Buy a Shins record, you’ll thank me later.

Also good stuff to check out would be:
Alaska
Band of Horses
Elliott Smith
Built to Spill (probably Perfect From Now On or Keep it Like A Secret)
Stephen Malkmus
Franklin For Short

all of these can be found at the iTunes music store.

The hook is what sells. It’s a shame, but in this information era, 30 second edits, record companies pumping it out to maximize profit age you throw out what’s going to sell and if you don’t land a hook quickly people will flip the dial.
Like I said, incredibly unfortunate, but you’re right in what I’ve noticed too, at least in the mainstream.