Pete Klockau 
Tuscon-based singer/songwriter Howe Gelb has made a name for himself by collaborating with an ever-changing cast of players. As Giant Sand, Gelb has released more than 20 records, with contributions from the likes of Neko Case, PJ Harvey, Vic Chesnutt, and Steve Wynn.
Cloaked in mystery with eerie music to match, Pittsburgh-based experimental electronic band Black Moth Super Rainbow asks the listener to fill in the blanks.
Two solo records recorded for two of modern garage rock’s crowned heads before the age of 25 is no small feat. But Ty Segall is the real deal, playing every note with the kind of passionate, sweaty, hormonal swagger brandished by the best of the black-leather rockabilly cats of yore.
Before passing in late 2009 (shortly after this piece was written), folk-rock troubadour Vic Chesnutt had released 20 years of albums imbued with his infectious passion and collaborative spirit. The triumphant final album At The Cut is a fitting swan song.
With a trophy for “Strangest Band in Tokyo” under his belt, Bob Log III maintains an energetic and unpredictable air with flashy costumes, improvised sets, and nonsensical lyrics.
After releasing music under names such as Foetus, Manorexia, and Steroid Maximus, composer/producer J.G. Thirlwell only recently has released under his own name — while maintaining his distinctive genre-mashing concoctions.
After three albums that touch on personal topics, the scratchy, soulful material of folk singer and banjo player William Elliott Whitmore gets a thematic overhaul, angling toward subdued political themes.