EMIL & FRIENDS
When Emil & Friends started collecting the unanimous indie-press praise that?s been larded on a bajillion bands in the last few years, their debut looked as if it was shaping up to be the perfect record, brimming with ridiculous, perfect harmonies and enough graceful, laid-back hippie-ness to last a couple of months. But as the urge to grow a beard and haul one?s self to the mountains got more intense with each listen, it became clear that Emil & Friends?s music is a keeper, a hype-be-damned record.

JONATHAN BOULET
The gap between what music snobs and regular people across the globe are listening to has become smaller and smaller of late, partially because of a move toward populist views in criticism, but mostly because of music like those of young folk-pop star Jonathan Boulet. His tunes are so full of hooks and so tastefully delivered that its subject matter?heartache, basically?manages to maintain universal appeal despite Boulet?s absurdly young age. And even despite the fact that a bunch of his songs might be about Miley Cyrus.

DEERHUNTER
Deerhunter?s lyrical voice?personified by Bradford Cox, but here enveloping guitarist Lockett Pundt as well?is unusually passive for rock music. Again and again, lines depict dreamy victims, casually crucified, buried alive, or captured by vampires. It?s tempting to see these songs as a natural manifestation of Cox?s public persona, he who overshares compulsively and then winces at the scorn he attracts. But it?s not all unfiltered melancholy, unrefined id. There is craft in his sadness.

THE ELEPHANTS
In the tradition of all the string-laden, multi-membered, life-affirming outfits that have come to define pop-rock music of late, The Elephants weave intricately orchestrated songs with lyrics that touch on the serious side of things. But because these Danish musicians spotlight their sweetly vigorous melodies above all else, the music evokes emotion without ever feeling superficial or deliberate. Their second album is proof that music can speak for itself.

RAPHAEL SAADIQ
LONG TOILING IN POP/R&B?S fringe, Saadiq is almost too good for the mainstream crossover. So early news that he was making a Motown-style album was worrying. For a syrupy-voiced singer who often writes his own music and plays his own instruments to restrict himself to backwards-looking pop pastiche seemed like a huge waste of talent. Thankfully, Saadiq channels the sound and style of vintage Motor City without ignoring difficult subjects or contemporary sounds. So songs like ?Staying in Love? have yesteryear?s steel guitar solo and drums, but the call-and-response format and rattling, layered bass bring the sound up to date.