Playlist: Shannon Lambert's Portfolio
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So what exactly is "indie" music, anyway?
From Shannon Lambert | 01:59
In music, depending on who you ask, "indie" can mean a variety of different things. Residents of Northampton, Mass., give their takes on what this word means to them.
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- So what exactly is "indie" music, anyway?
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- Shannon Lambert
Open up Spotify and browse the music streaming app’s genre catalog. You’ll see rock, pop, funk, soul, punk, country, jazz-- all familiar, categorizable styles and sounds. You’ll also find a genre that, unlike country or jazz, is not so aesthetically unified. It’s called “indie,” and it ranges in sound from glossy, highly-produced studio recordings to the lo-fi haze of bedroom-pop and DIY rock. Customers at one of Northampton's cafes give their takes on what this elusive notion of “indie” meant to them. (Massachusetts, 2:00) 
Album Review: When This Life Is Over by And The Kids
From Shannon Lambert | 02:59
When This Life Is Over by And The Kids offers a dazzling, earnest reflection of youth-based angst in an era dominated by older generations.
When This Life Is Over (2019) by Northampton-based band And The Kids offers a dazzling, earnest reflection of youth-based angst in an era dominated by older generations. (Massachusetts. 3:00)
"Are you with him?": Massachusetts small business challenges "boys club" reputation of music stores
From Shannon Lambert | 06:56
This Northampton, Mass., music instrument store became a worker co-op in April 2019. Part of its mission in this new era? To change the infamous reputation of music stores as "boys clubs."
In Northampton, Mass., the instrument store Downtown Sounds has been operating for more than 40 years. In April 2019, the shop transitioned from a traditional business model into a worker-owned, worker-operated co-operative. In this new era, the staff aim to make the store a model for more egalitarian music shops. Part of their mission? To change the infamous reputation of music stores as "boys clubs."