Hmmm, Semisonic - I think the quality of their total output is a 50-50 split between excellent and adequate, but the stuff that was good really never got the attention it should have. And I remember reading about that book by their drummer, but never picked it up. Gotta do that sometime!

Ohmygod Elbow. I love them ever so much, and am going to see them in ATL next week, but I agree with you that it makes sense they're not bigger here. They just don't have the type of sound that makes it on US radio, and I don't actually think they care anymore about cracking the US market. But they are so very, very…

Sweet holy hell, has nobody mentioned Guided By Voices, or Robert Pollard in general?? I had to join up here just to rectify this intolerable oversight…with his pop chops, and his massive output of material, dude should be on every station, all the time.