Folk-punk singer/songwriter Elliott Smith rose from indie obscurity to mainstream success in 1997 on the strength of "Miss Misery," his Academy Award-nominated song from the film Good Will Hunting. A native of Portland, OR, Smith began writing and recording his first songs at age 14, later becoming a fixture of the city's thriving music scene;... [+] Read More

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The work of Eric Matthews was a direct reaction to the lo-fi recording practices so prevalent throughout the alternative music scene of the 1990s; while many of the decade's artists trafficked in a defiantly ragged, do-it-yourself aesthetic, Matthews' records grew out of orchestral theories and practices, and revelled in the stately elegance of... [+] Read More

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Guster became one of the most successful bands to hit the East Coast scene in the late '90s. Through relentless touring and humorous stage banter with the crowd, the band developed a strong, grassroots fan base that spread rapidly with a strong presence on the Internet. The Boston trio developed a unique sound with two acoustic guitars and a... [+] Read More

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Although John Cunningham is British, he lives and works in France. Like his fellow musical expatriate Bill Pritchard (or for that matter, Prefab Sprout or the High Llamas), Cunningham's elegant brand of pop music owes a certain debt to smooth pre-rock classic pop of the Cole Porter school, mixed with a touch of Bacharach, Wilson, McCartney, and... [+] Read More

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Touted as "Nashville's most f*cked-up country band" by their label Merge Records, Lambchop was arguably the most consistently brilliant and unique American group to emerge during the 1990s. Their unclassifiable hybrid of country, soul, jazz, and avant-garde noise seemed at one time or another to drink from every conceivable tributary of... [+] Read More

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Manishevitz began in Virginia as the brainchild of Adam Busch, formerly of the Curious Digit. With the help of guitarist Via Nuon, the band's first release for Jagjaguwar, (1999's Grammar Bell and the All Fall Down,) was a promising disc of intimate, gentle indie pop liberally laced with folk and acoustic blues tones. Busch and Nuon soon... [+] Read More

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With melodic, baritoned anguished that falls somewhere in the neighborhood of Scott Walker, Pulp touring guitarist and former Longpigs member Richard Hawley began his solo career with his self-titled debut in 2001. Richard was raised in Sheffield, England, the son of a steelworker and grew up listening to folks such as Roy Orbison and Elvis... [+] Read More

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With melodic, baritoned anguished that falls somewhere in the neighborhood of Scott Walker, Pulp touring guitarist and former Longpigs member Richard Hawley began his solo career with his self-titled debut in 2001. Richard was raised in Sheffield, England, the son of a steelworker and grew up listening to folks such as Roy Orbison and Elvis... [+] Read More

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Christopher Tolle (vocals/guitar/bass) and Jake Cardwell (drums/percussion) were having some drinks in a local bar in Lawrence, KS, when they struck up a conversation about music. It was 2001 and both had had their hands in other projects over the years and were looking for something more permanent; Cardwell was a sessions contributor to the... [+] Read More

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Philadelphia's Bigger Lovers -- singer/guitarist Bret Tobias, guitarist Ed Hogarty, bassist Scott Jefferson, and drummer Patrick Berkery -- debuted in 2001 with How I Learned to Stop Worrying, a critical favorite that aligned the quartet with like-minded Big Star/Byrds/Band devotees like Pernice Brothers, Waxwings, and Beachwood Sparks. In the... [+] Read More

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Led by brothers Dallas and Travis Good, the Toronto-based Sadies honed a distinctive sound, taking influence from traditional country, surf music, and garage rock. After earning notice and adding backing singer Neko Case, the group issued their debut LP, Precious Moments, in 1998. Tremendous Efforts followed in early 2001, teaming them with... [+] Read More

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