Indie-Rock as Erudite Funk

[Pic: Chrome Waves, 2007]

My initial discovery of The Whitest Boy Alive in 2006 presented a confusing paradox. On the one hand, heavy bass lines and rhythmic syncopation cast the group as a sort of European dance floor machine, much like the 1980s English punk-funk band Public Image Ltd. Yet the lyrics conformed to the indie-rock fascination with emotional breakups, depression, and the general trials and tribulations of being an educated youth with tender feelings. I simply couldn’t decide whether to dance or ruminate.

• Public Image Ltd. - This is Not a Love Song
  
• The Whitest Boy Alive - Golden Cage
  

The recent release of “Rules” by Whitest Boy cleared up this puzzle. Although the instrumentals still display a Euro-electronic rendition of American soul, lead vocalist Erlend Øye pushes the lyrics beyond the pale of nerdy bookishness (he also laid down vocals on Röyksopp's pop hit “Remind Me”). Only a very small minority would publicly dance to “1517,” a track about long-term cycles of karma “in northern Europe since medieval times.” This is erudite funk for hipster coffeehouses and Boston dorms.

• The Whitest Boy Alive - 1517
  
• The Whitest Boy Alive - Intentions
  

Sasha Frere-Johnes is wrong. Indie-rock has both vigor and rhythm, as typified by The Whitest Boy Alive, LCD Soundsystem, and Of Montreal.

• LCD Soundsystem - Get Innocuous!
• Of Montreal - Gronlandic Edit
  

The real problem is class. It’s safe to say that Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and James Brown can get a party started no matter the socio-economics on the dancefloor. Even if contemporary indie-rock acts are clearly influenced by these masters of funk and soul, their lyrics and ethos explicitly aim to please the upper-middle class college educated crowd. Is this even a problem? And if so, what's to be done?

• Marvin Gaye - Got to Give it Up
• Stevie Wonder - Higher Ground
  
• James Brown - Night Train