Belying his status as a narcoleptic slacker icon, Badly Drawn Boy proved himself a tireless pop songwriter, with arrangements that reflect a great deal of creativity. Born Damon Gough, he began recording after meeting the like-minded Andy Votel at a Manchester nightclub. The pair formed the Twisted Nerve label, and Gough debuted as Badly Drawn... [+] Read More

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A band that takes its name from a French children's television series about a boy and his dog would almost have to be precious, and to be certain, Belle & Sebastian are precious. But precious can be a damning word, and Belle & Sebastian don't have the negative qualities that the word connotes -- they are private but not insular, pretty... [+] Read More

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Beulah's Miles Kurosky and Bill Swan first started off as officemates, working the mail room at a security firm in their native San Francisco in 1994. While having a small dislike for one another, Kurosky and Swan did share a fondness for music. They two put their animosity aside in 1996 and spent the next year and a half mastering a lo-fi,... [+] Read More

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Bellingham, WA, indie pop quartet Death Cab for Cutie began in 1997 as the solo project of singer/guitarist Ben Gibbard, who previously recorded under the name All-Time Quarterback. The underground success of the cassette You Can Play These Songs' Chords inspired Gibbard to recruit a full-time band including guitarist/organist Christopher Walla... [+] Read More

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The geographically and stylistically nomadic indie rock band Lilys was the vehicle of singer/songwriter Kurt Heasley, the group's founder and sole constant member. A Philadelphia native, Heasley and Lilys bowed with the 1991 single "February 14," a nod to My Bloody Valentine; while based in Washington, D.C., they recorded their 1992 debut LP, In... [+] Read More

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The self-described "fuzz-folk" project Neutral Milk Hotel was one of the primary outgrowths of the Elephant 6 Recording Company collective, a coterie of like-minded, lo-fi indie groups -- including the Apples (in stereo), the Olivia Tremor Control and Secret Square -- who shared musicians, ideas, and sensibilities. While ranging in sound and... [+] Read More

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Saturday Looks Good to Me began in late 1999 when Fred Thomas of Flashpapr and Lovesick began to assemble a supergroup of musicians from Michigan's indie rock scene to create a festive Beach Boys-inspired pop band. Inspired by the experimental pop sounds of Godzuki's Chris Fachini and his Teach Me Tiger project, Thomas began to record a series... [+] Read More

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Scissors For Lefty's story involves Malaysian pop songs and intense Beatles fixations, influential British indie labels and late night hot tub parties, '80s dance nights and KISS solo records. But mostly it's a story about friendship. "You find friends you like to hang out with, you need some glue, you need a reason to hang out and spend time... [+] Read More

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The Stockholm-based pop collective the Concretes were formed in 1995 by vocalist Victoria Bergsman, guitarist Maria Eriksson, and drummer Lisa Milberg; over the course of three years, they added guitarist Markus, bassist Martin Hansson, organist Per Nystrom, trumpeter Ulrik Karlsson, and vocalist/harmonica player Malte. Malte and Nystrom were... [+] Read More

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