Alternative Rock Research Paper

Alternative rock is exactly what is sounds like; rock music that deviates from the standard, mainstream rock. It’s actually an umbrella term for a whole slew of sub genres that don’t quite fall under the other genres of rock or pop. Because alternative rock is an umbrella term, the list of sub genres that fall under alternative rock is a little long, and therefore, this essay will only cover four of them. Each has notable distinctions from the other genres. Despite the “neo” in the name neo-psychedelia, it actually isn’t that new. It was first classified in the late 70’s. As one might expect, the “psychedelia” is often a reference to drug use and this is often reflected in the lyrics. Lyrics can be described as bizarre and may not make much sense. For example, in Tame Impala’s “Skeleton Tiger”, one line reads “Count the number of beings you are, see how long it takes you.” However this doesn’t have to be the case. The music is made up of standard rock instruments like, guitar, drums and bass but it also contains effects like reverb (A.K.A. echo) and distortion to
This genre writes about pop culture and things they’re interested in. The music is all about what we’re passionate about as well as sometimes being a little silly. In fact, artists like Weird Al and Tenacious D, whose lyrics are comedic fall under this genre. However, comedy isn’t a necessity. Irony and self-deprecation are common themes in lyrics, but the overall songs are generally upbeat. Also, while mainstream rock tends to focus on aspirations and life in the fast lane, geek rock focuses on the everyday, familiar things in life. Another thing that sticks out with geek rock is the tendency to use unusual instruments like the ukulele or the accordion, though this also isn’t a necessity. Examples of artists considered geek rock would be Barenaked Ladies, Fountains of Wayne and