The so-called lo-fi aesthetic that developed in the 1980s among American indie groups like the Replacements wasn't really an aesthetic at all. Independent record labels' hands-off policy had less to do with respect for artistic expression than it did with lack of liquidity.

In the '90s, however, lo-fi has become a true aesthetic. Groups purposely keep their music messy and their sound quality dodgy in order to emphasize originality rather than virtuosity and gloss. As home recording becomes cheaper and better in quality, the aesthetic loses part of its justification, but some of the most exciting music to emerge in the past five years has been faithful to the lo-fi approach.

Purposely or not, no indie has advanced this cause as far as Chicago's Drag City. Since 1990, the label has released a steady stream of diverse and challenging music -- from the Daliesque hoodoo of Royal Trux to the rockless instrumental experiments of Gastr del Sol to the Appalachian authenticity of Palace Music -- whose only unifying characteristic is its total disregard for what's considered commercial or, for that matter, hip. Even Pavement, probably the most influential indie band of the decade and the pioneer of lo-fi for lo-fi's sake, released its first singles on Drag City.