The Rosenbergs have gained more attention for their intransigent relationship toward the music business than for their music. But their refusal to buckle down to unfair industry contracts has not completely overshadowed their concise, original indie pop sound. After spending five years bumming around New York, burning bridges with a revolving door of drummers and guitar players, David Fagin and Evan Silverman finally found a pair of Joes, Mahoney and Darone, to complete their lineup. In 1999, they unveiled Ameripop, their first full-fledged studio release. They supplied the funds for their own tour of England and then returned to the States in hopes of garnering more publicity. It was about this time when they turned down opportunity to appear on Farmclub.com, a website/cable TV show/record label conglomeration headed by Jimmy Iovine, because of some particularly one-sided contract terms. This brash display of independent-label integrity loosened a torrential flood of positive publicity, which they've been feeding off ever since. But this shrewd and dedicated foursome has more to offer than a keen sense of marketing. They've hammered out a clever pop sound that could compare to the brightest days of Cheap Trick. Fagin's lyrics treat traditional tormented love themes creatively, and the cohesiveness of the band proves they're not just playing at being rock stars. With the help of their new label, Robert Fripp's Discipline Global Mobile, they released Mission: You in 2001, a gorgeously produced sophomore effort, drowning out critics who might have suggested they were a gimmicky fluke. Department Store Girl followed two years later. ~ Kieran McCarthy