Kathleen Edwards
“Back to Me”

Songs
Kathleen Edwards is a Canadian singer-songwriter. Her blend of country, folk and pop music has made her a favorite of music critics, and a rising star on radio in 2003 with her debut album, Failer. Her sophomor...

22-20s
“Shoot Your Gun”

Songs
I hadn't heard of 22-20s until I happened to catch the last half of their performance of "Shoot Your Gun" on Last Call with Carson Daly early last week. Yes, Carson Daly. And I still don't know too much about t...

Kings of Leon
“The Bucket”

Songs
The Kings of Leon are a Southern rock band comprised of three brothers and a cousin, all from Memphis, Tennessee. Their name is derived from the brothers' father, a Pentecostal evangelist. Thus their musical ro...

The Walkmen
“The Rat”

Songs
Although lumped in with the New York garage-rock scene, The Walkmen stand out by incorporating a wider range of influences and instrumentation. Plus, they own their own New York recording studio, which puts the...

Tegan and Sara
“Speak Slow”

Songs
Tegan and Sara Quin are identical twin sisters, born in Calgary, Alberta in 1980. They got their start by winning a local music competition, Calgary's "Garage Warz." Since then, Tegan and Sara have shared st...

Muse
“Hysteria”

Songs
Muse is a British rock band whose sound is often compared to pre-Kid A Radiohead, most notably because Muse singer Matt Bellamy sounds very similar to Radiohead's Thom Yorke. Absolution is Muse's third studio a...

The Go Find
“Over the Edge”

Songs
Belgium's Dieter Sermeus makes thoughtful electronic indie pop under the moniker the Go Find. The sound has been compared to The Postal Service, Styrofoam, and The Notwist. The melancholy "Over the Edge" is ...

The Mars Volta
“The Widow”

Songs
I saw the Red Hot Chili Peppers in Madison in May 2003, and the two opening acts were Queens of the Stone Age and before them The Mars Volta. Man, did the Mars Volta suck. Among all my friends who attended, non...

Bloc Party
“Banquet”

Songs
Bloc Party are going to be big. I devoted a couple of posts last month to The Bravery and Kaiser Chiefs, naming them as contenders for a break-out in '05. But they might be the underdogs to Bloc Party, whose de...