Music presenter and author Ronen Givony's new book, "Us v. Them: The Age of Indie Music and a Decade in New York (2004-2014)," revisits the millennial indie rock scene in Brooklyn. Here's the problem of writing a history like this: You could go anywhere in America and argue with some success for the cultural impact wrought by most of the once-subcultural stars of Lizzy Goodman's oral history of New York's post-9/11 rock scene, "Meet Me In The Bathroom." Or, for God's sake, Jeff Chang's history of hip-hop, "Can't Stop Won't Stop." But to explain this era to someone who hasn't devoted their psyche or youth to "indie rock," you'd need to spend a whole dinner, and maybe a few drinks afterwards, justifying why the tentpole events that "Us v. Them" returns to multiple times in its 300-page run mean anything.
You mean to some people, seeing Jay-Z and Beyoncé at a Grizzly Bear show in Williamsburg was like seeing Blondie debut at Max's Kansas City?, your date might ask. OK, but why are people still podcasting about it (to promote a whole other book, no less)? They might appreciate a change in subject by the time you're mentioning that Jeff Mangum—he's from Neutral Milk Hotel—had a secret show once. Oneida? Ryan Schreiber? Their Uber's here, but it was nice meeting you…