The new trend among bands has turned from naming themselves after woodland creatures to naming themselves after repeated letters of the alphabet. First the xx came along with its pulsing R&B grooves, and now jj is back with their second full-length, n*3.

Black Mountain vets show their emotional side in Lightning Dust’s considerate and stirring release Infinite Light.

Cleveland duo Mr. Gnome boasts a sound that's an impressive balancing act between soft and hard, masculine and feminine, ethereal and earthbound.

For such a tiny nation, Iceland (population: 320,000) has produced a hell of a lot of brilliant musicians over the past two decades.

Perhaps no artist alive embodies the creaky, creepy, ornately detailed steampunk aesthetic more than Rasputina's Melora Creager. Instantly recognizable on stage in her bloomers, petticoats, and vintage corsetry, Creager has been creating compelling cello-fueled art rock since the early 90s, with help from a rotating cast of supporting cellists and drummers.