then “faster than my bullet” by the way), definitely qualifies for hipster listening. Their sound alone makes them unique. Unfortunately though, they are already in the mainstream. They still qualify to me.
4. Neon Trees
“Uh-oh I want some more.” It’s still stuck in my head.
 5. Vampire Weekend
Although it might seem stereotypical that this band made my list but “A-Punk” and “Jonathan Low,” among many of their other songs are great songs to have playing in the background while you’re working on something. Maybe it’s just me.
 6. Modest Mouse
I’m honestly not a big fan of this band but have heard some great covers of “Float On.” I felt they deserved a spot in the list only because of their name, and their unique sound. This band was also a favorite of several of my peers from high school.
   7. MGMT
If you haven’t heard “Electric Feel,” well you haven’t heard it. It’s basically the same as having an iPhone. Also, MGMT doesn’t stand for anything. It’s an abbreviation for management, which used to be their band name.
    8. Phoenix
One of my favorite bands, these guys deserve a mention. After winning a Grammy for their album “Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix” in 2010, the band got the recognition they deserved.             Track to listen to: “1901,” if you haven’t heard it already. (Unfortunately, the lyrics are “fallin’, fallin’, fallin’” and not “ballin’, ballin’, ballin’”). Secondary track to listen to: “Lisztomania.” Pure gold.
    9. The Shins
News Editor Austin Ramsey requested that I make mention of this band. After several years of keeping a low profile, the Albuquerque-based band will release “The Port of Morrow” March 20.

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