If exposure is the reason that the College Music Journalism Marathon takes over every single venue in the city each October, then there's no reason to see bands you already know are good. Bands like Cold Cave, The Atlas Sound, Deer Tick, or Ted Leo + The Pharmacists have gotten enough attention so far. Instead, here's a list of shows that basically explain why CMJ was invented.

1. Duchess Says (Montreal) - Singer Annie-Claude Deschênes wears a hockey goalie mask while performing, barking like Stasi commander above a din of guitar shreds and deep synth. Perversely anthemic, in the way Joy Division is. Thursday, October 22, Santos' Party House, 12am.

The Brooklyn-based via University of Colorado band Chairlift (recently featured in BlackBook) has been getting some buzz lately, not the least of it due to their song “Bruises,” which was featured in an upbeat iPod nano commercial last year (lyric: “I tried to do handstands for you”). But this ditty is somewhat of an outlier on the electro-pop band’s complex album Does You Inspire You, which starts off right away with dreamy, haunting soundscapes, easing you in to a moody journey. The remastered album is being re-released on Columbia Records tomorrow, with an additional two new songs “Dixie Gypsy” and “Le Flying Saucer.” This week they’ll also be hitting the road with Peter Bjorn and John, swinging through New York on April 29 and 30. But first, guitarist and vocalist Aaron Pfenning explains to us about his astrological sign and his great affinity for Star Wars and the restaurant Diner in our quixotic (and now hungry) Pop Quiz.

Ah, the modern institution of the Indie Rock Music Festival. If there’s a better way for western youths to stay drunk for a week, I haven’t found it. And while drinking alcohol on its own may be a wonderful way to spend one’s time, it’s always better in the presence of live music. And unless you're Usain Bolt and can sprint across avenues and bridges in record time, there's no way you'll get to see even a fraction of the bands playing at this year's CMJ Music Marathon in New York City. So here are our picks for the top 10 shows to see at the fest. For a list of the top 10 liquors to get plastered on quickest, please consult your local bar wench.

Just don’t be calling anyone a hipster.

1. The Gutter (Greenpoint) - Pinmonkey mayhem in Billyburg? Get your ass in The Gutter.
2. Barcade (Williamsburg) - Scenester breeding ground, watch out for the aggro, no-assed, skewedly plumaged female predator.
3. Union Pool (Williamsburg) - Everybody in the pool for live music and notorious last chance late-night hookups.