The Soft Moon was never intended for the public's ears, but you found it, were drawn in by its danger, and insisted that others hear. Oakland's Luis Vasquez began the project in order to better know his own self. He'd holed up in his apartment and let the tape roll, allowing gut and memory guide him. Those twin sherpas, however, led him to a place of darkness, claustrophobia and dread: a musical wasteland moving to a Motorik tic, its edges made jagged in the image of early post-punk, swathed in the moody atmosphere of vintage darkwave.

Remember when hardcore bands sang about important topics and cared about what they said? Well, some still do and, sometimes, you have to look around the world to find them. THE GEEKS is that band. Prior to 2005, THE GEEKS had appeared on compilations within the United States along with the worldwide distribution of their discography CD on Townhall Records which helped introduce the band to the western world. The release of their EP on Think Fast! Records entitled "What's Inside" solidified the band as one of the most sincere hardcore acts in the world today.

Even after the disaster that was “Shortcut to Memphis”, The Golden Boys are still a stunning example of rock’n'roll from the heart. Separate The Golden Boys and you get 5 destructive tornadoes of law defying drunkenness and self loathing (especially Schmitz) bring them together, and they form a sub-par action squad of stumble-drunk sweethearts who even at their worst…are the best band in the world. We really, really hate them for that.

The mystery and dark intrigue surrounding the cooperative works of

Chaka Mpeanaji (formerly known as Jbro) and Tiger Lily are an award-winning husband-wife hip hop duo that operates from a boundless space and time. Their music and work, crafted from the funk, the SOURCE, and the gods of Hip Hop, is ready to take everyone it touches into a more powerful part of themselves.

Owing equally as much to Gram Parsons as The Replacements, Austin’s Guns of Navarone sing about the high and lonesome, and do so with enough whiskey-soaked bravado to convince you that they don’t spend too much time crying in their beers. There’s a punk’d-up energy and honesty that essentially mixes country-grit with indie-rock grammar.

Independent Brooklyn-based trio Pearl and the Beard is Jeremy Styles (guitar/vocals), Emily Hope Price (cello/vocals), and Jocelyn Mackenzie (percussion/vocals). All individual songwriters, they collaborate to create their genre-bending sound and have been compared to the likes of Mumford and Sons, The Avett Brothers, and Dirty Projectors all balled up into one. Performing and touring for 5 years, Pearl and the Beard has opened for the likes of Ingrid Michaelson and Ani DiFranco all over the east coast, mid-west and Canada.

Dragons of Zynth's frontmen, Aku and Akwetey, are twins and were raised in Cleveland, OH. The group first won notice with the demo recording of their first single "War Lover" in 2004. The band gained attention early on for their live show opening for TV on the Radio in 2005 and collaborating with U.K. outfit Massive Attack later that year. Their debut full-length, Coronation Thieves, was released in September 2007 and was produced by David Sitek. In support of the album, D.O.Z. embarked on a multi-national tour with Yeasayer and U.S. dates with poet, musician Saul Williams in 2008.

It was thirty years ago today when the Saturday boy from Essex who would become Britain’s foremost political singer-songwriter released his first record, the mini-album Life’s a Riot With Spy Vs Spy. It contained seven songs, honed live and bashed out over three days on a punk rock electric guitar, and its utilitarian, single-colour sleeve bore the following legend: ‘Pay no more than £2.99.’ In the same week, you could buy the new album by Big Country or Paul Young for £3.99, and many punters did.

Eluding tidy categorization, Seattle multimedia ensemble Midday Veil combines haunting, dramatic vocals and kosmische synth work with Middle Eastern-influenced guitar tones and driving, hypnotic rock grooves.