The Boom Bang
"Spies Like Us"
Hometown: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

This four piece of southern hipsters plays tight, indie surf punk to match its members' tight jeans and devil-may-care demeanors. Crashing cymbals, shrill reverb, tambourine and howling vocals enlighten the loud sound of "Spies Like Us", an underground gem of raw attitude. It's got a perfectly catchy chorus of chanted hoots and bow-wow-wows and a theme of night-owlish behavior any 20-something can relate to. And it gets it done in under three minutes, which gives the tune its punk badge. The band formed in May 2008, professing that their music only wants a good time to be had by all. Their Pizzapocalypse EP (best EP title ever) came out in 2009, and a new one will be whipped out by March of this new year. These Southern gentlemen will also be playing the four-day Neon Reverb Festival in Las Vegas of that same month.

The Woodlands
"Summerland"
Hometown: Portland, Oregon

Gentle yet haunting, mysterious yet familiar, the music of the husband/wife duo the Woodlands is full of intrigue. Their songs paint a land of quiet, sparkling sounds of Samuel Robertson's warm bells, xylophones, violin, acoustic guitar and the whispered vocals of Hannah Roberts. "Summerland" is a perfect slice of what this musical couple is all about. The track's clinks and strums slowly build into an opus about getting away from the world and into a dreamy landscape of serene sound. The Robertsons, a power couple in the making, independently produced and released their 2009 self-titled debut. Watch out for a 2010 tour.

Grub Animal
"I Am Quite Unable"
Hometown: Brooklyn, New York

As a band that isn't afraid to wear its emotions on its proverbial sleeves, Grub Animal's song "I Am Quite Unable" is a laundry list of personal problems. While the East Coast four piece settles into a bass-heavy, dub-flavored groove, the form a cheeky, relatable ode to one's inabilities and shortcomings. "I'm quite unable to swim in the icy water/I'm quite unable to impress upon the women-folk", hiccups mustachioed vocalist Ted Strauss. Maybe it's just his bad breath? Actually, the lyrics of the song were adapted from a traditional Inuit folk song, originally recorded in 1915 on a Canadian arctic expedition. Strauss explains:

"It's sad but funny. It's fascinating to contemplate how our present day self-doubts about getting a good job, making sound life choices, and achieving some status within our society is reflected in the Inuit society, who struggledcontinually against harsh natural elements with only the most basic tools. Our concerns are universal; find food and shelter for self and family."

Grub Animal just released their self-titled debut in 2009 and are currently recording their second LP, titled The Duck Wife, expected to drop in winter of 2010.

Narcotic Love
"Toda Vez Que Voce Passa"
Hometown: Sao Paulo, Brazil

Off to a running start with jungle noises and a rumbling didgeridoo, the smoking dance floor gem "Toda Vez Que Voce Passa" by Brazilian party-starters Narcotic Love explodes into an all-out assault of crunchy synths, crashing cymbals and sultry vocals. Declaring their infectious hybrid mix of rock and electronica as influenced by Fat Boy Slim, Kasabian and even Stereophonics, Narcotic Love poured pure energy into its independently-released first album Show Me Heaven. Track after track, the album's singles prove to be as equally addicting, with their hooks only getting better as time passes. The Brazilian trio are already huge in their home country, their songs catching tons of web and MTV Brazil attention and even being used on ídolos, Brazil's version of American Idol. The band is currently preparing its second album, ready to burst into North American ears at any moment.

Jackson Cage
"Help Me Mama"
Hometown: Belfast, Ireland, UK

Hailing from the lush land of Ireland, Jackson Cage, a 7-piece folk rock band crafts spare, heartfelt tunes full of twinkling banjos, guitars, piano and harmonica that feel at once homey and ethereal. Bits of Van Morrison, Neil Young, James Taylor and the rest of the major players of Laurel Canyon's 70s heyday give Jackson Cage's music an undeniable timelessness. Declan Doherty's voice is laden with such soul it's clear he's lived through everything he's singing about. The band's 2008 debut hit #1 on Amazon's Alt Country/Americana MP3 chart, and they began working on their second and much-anticipated sophomore album in November 2009. This new year, Jackson Cage will capture more ears than ever before.

3rd Stone Band
"Give Me Hope"
Hometown: Gainesville, Florida

This southern reggae-funk band spins afro-beat-inflected polyrhythmic jams like they were born doing it. In 2006, then-10-year-old guitarist Anthony Kavouklis made his impromptu stage debut with blues legend Buddy Guy to much acclaim. His abilities attracted the most talented local musicians around and, from then on, 3rd Stone Band's amazing improvisational abilities have continued to morph into a true creative force. "Give Me Hope", a song about personal freedoms, is driven by afro-beat percussion and group vocals that do just what the song's title asks. It's not everyday you come across a musical group with such a positive message behind it. Check out their self-titled debut, which dropped in November 2009.

Nive Nielsen
"Good For You (Would I Be)"
Hometown: Nuuk, Greenland

"My name is Nive. I 'm an Inuk, a real eskimo from Greenland. Seriously." is how Nive Nielsen describes herself. Ironically, her instrument of choice is a little red ukulele. Paired with her smooth, chirpy coffeehouse voice, Nielsen crafts intimate songs that sound straight out of the pages of an intimate journal. Her wistful love song "Good For You (Would I Be)" is a meditation on the past, present and future of the relationship two people share with one another. Quiet drums, banjo twangs and a beautiful chorus keeps us coming back to this song because it's so authentic. Fun fact: Nielsen just completed the score to Greenland's first feature film ever, Nuummioq which debuted at Sundance Film Festival this year. She'll be on a roll when she hits South By Southwest 2010 in Austin, Texas. Big things are in store for this Greenland native.

Versant
"Push Away"
Hometown: Vanersborg, Sweden and Los Angeles, California

Carah Faye Charnow, the former front woman of Grammy-nominated Californian band Shiny Toy Guns, formed Versant with fellow electro-pop veterans in 2008. Their musical chops are undeniable on "Push Away", a electro-prog song birthed from a lovelorn heart. Full of huge hooks and towering synths, it is perfect either on a dance floor or your bedroom floor. The infant band played its first shows just a few months ago in November 2009, after a few demos posted on the band's Myspace received wild praise. Their self-released debut is tentatively due in June 2010 and the pop-culture tour de force Lady Gaga has already voiced her appreciation for Charnow's earlier work in Shiny Toy Guns. You can be sure Versant's going to take that musical oeuvre into an even more futuristic direction.

Junkyard Empire
"The Basics"
Hometown: Minneapolis, Minnesota

Junkyard Empire's politically-minded rhymes make them entirely about today. Their unique blend of live drums, wailing guitar, keyboards, trombone and bass sweetens the deal and makes their delivery that much more intelligent and epic. They've been described as "the jazz version of Rage Against the Machine". On their song "The Basics", featuring RDM and Mr. Nox, the group spits lyrics like "At peace like a Mennonite when I write/But then with the mic/My life reflects the tribulations of a Cenobite/With such sites to show you/Suffer the pain/The more you fear the more we overload you". The impassioned track, full of ironclad wordplay and Junkyard Empire's own samples, is about a return to what's truly important in life over smooth keyboard beats, and heavy guitars and bass. In the midst of their winter tour, the band is promoting their just-released EP, Rebellion Politik.

The Aviation Orange
"Darling Johnny"
Hometown: Brooklyn, New York

Channeling a mix of greats like New Order, the Pixies and the Shins, this quintet from Brooklyn band makes infectious indie synth-pop songs their number one order of business. The boy/girl vocals lend an intimate feel while the drums, guitar and keyboards all soar on pure emotion and energy. "Darling Johnny" builds and builds until it explodes in an avalanche of trilling guitars, drums and an irresistible synth riff that will get stuck in deep in your head. Their debut LP, dropped in July of 2009, along with their live shows caught the ears of South By Southwest promoters, where the outfit will showcase this year. This band's ambitious sound is sure to reach a lot more ears in the near future.

Miho Wada
"Piss Off (Such A Loser)"
Hometown: Miyazaki, Japan, London, UK, and Auckland, New Zealand

The tiny-yet-energetic Miho Wada, who sneers words confidently above the fray of music about "getting lost in pleasure" or "drinking vino and playing Nintendo", creates bizarre, ska-influenced jazz punk with her international mash-up of a band. In "Piss Off (Such a Loser)", she waxes poetic on how much of a loser a former lover has become. Between descriptions of her boyfriend being high on coke, always broke and running around with other women, Wada tells him to get lost for good. After a slew of dates in New Zealand, this band is heading off to Austin, Texas to play South by Southwest.

Mumiy Troll
"Nuclear Stations"
Hometown: Vladivostok and Moscow, Russia

Founded in 1983, Mumiy Troll has been around longer than many of their fans have been alive. Literally meaning "the mummies' troll", this prolific group of Russian gents provide the world with sleek rock songs. They started in 1997 when they released their first official album Morskaya independently and are still going strong just as their 14th and newest disc, the "Paradise Ahead" EP, is set to drop this year. Their jam "Nuclear Stations" has a driving bassline, dissonant guitar work and lead singer Ilya Lagutenko's voice contains so much dramatic allure that the song's cryptic lyrics almost seem like a metaphor for sex. Here's his take on the song:
"My vision is that nuclear energy can bring catastrophes as well as build the right energy reactions; so here we fall in love like little nuclei without knowing what will happen to us...[we could turn into] Chernobyl or a new energy source."