Middle Brother is a trio that features the lead vocalists of Deer Tick, Dawes and Delta Spirit.

Local singer-songwriter Thomas Kivi has been compared to the likes of Bob Dylan, Townes Van Zandt, and Conor Oberst. Honest and unassuming, Kivi's lush harmonies are a largely acoustic blend of folk, bluegrass, and traditional Americana.

Now three albums into their career, the Long Beach, CA foursome Cold War Kids finally have a chance to call music their job. With that, they've been able to write their latest album "Mine Is Yours" over three months in the studio with Jacquire King, who has also worked with musicians like Tom Waits.

Telekinesis, the one-man-band alterego of Seattle musician and songwriter Michael Benjamin Lerner, makes classic 21st-century Pacific Northwest indie-rock in the tradition of Death Cab for Cutie and others.

In a city mostly known for hip-hop duos like Bight Club and the now-defunct MC/VL, Koo Koo Kanga Roo stands out as the only team of family-friendly rappers. With songs like "Rollin' In the Minivan" and "Don't Wanna Do My Chores," Koo Koo manages to make their music and live shows appealing to both kids and adults.

Singer-songwriter Nicole Atkins has gone through a lot of life changes in the last couple of years, and they're all laid bare on her new album, "Mondo Amore."

"Born into the world wearing neon sunglasses and a pair of hi-tops, Jake Sullivan was raised on casio keyboards and cartoons." So begins an autobiographical segment on electronic, guitar and synth-shredding, face-melting local one-man band BadNRad. BadNRad has been thumping a keytar-sized dent in the Minneapolis music scene over the past year, culminating in a showcase at First Avenue's Best New Bands of 2010.

Emerging from Los Angeles' growing indie-soul scene, Fitz & the Tantrums began as the one-man project of Michael Fitzpatrick, but has now expanded into a seven-piece band. Fitzpatrck--"Fitz" for short--plays the church organ and shares vocal duties with singer Noelle Scaggs.

Born in London, growing up in Greece and moving to Scotland at the age of 10 then going to college at Duke University, it wasn't until singer-songwritier Alexi Murdoch moved to L.A. that his career took off when KCRW host Nic Harcourt began playing his music. His first full-length album "Time Without Consequence" was released in 2006, and his song "Orange Sky" found its way all over television and movies playing on shows like The O.C. and movies like The Garden State.

Wild Nothing is the band from Virginia-born Jack Tatum. Produced entirely in his bedroom, Tatum started with the music before writing lyrics to his Smiths-inspired shoe-gaze songs. While on tour, Tatum brings a long band members to recreate the sounds live.