Lamb - “Cotton Wool”

After a long break, Lamb have reformed and are poised to release a new album later this year. It’s surprising how well their old material has held up after a decade and a half, and disappointing that they never realized the level of success and popularity that other contemporaries like Portishead and Tricky did.

The Golden Filter - “Dance Around The Fire”

Flying off the success of last year’s SXSW comes the debut album of The Golden Filter, a sort of electro-rock duo in the vein of Ladytron. When the US release drops in June, watch for the buzz to grow exponentially as they embark on a short tour to promote it. Live 105’s BFD looks to be a good launching pad for the US market, be sure to catch them in the Subsonic tent (with The Limousines) if you’re going!

Envy On The Coast - Southern Comfort

For folks who love the melodic side of Glassjaw, but find Daryl Palumbo too pretentious for their liking, Envy On The Coast will hit your sweet spot. While we’re only about a third of the way through 2010, it seems safe to say that their new album LOWCOUNTRY deserves a spot in the top 5. Southern rock, pop punk and alternative rock are all blended together seamlessly to create some solid, memorable tracks.

Snog - The End Of The World

David Thrussell has somehow found a way to channel all the ennui, frustration and quiet rage of modern life into quirky, challenging works of genius that seep into your subconscious and leave you thinking long after you’ve heard them. His latest album is  truly his magnum opus, and well worth the wait.

Amanda Palmer - “Ampersand”

There is a delicate and powerful beauty in all that Amanda does. She is a strong, yet vulnerable woman who isn’t afraid to wear her heart on her sleeve. She challenges norms and defies expectations, but is humble, appreciative and interacts with her fanbase in ways that most artists are too afraid to. Yet above all else, she makes beautiful music that makes you feel something. This song is one of her most amazing creations.

Bloodgroup - “Moving Like A Tiger”

Hailing from the harsh expanses of Iceland, but sounding more like a slick LA electro-pop outfit, Bloodgroup have both the songwriting chops and the ass-shaking beats necessary to leave the listener with an impression that they’ve been missing out on something.

Mistah F.A.B. - “Deepest Thoughts”

Mistah F.A.B. is most commonly associated with the hyphy movement in the Bay Area, and he’s quite popular as a featured/guest MC with a wide variety of artists, but he’s also a guy who eschews the typical rap subject matter in his rhymes. This track shows just how smart someone who’s “ghost riding the whip” can be under the layers of baggy clothes, chains and swagger.

Muse - “Undisclosed Desires”

There is something about Muse that is both familiar and refreshing, a combination of styles and dynamics that is often imitated but rarely perfected as well as these three men have done. There are hints of Queen and David Bowie and classical music and opera and post punk, but what makes Muse truly fascinating is their ability to combine all these disparate things into something that can instantaneously be defined as sounding like Muse.

Celldweller - “Goodbye”

Scott Albert a/k/a Klayton Scott is a studio wizard who has quite an impressive body of work. From his early days with his solo project Circle Of Dust and the underground industrial supergroup Argyle Park to his current solo project Celldweller and work with Criss Angel on the music for his stage show and Mindfreak TV series, Klayton has proven time and again that he can deliver the goods.

The Receiving End Of Sirens - “Swallow People Whole”

The Receiving End Of Sirens’ magnum opus The Earth Sings Mi Fa Mi is one of the best albums of the past decade. Here is the opening track, “Swallow People Whole,” which is so damn epic it requires no commentary as it really speaks for itself.

MuteMath - “Pins And Needles”

MuteMath returns after a nearly 3-year absence with a new album that challenges old and new fans alike with a sound that is more insistent and understated than that of their self-titled debut. Some songs incorporate jazz elements, others are straight up Top 40 pop music with some alternative rock production thrown on top. On the whole, the record flows really well and has a number of highlights. Here is “Pins And Needles,” hands-down one of the best tracks of 2009.

Left Of Christ - “Denial”

Bay Area metalcore band Left Of Christ was born out of the ashes of other seminal acts from the area, bringing together musicians with disparate backgrounds to create something unique and memorable. Since the recording of their debut EP, vocalist Ryan Reynoso (formerly of Divided) has left the group, but they have found a replacement and working on new material.

Tech N9ne - “I’m A Playa” (Remix feat. Krizz Kaliko)

One of underground rap’s most recognizable voices, Tech N9ne is often clever and crass, but not without a touch of genius. Here, he weaves Falco’s “Rock Me Amadeus” into the song’s titular refrain, throwing down some killer rhymes on top of a slickly produced beat courtesy Rob Rebeck. Probably the most fun song you’ll ever hear about being a despicable womanizer!

Ambience - “Two Mouths One Head”

Ambience is a Bay Area band that came out of nowhere to become a bit of a local phenomenon. In the same class as Dredg and Woven, they represent ambient alternative rock quite well, and judging by their 4-song EP - and a well received performance at this summer’s BFD - they will be an act to watch going into 2010.

Water & Bodies - “Free World”

A new project from the members of Kaddisfly, Water & Bodies builds on the melodic progressive pop punk Kaddisfly does best, and adds in some new layers and genre-bending experiments in their sound. The entire EP was recorded live as a band, and it shows in the performance of this song. Eager to see what’s next from these guys.