A Few Indie Bands to Watch

09/15/2005 4:06 PM, AP
Jake Coyle

A few indie rock bands that will "change your life":

• Arcade Fire: Husband and wife team Win Butler and Regine Chassagne lead a troupe of exuberant, talented musicians. Wearing suits the way Wes Anderson might, they sing about adolescent memories with sweeping oooh's and ahhh's. The search continues for someone who doesn't like Arcade Fire.

• The Flaming Lips: They've been around more than a decade, and their appearance on "90210" helped give Death Cab for Cutie the rationale for doing "The O.C." But since their experimental "Zaireeka" (which is four separate discs meant to be played at once), the Lips have made two classic concept albums: "The Soft Bulletin" and "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots." Their next album, expected early next year, will test how big a band that sings "Happy Birthday" at concerts can get.

• Yeah Yeah Yeahs: They already had an MTV hit with "Maps," which may have laid the groundwork for still greater success. Karen O is also one of the only truly captivating singers today.

• Antony and the Johnsons: Antony, who recently won Britain's Mercury Prize, is an androgynous cabaret singer whose siren voice has drawn the attention of collaborators like Lou Reed and Boy George.

• Spoon: After trying out a major label with "Girls Can Tell," the Austin, Texas band decided their home was in indieland. But frontman Britt Daniel still sees no reason his groove-based piano and guitar band can't be as big as the Kinks.

• Sufjan Stevens: Press has been building for this banjo-playing bandleader. After an album devoted to Michigan, he continued his ambitious and ridiculous tour of the 50 states with "Illinois." His band fills the stage with horns, strings and backup singers. Everyone, needless to say, is in costume.

• John Vanderslice: A singer-songwriter not unlike Connor Oberst of Bright Eyes, but without the bangs or pushy, exaggerated pronunciation. His current disc, "Pixel Revolt," is proving that there's life after Death Cab for indie label Barsuk. (Ditto for labelmates Viva Voce! and Aqueduct.)