With all the Ikea furniture, ramen-based cuisine, and kegs of flat beer, it's a bit of a stretch to attribute anything such as good taste to your average college student. Still, amid the dorm-room ruckus, above the bubbling bong water, and hanging in the airwaves between the poorly read PSAs and dead silence of campus radio, there are signs of youth's redemption: The kids are never too busy cramming (not!) to dig for new and interesting music.
The average 17- to 22-year-old is so squarely at the crossroads of teen fan and discerning grown-up that once they've found a band or artist of merit, they'll follow that sound to the end of the earth -- or senior year at least. Hence, folks like the Pixies and R.E.M. end up with a faithful fan base to help catapult them into the mainstream.
Of course, not all college finds and faves are that fresh (G. Love & Special Sauce, anyone?), but when more than a few campuses are in consensus, it's usually worth a listen. Here, three up-and-comers who warrant further study.
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