Pitchfork

So. Here we come again to another rousing round of Taco Bell's Feed the Beat, the contest that lets you, as they put it, "hear some great tunes and help pick this year's best indie bands."

Things are a little different this time out, with 100 bands receiving the $500 in free Fourthmeal-- you know, the stuff you chomp down when you're stoned between dinner and breakfast-- and then competing for a chance to "have a single produced and promoted by Taco Bell...on www.feedthebeat.com, through online advertising, and with in-store efforts in the spring of 2009." And who in the hell wouldn't want that?

We'll sure tell you who might: the likes of Robert Pollard's great new Boston Spaceships, the Mae Shi, A Place to Bury Strangers, the Little Ones, Colour Revolt, Murder by Death, Be Your Own Pet offshoot Turbo Fruits, and pretty much every pop-punk/emo/screamo band ever. Yeah, I bet you dudes want some free Volcano Tacos.

UPDATE: According to a representative, Bob Pollard was entered into the contest without his knowledge, and wants no part in it. Duly noted.

Unlike past Feed the Beat competitions, you, the consumer, get a crack at selecting your faves. From now through October 23, you can vote for the hungriest-looking act, and the top 24 vote-getters will then be pitted against each other in a head-to-head tourney. From 24, there will be 12, and so on and so forth, until three lucky winners get their time in the Taco Bell Studios. Hey, worked for Little Richard.

And even if the Taco Bell Studios thing doesn't work out, each of the above-mentioned acts still has that $500 in free Fourthmeal to consume or get rid of in a creative fashion. If you'll recall, Mr. Gregg Gillis of Girl Talk parlayed his winnings in a prior Feed the Beat contest into a big fiesta, while Ted Leo and John Schmersal of Enon had their reservations.