there is a tremendous amount of great rock around, depending upon your conception of 'rock' music. Are we including punk rock, the indie music scene, etc?? One of the current developments that I have been most excited about is the mining of all of the post-punk, no wave era sounds. I can't count how many new bands are coming out with a Gang of Four influence tattoo on their foreheads (which frankly, IMO is a good thing). My recommendations: Rapture, Liars, !!!, Out H.U.D., Oneida, Interpol, Songs Ohia, Decembrists, Hot Hot Heat, Ted Leo, yes the Strokes and the White Stripes, the Locust, exploding hearts, clearlake, single frame, panthers, granddady, modest mouse, built to spill, etc., etc. Are these rock? Well, they certainly give me the same feeling I had when I was younger listening to Thin Lizzy or Led Zeppelin, despite the fact that they wouldn't make it on commercial rock radio (though living near detroit i have heard the white stripes on the dial a few times). n.p. Essential Logic (Kill Rock Stars re-issue) Lilliput/Kleenex (Kill Rock Stars re-issue)