Lou Barlow is among the most powerfully distinctive, influential, and prolific figures in independent music since the 1980s. He was a member of three important bands, Dinosaur Jr., Sebadoh, and the Folk Implosion, as well as making time for a solo career, and the common thread between his contributions to all these projects come from his gift for penning simple but memorable melodies, and his willingness to bare his soul and expose his insecurities. As a bassist, he took a supporting role in Dinosaur Jr., as the leader of Sebadoh he was a pivotal figure in the lo-fi revolution, and with the Folk Implosion he managed to land a single in the pop Top 40, 1995's "Natural One." Though his proper solo career didn't begin until the 2000s, 2005's Emoh and 2015's Brace the Wave show he's still in firm command of his style and his gifts.