Spring 20081 The Wheel - Did You Come Here? Also known for his work in Born In The Flood, Nathaniel Rateliff, aka The Wheel, makes his rumbling solo tracks feel equally dangerous and soothing. And he’s got a tenor you could take home to Mom.
myspace.com2 White Rabbits - Cotillion Blues Originally formed in Columbia, Mo., this Brooklyn based pop collective brings some cabaret to their vocal-centered indie rock, which may result in dancing. Even bunnies have bite.
artist link3 3 Na Massa - Tatui Featuring Karine Carvalho The name 3 Na Massa is slang for, in essence, salivating over something damn tasty. The overt sexuality of the Brazilian trio is intentional, as the group set out with its set to re-interpret women's amorous experiences with men to the tune of saucy bossa nova, jazz and electronica.
myspace.com4 Black Spade - Actioneer Rappers pay a lot of lip service to greats like, say, Prince, Miles Davis and J. Dilla, but so few actually sound inspired by their styles. Enter St. Louis' Black Spade, whose smooth flow could coax a rat from the subway rails.
myspace.com5 Jon McKiel - Fireflies With a little reverb and some delay on the electric, McKiel's rattling wail goes a long way. All the way, in fact, from Halifax, Nova Scotia, where this rock singer/songwriter sings his damaged songs infused with quality pop melodies that heal.
myspace.com6 Man Man - Harpoon Fever (Queequeg's Playhouse) Listening to Man Man is like looking at a Picasso. There's a nose here, maybe an elbow where the mouth should be, an eyeful of hues even when only one color is present. And this Philly troupe is as adventurous on wax as they are on stage.
myspace.com7 Wax Tailor - Positively Inclined (Featuring Marina Quaisse & A Trip-hop's not dead; it's just been kickin' it in France. This turntablist has stupendous and snobby taste in hip-hop samples and thick beats, with many fine guest vocalists gracing his latest album.
artist link8 Curumin - Compacto Why have one when you can have a Brazilian? Seriously, folks, São Paulo's Curumin fuses funk with his lounge, with vocals in English and Portugeuse, making for very sexy and smart tracks.
myspace.com9 The Acorn - Crooked Legs On The Acorn's "Glory Hope Mountain," frontman Rolf Klausener takes us on the same journey his mother made from Honduras to Montreal before he was born. It results in an audio soundtrack to the trials and tribs of the road, with Latin rhythms dominating the folk narratives.
myspace.com10 Firewater - Feels Like The End Of The World Take shelter! A Mexican punk band has set fire to the circus! And it sounds really good!
myspace.com11 Shy Child - Astronaut Shy Child is a child of the '80s. New Wave, Kraftwerk and a modern dash of experimental dance-pop, make an appearance in this ferocious duo's craft. Kill Rock Stars, indeed.
myspace.com12 Adele - My Same The whole old soul/young bod perspective is so played; but to say British singer/songwriter Adele (who is just barely 20) is another victim of the tome only cheapens the Columbia signee's sassy, soulful narratives. She's a sweet angel in a dirty jacket.
myspace.com13 Ben Benjamin - Blake Bloodaxe From the bustling musical mecca of Ypsilanti, Michigan, perfectionist Ben Benjamin whittles down pretty melodies to their core, then fleshes them out with daring color and a big, fat groove. Released via ever-dependable Ghostly, BB makes clean but delightfully complicated tracks.
artist link14 Chicha Libre - Six Pieds Sous Terre Surf guitar, meet cumbias. Psych, meet Cuban son. This powerful supergroup of Brooklyn musicians is the aural reflection of New York's melting pot culture, taking from '70s rock and Central and South American traditions.
artist link15 The Bowerbirds - In Our Talons Bowerbirds were born of the natural surroundings in the rural Carolinas, their songs condemning the destruction of the earth and extolling the beauty of the outdoors. They make us want to be better people and maybe build bird nests of our own.
artist link16 Ha Ha Tonka - Up Nights Rock 'n' roll was born from blues and country; those genres were informed by spirituals and gospel. Ozarks native Ha Ha Tonka makes sure that circle remains unbroken on their Bloodshot effort.
artist link17 Ruby Suns - There Are Birds Frontman Ryan McPhun traveled from his California home to take up residence in other spots in the world, most notably New Zealand. He collected new influences in his travels – as well as bandmates – and now pumps out African-drenched, rhythm-driven pop tunes for Sub Pop.
artist link18 The Dodos - Fools San Francisco duo The Dodos make an awful lot of noise for just two people. The folk and punk mixture has guitar loops and metal-inspired drumming to keep a fire burning from first to last.
amazon.com19 Dark Meat - Well Fuck You Then From Vice Records, we get seventeen f-ing weirdos from Athens, Georgia. Naturally, there are horns, a double kit and a mini choir, all under the influence of American folk and psych.
myspace.com20 Annuals - Around Your Neck Half a dozen members strong on stage, Annuals would be merely loud and annoying if they weren't so tight. Lucky for us and smart of them, this well-rehearsed troupe of North Carolinian misfits make chamber-pop quirk-rock hyphenates you'd be proud to mis-categorize.
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