Echoplex

Tilly and the Wall
Hailing for the musical hotbed of Omaha, NE, the indie pop anomaly Tilly and the Wall formed in 2001 out of the ashes of several groups -- including Conor Oberst's pre-Bright Eyes endeavor, Park Avenue -- and gained some underground recognition for their unorthodox approach to percussion, forsaking the traditional drum kit for the amplified tap shoes of dancer Jamie Williams (as well as hand percussion supplied by vocalists Neely Jenkins and Kianna Alarid)....

Future Bible Heroes
The Future Bible Heroes are one of several lo-fi projects headed by vocalist/keyboardist/songwriter Stephin Merritt (others include Magnetic Fields and the 6ths). 1997's Memories of Love featured songwriting and production contributions from Chris Ewen and vocals by longtime Merritt collaborator Claudia Gonson....

Shooter Jennings
The only son of country legends Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter, Shooter Jennings literally spent his childhood on a tour bus. Born Waylon Albright Jennings, Shooter was playing drums by the time he was five years old and had already begun taking piano lessons, only to break them off and follow his own path to an understanding of the instrument....

El-P
El-P, aka El Producto, is one of hip-hop's most obstinate and adventurous pioneers, combining a lo-fi old-school aesthetic with a progressive rock musician's inclination to push boundaries. He has never succumbed to the demands of corporate rap, instead choosing to pursue his own decidedly non-commercial direction....

Blackalicious
Like a few other West Coast rap acts, including the Pharcyde and Jurassic 5, Blackalicious has generally favored what hip-hoppers call the "positive tip"; in other words, its lyrics have often been spiritual and uplifting rather than violent or misogynous....