Brothers Jim and Mike Blaha, along with Dave Roper, started The Blind Shake and released their first recording in 2004. They have gone on to release two full length albums and a handful of 7" records.

The Kendal, UK-based quartet Wild Beasts released their sophomore album "Two Dancers" in August to a chorus of perplexed praise, perhaps owing to their peculiar sound.

What happens when you add 11 people + Southern California + communal musical philosophizing + a fixin' for creating music reminiscent of the 1960s and '70s? Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, that's what.

I can only say that I was "agog" as Thurston Moore and Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth sat before me in our studios playing DJ for this latest edition of "Theft of the Dial."

Brooklyn's Obits debuted about a year and a half ago. While the band hasn't been around that long, the members are seasoned veterans of the punk scene.