Mountain Heart is a band that works hard to entertain, with the focus put on bringing high energy to the stage and working as a team, with every excellent musician getting their shot in the limelight.

The music Colin Stetson is playing on his current solo tour largely features songs from New History Warfare Vol. 3: To See More Light, the just-released final entry in a trilogy of loosely connected albums for Constellation Records.

In a short time, Cincinnati "Trash Pop"/"Nasty Doo Woppy" band Tweens has become the most talked about unsigned band in Cincinnati. And the music industry is watching too

Beach House’s gauzy head-trips are marked by the hypnotic voice of frontlady Victoria Legrand. Within the band’s recorded output — which is now at four increasingly ear-pleasing albums after the release of 2012’s Bloom, its second for SubPop — Legrand comes off as an otherworldly figure, an ethereal being who emits dreamy, mood-altering songs rife with ambiguous lyrics and enough atmosphere to fill a Terrence Malick triple-bill.

Despite self-releasing 2007’s Courage To Grow and 2009’s Bright Side Of Life, SoCal Reggae/Rock crew Rebelution has steadily grown its audience (and also saw the second album debut at No. 1 on Billboard’s Reggae chart). The band has been enthused about touring lately, in part because, with the arrival of Peace Of Mind, the group now has more songs than it can fit into a headlining set, giving members a chance to mix up set lists.

The backstory of Tinariwen founder Ibrahim Ag Alhabib is so cinematic in scope that it should be the basis for an epic independent film.

Instead of a typical album tour, The Punch Brothers' Noam Pikelny decided to take some of his talented friends on the road.

Nicole Wray and Terri Walker grew up an ocean apart, but their tight bond over music led them to form modern R&B duo Lady.

After the unexpected success of their 2010 debut, L.A. Indie rockers Local Natives return with the deep and reflective Hummingbird.

A new deal with Dave Matthews’ label, ATO Records, puts Kopecky Family Band closer to their goal of becoming career artists.

Zak Morgan admits that criticism of his music, the totality of it aimed at the children’s market, has a detrimental effect on his self-esteem.

After 18 years of planning, longtime pals/peers (and Roots music heroes) Buddy Miller (left) and Jim Lauderdale’s joint album, Buddy & Jim, took just three days to record.

 Known for its irreverent songs and unpredictable, gloriously ramshackle live shows, Man Man defies convention at nearly every turn.

What Those Guys’ tagline doesn’t tell you is that this “Good Hip Hop Music” mentality was established long before the group had any concrete footing.

Writing since his teen years, 21-year-old singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran became a star in the U.K. in 2011. His U.S. success picked up in earnest last year and now Sheeran appears to be on the verge of becoming a household name in the States.