And so here we go. It is time to credit bands that are not always accorded their due. In the spirit of looking back over time and thinking about those things that have brought us happiness, five in no particular order.

1. The Bats
In my mind, The Bats consistently put out some of the best pure pop records over the course of the 90s. Their albums have the kind of raw beauty that sticks with you for days and days, coming back at odd times like schoolchildren whistling far off. I know of nobody the Bats sound particularly like. They do not look to the past, they do not look forward, they strike me like the Nick Drake albums of the early 70s, almost ethereal and yet a constant source of reassurance.
2. Royal Trux
So much of the literature on the Trux has missed the point woefully. To me, the apt metaphor, which they have occasionally used, is the sea. I think RT has followed their own compass unyieldingly. They have done so not to make a point about the evils of commercialism, but because they are staying true to what is inside. I adore the brashness of the songs, and I cherish the moments of vitriol and the moments of lyricism. They did their own thing, they did it well, and nobody else really tried.
3. Terry Riley
I have only begun my exploration of Terry Riley’s work, but I love what I know of it. It is not for everyone, and it will never be popular. Riley and Steve Reich both employed tape delay effects early in their careers, and both exhibit a fascination with phasing. Listening to some of Riley’s work can be a bit of an intellectual exercise, but it can also be an exhilirating experience. It feels like tossing large pebbles into water and watching the waves interfere with one another. Tranquil and mesmerizing in places.
4. The Magnetic Fields
From the Susan Amway vocals on the early single “100,000 Fireflies” to the sarcastic, sneering cabaret of 69 Love Songs, The Magnetic Fields have put out a fine body of work. I don’t always agree with Mr. Merritt’s choice of material, and I almost never agree with the critical reaction to his work, but he is virtually matchless when his stuff works. Nobody else writes the way he does, and it has been some time since Phil Spector was reinvented nearly as well.
5. Pole
One day in the future somebody will talk about Pole as a turning point in electronica and all the quaint subgenres surrounding it. He is the voice of tomorrow, slapping us silly with his exquisite albums. He is using technology in the larger pursuit of writing music. Departing from the pervasive bullshit that gets passed off as electronica nowadays, Pole is crafting fine albums, one after another. Dig.