Those are three very good artists. Can't say I'm a big fan of Sharon Van Etten, but I love Phosphorescent and Banhart is great too. I would say that the frustration is understandable, but I'm hesitant to say warranted for a couple of reasons. One is that this is the same kind of thing that happens multiple times every year, where a (usually) flash in the pan artist gets huge for a short period of time and then will usually fall into a more comfortable level of popularity. Other artists that I think this will happen to in the end: Lorde, Haim, Bastille, Foster the People, etc. From her perspective, there are many, many other bands and artists in the same situation. Quality output that is critically acclaimed but much less popular than these "fringe-indie acts". I'd say Yo La Tengo, My Brightest Diamond, Dean Wareham (of Galaxie 500), Destroyer, and many others are good examples of this.

Regarding your second point, I think that just shows that we need more blogs and more critics that aren't afraid to be critics. It's definitely a problem with music reviews these days, though not to the extent of say, video game reviews. Give us more people like Lester Bangs, or blogs equivalent to New York Rocker, Conflict, etc. that weren't afraid to highlight the good and the bad. Sure, every once in a while Pitchfork will pan something but that's about it.

Third point and on: I think we more or less agree with it being an issue of the hype cycle an music business being the problem. From my end though, I've seen a lot of great bands and heard a lot of great music that gets no exposure because people aren't working to hype it, and because despite it being good, people don't put down the money to pay for it and support the artists. Small labels like mine and others have to try and build up some hype otherwise the artists go completely unnoticed and everyone ends up losing out. There's just an insane amount of music vying for everyone's ears. It's a double-edged sword, but yes, once the band starts buying into the hype and doing god-knows-what because of it, you end up with a lot of problems. See: WU LYF. Read some interviews and such and yeah, Archey could use a bit of a check.

I will check out Twin Hand Movement later tonight or tomorrow and report back in the Weekly Music Thread!