Chamber Pop: The Smarter Side of Music

by Sam W.

Musical references to balaclava, the poetry of E.E. Cummings, calcium ions, or to Illinois serial killer John Wayne Gacy Jr. are certainly not the norm. Modern pop mainly deals with slightly fluffier, more appealing topics, such as dancing, going to the clubs, having sex, or to “boots with the fur”, things that can generate quick hits. These songs can easily catch the public eye for a quick fifteen minutes of fame before rapidly moving on to whatever else becomes popular. However, in recent years there has been an emergence of smarter, more thoughtful pop music, music that has orchestration, intellect, and complexity woven deeply into its core. This genre has come to be known as Chamber, or Baroque, pop, and it is gaining popularity among the mainstream after years of renown in so-called “indie” circles. Bands like Ra Ra Riot , Arcade Fire, and Vampire Weekend as well as musicians like Andrew Bird and Sufjan Stevens have reached somewhat into the mainstream in recent years, despite the intellectualism that might make them a bit to dense to some.

Vampire Weekend is a prime example of why Chamber pop is “smarter”. The band consists of four Columbia grads that recorded their first album while working day jobs. Ezra Koenig, the lead singer, was studying to be English Teacher until the band became famous. Many of their songs feature heavy orchestration, going beyond the norm in terms of having violins, marimba, or flutes in addition to, or instead of, the standard guitars, bass, and drums of most music. Their song Oxford Comma deals with not love, not sex, but with upper class elitism, with lyrics talking about how, “if there’s any other way to spell a word its fine with me”, and wondering “why would you lie about how much coal you have?” They are all somewhat rich white elitists, but at the same time they question this Cape Cod lifestyle, piquing the listener’s interest and making them think more about the music than they have previously. The variety of influences in Chamber pop is interesting as well, stretching from traditional African music to that of true chamber orchestras. The Arcade Fire performs live with about eleven members, the majority of whom play traditional stringed instruments such as the double bass, the violin, or even the hurdy gurdy. These instruments lend a very baroque feel to their music, creating a unique listening experience often containing vocal harmonies and tense crescendos. Andrew Bird, a musician from Chicago who has a degree in Violin from Northwestern, sings about Radiolarians (amoebic protozoa with silica shells) and “calculator blows to the head”, seemingly nonsensical topics that have much deeper meanings to them then when reflected upon. With concept albums about Illinois and songs that manage to make a catchy refrain out of “But this feels so unnatural/ Peter Gabriel too”, chamber pop certainly is different than what we are used to.

So why is this music suddenly trickling into the mainstream, little by little? What is it about this complexity, both instrumentally and lyrically, that drives so many to it? Is it boredom that drives people away from the commercially viable bubblegum pop that we are so used to, or is it just plain old curiosity, driving people to listen to a song named for an obscure drink made from a blend of nuts? While bubblegum pop is not totally without merit, and certainly can be entertaining, having so many pounding beats and warped vocals gets boring after a while, doesn’t it? The complexity and thoughtful alternative offered by Chamber pop causes one to think one more than they have about music, whi draws people towards it. It might even be the softer edge musically contrasting with the harder edge lyrically that makes people like it. This trend may be a just fleeting moment of zeitgeist, just briefly capturing some people’s imaginations, but it may be a trend that is here to stay. If so, this is certainly a positive thing for music: to be smarter, more complex, and more thoughtful.