Space-age pop collagists Broadcast formed in Birmingham, England, in 1995; comprised of vocalist Trish Keenan, guitarist Tim Felton, bassist James Cargill, keyboardist Roj Stevens, and drummer Steve Perkins, the quintet came together out of a shared affection for the psychedelic cult band the United States of America, a primary influence on... [+] Read More

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Like their countrymen the Cardigans and Komeda, Sweden's Cloudberry Jam drew from an eclectic pool of influences -- the vintage Motown sound, cool jazz, even a hint of Latin American music -- to hone their own distinctive brand of elegant, finely-textured lounge-pop. Formed in the town of Linköping in 1991, the group comprised vocalist Jennie... [+] Read More

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Named in honor of Kryzstof Komeda, the late jazz musican/film composer best known for his work with Roman Polanski and Ingmar Bergman, the Swedish kitsch-pop outfit Komeda originated in 1991 as the pit band for a Buster Keaton festival. A series of other festival performances followed, with the quartet -- comprised of vocalist Lena Karlsson,... [+] Read More

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Like their namesake -- the dog rocketed into orbit by the Soviets renowned as the first living creature to exit the earth's atmosphere -- Laika travelled the spaceways, forging a distinct and wildly experimental fusion of hip-hop, jazz, electronica, dub and Krautrock without earthly precedent. A kind of Too Pure label all-star team comprised of... [+] Read More

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In the wake of the rather acrimonious breakup of his previous band, Galaxie 500, singer/guitarist Dean Wareham issued a 1991 solo EP, Anesthesia, and appeared on the brilliant Mercury Rev single "Car Wash Hair" before announcing the formation of a new band, dubbed Luna, in 1992. Originally named Luna 2, the trio was a kind of alternative pop... [+] Read More

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Combining an inclination for melodic '60s pop with an art rock aesthetic borrowed from Krautrock bands like Faust and Neu!, Stereolab were one of the most influential alternative bands of the '90s. Led by Tim Gane and Laetitia Sadier, Stereolab either legitimized forms of music that were on the fringe of rock, or brought attention to strands of... [+] Read More

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Though they're based in Berlin, the witty pop group Stereo Total draw bandmembers and musical influences from across Europe. Vocalist/guitarist/drummer Françoise Cactus is French and vocalist/guitarist/keyboardist Brezel Göring is German, and the group has included members from Italy, Scotland, and Bohemia. Their 1995 debut album, Oh Ah!, on... [+] Read More

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The 6ths are a side project of the Magnetic Fields' Stephin Merritt, who produced and wrote all of the material on 1995's Wasps' Nest, as well as playing much of the music. He only sang one of the tracks, however, giving all of the remaining lead vocal slots to alternative rock faves like Barbara Manning, Dean Wareham (Luna), Georgia Hubley (Yo... [+] Read More

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One of the most pleasing pop groups of the '90s, the Cardigans' sugary confections would grow annoying very quickly if they weren't backed by great musicianship and clever arrangements. The band's 1995 breakout album Life reflected the Cardigans at their most saccharine -- the sunny disposition of vocalist Nina Persson being the major argument... [+] Read More

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One of the stranger overnight success stories in pop history, the chameleon-like Farm was formed in Liverpool, England in 1983 by singer Peter Hooton, a onetime youth worker searching for a musical outlet to voice his political concerns. Rounded out by guitarist Stevie Grimes, bassist Phil Strongman and drummer Andy McVann, the first incarnation... [+] Read More

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Yo La Tengo was in many respects the quintessential critics' band: in addition to its adventurous eclecticism, defiant independence, and restless creative ambition -- three qualities that virtually guarantee music press acclaim -- the group's frontman, Ira Kaplan, even tenured as a rock scribe prior to finding success as a performer. So... [+] Read More

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