Nowadays there are more "underground" bands than ever, and if you don't wanna bother sifting through 'em, that's fine—there's good stuff on MTV and Hot 97, too. Still, it's fun to root for the little guys, especially with the economy on the skids, so let's just say you wouldn't be amiss to shell out for any of these above-average, semi-popular, and mostly local acts, all of which are releasing records and/or gigging regularly right about now: Radio 4, Enon, Les Savy Fav, Pixeltan, Laptop, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Oneida, Rival Schools, Walkmen, Liars, Greenhornes, Bee & Flower, Outhud, Lambchop, Panthers, Bis, Hefner, X-Ecutioners, Party of Helicopters. (And there are plenty more where those came from;... More >>>