Dr. Dog

After gaining exposure by touring with My Morning Jacket, Dr. Dog burst out with their official debut Easy Beat in 2004, and have been critically lauded ever since. Their summery psychedelic rock has earned comparisons to the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Zombies, and their newest release Fate sounds like an undiscovered album from your uncle's hippie days. If you missed them at 2007's Lebowski Fest -- where the band performed songs from The Big Lebowski soundtrack -- now's a perfect time for an introduction to Dr. Dog.

Bones Soundtrack

Today, placing a song in a prominent TV show can take an unsigned artist's career to the next level. A song on Grey's Anatomy helped launch Ingrid Michaelson's career, and placements on the Fox TV series Bones could have a similar impact for unsigned artists like Susan Enan and Eliza Lumley. These features have already generated an amazing amount of exposure for both Enan and Lumley, and appearing on this soundtrack alongside heavy-hitters like Sinéad O'Connor, The Crystal Method, and Sarah McLachlan (also featured on Enan's "Bring On The Wonder") will only keep their momentum going!

Friendly Fires

Initially seen as part of the UK's hyperactive, neon-drenched "nu-rave" scene, Friendly Fires made it clear they were serious about dance music with their extremely solid Photobooth and Cross The Line EPs in 2006-07. Now, with the release of their self-titled debut, the band is ready for radio and clubs around the world. Aside from "Jump In The Pool," the lead track produced by Paul Epworth (Bloc Party, The Futureheads), the entire album was self-produced by this trio from St. Albans, England, and absolutely shines with meticulous pop smarts. From longing-filled "Paris" to the cowbell-knocking, LCD Soundsystem-like "On Board," Friendly Fires is a glistening collection of dance music that "shudders with joy, passion and lusty nowness" (NME).

The Peth

The Peth is a band formed by Rhys Ifans (best known for his acting) and Dafydd Ieuan (drummer for Super Furry Animals). Given Ifans's celebrity (he dated Sienna Miller) and the controversial video for "Let's Go F*cking Mental" (which includes footage of his colonoscopy), the band's musical merits often get overlooked. The Golden Mile, however, has already been given 4 out of 5 stars by British newspaper The Observer with writer Jon Savage saying "their gonzo attitude is infectious."

Michael Moore & Fred Hersch

Clarinetist/saxophonist Michael Moore and pianist Fred Hersch first met in 1975 while studying at the New England Conservatory in Boston. Over the next 30+ years, the two collaborated on many occasions, but had not recorded an album together until 2008's This We Know. Their performances on this album prove that a long friendship can be good for more than just funny stories, with AllAboutJazz.com calling it "top-notch musicianship from two close friends."

Klaus Schulze & Lisa Gerrard

After spending five hours straight recording with vocalist Lisa Gerrard (Dead Can Dance) for their new album Farscape, Klaus Schulze exclaimed "I have never experienced such an exciting thing in my entire career as an artist." Quite a statement, as Schulze has more than 40 albums to his name, has been called "The Godfather of Trance," and was an instrumental figure in the development of krautrock and German electronica. Farscape is a two-disc collection of sublime, hypnotic electronica featuring Gerrard's signature deep contralto, and will transport you to a hauntingly beautiful world for over two and a half hours.