If Guided by Voices are the Beatles of the mid-'90s lo-fi scene, then the Grifters' big, bluesy racket could certainly qualify as the Stones. Deliberately noisy, sloppy, and out-of-tune, the band masks their melodies under a heavy static fuzz of distortion. Based in Memphis and definitely influenced by their surroundings, the Grifters recall as... [+] Read More

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Inspired equally by jangle pop and arty post-punk, Guided by Voices created a series of trebly, hissy indie rock records filled with infectiously brief pop songs that fell somewhere between the British Invasion and prog rock. After recording six self-released albums between 1986 and 1992, the Dayton, OH-based band attracted a handful of fans... [+] Read More

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Hurry Up Shotgun is a pop-noisy trio from Oakland, CA with a self described sound akin to an asthmatic chest rattle in the summer heat run through a Marshall stack. Hurry Up Shotgun songs are short, catchy, and noisy. Think Mudhoney meets the Minutemen by way of Winger....no that's not right.....shut up.....

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Issaquah, WA, indie rock trio Modest Mouse was formed in 1993 by vocalist/guitarist Isaac Brock, bassist Eric Judy, and drummer Jeremiah Green. After honing their muscular sound in "The Shed" -- a makeshift practice space built by Brock on the land next to his mother's trailer -- Modest Mouse entered Calvin Johnson's Dub Narcotic Studios to cut... [+] Read More

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One of the most popular and accomplished bands in the arty, noisy indie rock offshoot dubbed math rock, Polvo touched on many of the style's hallmarks: dissonant, intricately layered guitars that often employed alternate tunings; odd, off-kilter rhythms; an emphasis on dense sonic texture; and unorthodox song structures that, nonetheless, were... [+] Read More

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Though Mac McCaughan has plenty to keep him busy -- playing in Superchunk, managing the successful Merge Records -- he also spends time recording as Portastatic. With a varying lineup, the side-project has recorded two albums and several singles since 1993, when Tom Sharpling of 18 Wheeler Records asked McCaughan to release some of his lo-fi,... [+] Read More

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As much a collective of musicians as a band, Sebadoh was the quintessential lo-fi band of the '90s. Formed by singer/songwriter Lou Barlow while he was the bassist for Dinosaur Jr. in the late '80s, Sebadoh's music was a virtual catalog of '80s alternative rock and '90s indie rock, featuring everything from jangle pop to noise rock... [+] Read More

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Hailing from Austin, TX, Spoon originated in 1994 as a collaboration between Britt Daniel (vocals/guitar) and Jim Eno (drums) and a rotating cast of supporting players. Their hybrid of indie and punk resulted in a number of Sonic Youth and Pixies comparisons after their 1996 debut album, Telephono. Spoon toured with the likes of Pavement, Guided... [+] Read More

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Perhaps no band was more emblematic of the true spirit of American indie rock during the 1990s than Superchunk, the pride of Chapel Hill, NC. Following the D.I.Y. ethic to the letter, the group operated solely by their own rules, ignoring all passing trends by sticking to their trademark sound -- typified by the buzzing guitars and high,... [+] Read More

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In 1993, cast-offs from several alternative roots outfits (Cracker, Mojo Nixon, Poi Dog Pondering) formed the Ugly Americans in Austin, TX. Bassist Sean McCarthy had organized Atlantic Soul jams at the legendary Antone's club, where he met drummer Dave Robinson, lead guitarist Max Evans, rhythm guitarist Bruce Hughes, and vocalist Bob Schneider.... [+] Read More

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this is a story that begins on a throne. seated upon is a king, all alone. facing a window, looking out to a tree that was planted by evil to hang memories. under it's branches in a garden unkempt, the fruits that have fallen become bruises that squish under steps. ghosts in the walls of the castle recall the voices that used to sing out. but... [+] Read More

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Glen Galloway (guitar), brothers Kirk and Kevin Branstetter (guitar, bass), and 69-year-old drummer Andres Malinao comprise Truman's Water. The quartet deconstruct indie rock in the style of Captain Beefheart. A modern touchstone is Pavement; the two bands have the same laidback air, sloppy riffs and uninterpretable lyrics. In fact, Trumans... [+] Read More

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As one of the most popular groups to emerge in the post-grunge alternative rock aftermath, Weezer received equal amounts of criticism and praise for their hook-heavy guitar pop. Drawing from the heavy power pop of arena rockers like Cheap Trick and the angular guitar leads of the Pixies, Weezer leavened their melodies with doses of '70s metal... [+] Read More

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