the problem with using other bands to describe a relatively obscure band, is that you end up using other obscure bands as the reference, and it doesn't get you anywhere in a discussion.
the "underground" has become so riddled with sub-genres it's gotten out of control. sweater-rock and shoegazers, spun off from emo, grind core, hard core, death metal, blah blah blah.....
indie rock to me isn't even a genre, it isn't if you are signed to a label or not, and it doesn't stand for independent any longer.
to me, indie rock is an attitude toward music, that generally leads to a general sound. i've always thought of it as music to serve a purpose, to support a view point, to define a "lifestyle".
in recent years i feel like the meaning of indie rock has been lost as the younger generation came in unaware of bands like fugazi, drive like jehu, superchunk, slint, big black, and so on.
now we have a bunch of un-informed kids buying over priced "vintage" clothes, and white belts, with bad haircuts, running "our scene".
right about now i look like a flag waving weirdo for some concept that is almost impossible to pin down.
i think indie rock can be really heavy (refused)
or really mellow (sparkelhorse, codeine)
but what indie rock is not, is an independent band seeking a major label contract. many people in our industry use the term, "i work on indy records as well as major label", this is completely different from what most of here think of as indie rock.
influential bands "in the scene":
Fugazi
Jawbox
Drive Like Jehu
SuperChunk
Slint
Polvo
June of 44
Shudder to Think
Boys Life
Rocket From the Crypt
Refused
Sunny Day Real Estate
Afghan Whigs
Guided By Voices
the list goes on
labels of significance:
Dischord
SubPop
Touch and Go
Merge
Matador
Crank
Headhunter/Cargo
and others...