Teenage Fanclub
Like Evan and Jaron, these Scotch popsters started out with a few guitars and a great record collection. After a few misfires and the great Big Star tribute Bandwagonesque, they finally started making albums that could rank alongside their heroes, showcasing their close harmonies and guitar crunch. Try sampling 1995's Grand Prix, one of those albums of the decade that got away.

Semisonic
When asked whom he would most like to work with, Evan nominated Dan Wilson of Semisonic. He was probably thinking of how Wilson masked the maudlin air of his 1998 hit "Closing Time" with power chords and a mastery of sonic dynamics. Wilson cut his teeth with Trip Shakespeare, but with "Secret Smile" becoming another worldwide smash, he isn't likely to give up the day job.

Jayhawks
Jangle has symbolized a crisp pop outlook ever since the Beatles floated through "Ticket to Ride" and the Byrds electrified "Mr. Tambourine Man." That luminescent approach isn't lost on the Jayhawks, a band which helped ignite alt-country and musicians who do an impressive shell game with melancholy and cheer. Their Hollywood Town Hall is a gem. And the new Smile is worth a late afternoon spin as well.