Ten years ago, a phenomenon labeled "alternative music" defined a broad genre of cutting-edge rock-and-roll that attracted a small cult following. Today, so-called alternative bands such as Pearl Jam and Jesus Jones sell millions of records around the world and claim an enormous fan-base.

Manic Pop Thrill gives a thorough and satisfying account of the alternative music industry - its roots, its vast range of bands, and its considerable impact on fashion and culture. Questions of why and how key bands such as Nirvana and My Bloody Valentine have influenced their fans are addressed with the conversational ease and obvious experience that marks Rachel Felder's contributions to Rolling Stone and other state-of-the-art music publications.

It is often the case that deep-seated social and political problems trigger radical artistic responses. Felder notes that, whereas top-40 culture tends to ignore and anesthetize problems with simplistic lyrics and glitzy production hype, the response of alternative musicians is immediate and raw and draws fans who are dissatisfied with status-quo musical expression: "Alternative music makes congruent statements: pop music doesn't have to be safe and lightweight and disposable - it can roar and seethe with real emotions and problems; it can envelop diverse musical and social influences; it can writhe with addictive fervor."