Indie-pop superstars Mates of State have been infecting listeners with their unique harmonies and delicious pop sensibilities for years and are finally getting the notice they deserve. By constant touring, releasing solid tracks and playing festivals with Madonna, the band is aiming straight for the hearts of millions and with tracks like “Like U Crazy” the band is almost there.

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Though no Castor or Hum, Shiner was one of the premier guitar-heavy, indie-rock pioneers throughout the 90s. Forming in 1992 in Kansas City, Shiner were quick to grab opening spots for bands such as Shudder to Think, Sunny Day Real Estate, Girls Against Boys, Jawbox and many others. It was in fact thanks to Jawbox member Kim Coletta of DeSoto Records that Shiner had the chance to shine, initially releasing a 7″ single on the highly-esteemed label, followed lated by a full-length (Splay) recorded by none other than Bob Weston. Towards the middle 90s, after long tours and successful live shows, Shiner were approached by HitIt! Reocrdings to release a full-length album, recorded in 1996, which was to become “Lula Divinia”, the bands premier release with stellar production values and some of the hottest guitar sounds I’ve ever heard. This video for “Christ-Sized Shoes” is a featured single from “Lula Divinia”, used as a promotional video for the band and HitIt! After several more releases on labels such as Sub Pop and Owned & Operated, the band parted ways after a dreary European tour around 2001.

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Formed in the early 90s in Olympia, Washington, The Spinanes were immortal indie pop wonder kids Scoutt Plouf and Rebecca Gates, who went on to release albums via Sub Pop and Merge Records, tour with acts such as Dinosaur JR, Liz Phair, Luna, Fugazi, Lois, Hazel and many others.

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With the release of their 1982 hit album “The Crossing”, Scottish rock group Big Country solidified their place in the list of one-hit wonders to reach substantial fame in the U.S. during the 80s. Through early usage of the e-bow and other effects the band created a unique guitar sound, almost bringing to mind the horns and bag pipes of their Scotland hometown. Oddly enough, Big Country is Scotland’s most successful rock band, though none of the members actually originated from there. After their chart topping hit in 1982, Big Country went on to tour extensively through Europe, releasing over 10 albums throughout various phases of the band’s existence. Lead singer Stuart Adamson (also a founding member of legendary punk band, The Skids) succumbed to his out of control alcoholism in December 2001, reportedly committing suicide in a Hawaiian hotel room, thus ending the life of one of the UK’s best selling rock bands from the 80s.

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Not content being the head of legendary indie-rock kings (and a queen) Superchunk as well as running influential indie label Merge Records (GO NORTH CAROLINA!), Mac McCaughan also pulls double duty as the genre-ignoring solo project (sometimes duo) Portastatic. Originally as a release from the stress of Superchunk, Portastatic grew a rabid fan base, starting with his first single release, “Starter”, in 1993 on 18 Wheeler Fanzine’s label of the same name. Tons of releases and movie soundtracks later, McCaughan is still lighting up the hearts of record reviewers around the globe, with his recent LP on Merge Records, “Be Still Please” garnering rave reviews from magazines to small fanzines alike.

“San Andreas Couch” was a featured single on Merge Records in 1994 and fans of the Talking Heads, pay particular attention to the video.

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Formed by husband and wife duo Ira and Georgia in 1984, Yo La Tengo have been mainstays in the indie rock world for longer than most indie band’s albums stay in press. Residing in Hoboken, New Jersey, the band carries around more rock cred than most could even dream of and when not releasing albums on Matador Records, are busy contributing songs to movie soundtracks and practicing their giant stable of cover songs. Fact: every year the band (occasionally with Lois Maffeo) performs live on New Jersey radio station WFMU, raising money by taking impromptu cover-song requests and performing them on the spot.

The video for “Sugercube” is a classic, featuring the main cast of HBO’s cult television series, Mr. Show, acting as the band’s label reps who send them to rock school, in order to be trained in the true ways of rock and roll. Amazing.

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Elevator to Hell, now known as simply ‘Elevator’, started in 1994 as the side project of Eric’s Trip lead hair-dude Rick White. Producing hauntingly lo-fi pop music, the solo White eventually accepted Eric’s Trip drummer Mark Gaudet and White’s wife Tara White on bass. Releasing tons of analog releases, mostly in the form of limited edition vinyl and cassette on labels such as Sub Pop and Great Beyond. The band has gone through several name changes since, from “Elevator Through Hell” to “Elevator Through” and now to “Elevator”.

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Out in 2005, Sam Prekop’s “Who’s Your New Professor” features oodles of pop sensibility and the silky smooth vocal stylings of everyone’s favorite Sea and Cake member. The album features several Sea and Cake tracks and features other indie stars such as Jim O’Rourke, Archer Prewitt (The Sea and Cake), Chad Taylor (Chicago Underground Trio) and Josh Abrams (Town and Country, Roots).

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The forefathers (and mothers) of shoegaze need no introduction or biography. My Bloody Valentine were creating intense distortion and effects covered with softly spoken / sung male and female vocals before most of today’s whippersnappers were out of diapers and ripping them off left and right. Cynicism ahoy! The track “To Here Knows When” is off of the band’s 1991 album “Loveless” which nearly bankrupted their then label, Creation Records, due to the production costs and contained a track which Brian Eno described as setting a new standard for pop music (the track was “Soon”).

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Formed in 1989, Hum was a powerhouse of guitars, distortion and timing, fighting through the music industry machine and unfortunately being chewed up and spit out by the time of their unfortunate break up in the year 2000. Most well-known for their single “Stars”, from their debut album “You’d Prefer an Astronaut” (an amazing album) which went on to sell over 250,000 copies, I much prefer their sophomore effort, “Downward is Heavenward”. Posted here is the single from Heavenward, “Green to Me”, which marked the bands further exploration in thick guitars, space and a sound that hasn’t been duplicated since.

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