Once upon a time, independent labels provided an outlet for adventurous music the masses weren't quite ready for. No more. Too many indies these days regurgitate the same kind of Hü rip-off bands the majors churn out. Superchunk often get blamed as the progenitor of the Hüskerclone army, but that's not really fair; Superchunk steal enough from Buzzcocks' pimply punk pop to be apart from...

Three years into the Nineties and nostalgia for the Eighties has already begun. Bands like Seaweed, Rocket From the Crypt and Drive Like Jehu are bringing back the D.I.Y. attitude and heartland punk-rock sound of Hüsker Dü and the early Replacements, recalling a time when SST was the cool indie label and corporate America had never heard of Sub Pop. Superchunk, the unofficial flagship...