The Springfields

Despite living in the middle of the American Midwest, the Springfields' jangling, sweetly melodic sound put them in them in league with the finest post-C-86 guitar groups in the U.K. They were the first U.S. band to have a single on Sarah Records, 1988's "Sunflower"; covered rare and obscure songs by top practitioners like the Pastels; and in Ric Menck had a leader who was in touch with the core values of classic indie pop. The group issued a short run of singles before Menck teamed with musical partner Paul Chastain to form Velvet Crush in 1991.