Company of Thieves- An indie rock group based in Chicago, Illinois founded by Genevieve Schatz and Marc Walloch. Part softer rock, part ballad, this band has yet to disappoint. Company of Theives is a good choice if you like Capital Cities or Ok Go. Albums include Ordinary Riches and Running from a Gamble.

The Mountain Goats- A folk/rock band formed in 1991 by singer and songwriter John Darnielle currently based in Durham, North Carolina. With a raw, unfiltered sound, one would be crazy not to like The Mountain Goats. If one likes Iron and Wine or The Decembrists, you can’t go wrong with The Mountain Goats. The Sunset Tree and All Eternals Deck are some of The Mountain Goat’s myriad of albums.

Arctic Monkeys- An English indie/rock band formed in 2002 with Alex Turner, Jamie Cook, Nick O’Mally and Matt Helders. When listening, one loses track of time, so be cautious if in a time crunch. Albums include Humbug and Whatever People Say I am, That’s What I’m Not. Arctic Monkeys are a fantastic choice if you like Muse or The Killers.

Phoenix- A French alternative rock band active since 1999 with Thomas Mars, Deck d’Arcy, Laurent Brancowitz, Christian Mazzalai, Thomas Hedlund and Jonathan Chavez. With a more eclectic sound of synthesizers and unique voices, Phoenix brings an element of surprise. One can’t go wrong with these guys if you like Mumford and Sons or Vampire Weekend. Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix is their best album to date.

The Weepies- An indie-folk duo of married singer and songwriters Deb Talan and Steve Tannen have been active since 2001. Sweet and simple acoustics cause one to quickly fall for the intoxicating voices of these two. Say I Am You and Be My Thrill are their most popular albums, especially if one likes Death Cab for Cutie or Ingrid Michaelson.