Incorporating everything from cocktail jazz to psychedelic clamor to gorgeous acoustic tunes, YO LA TENGO is one of the most adventurous, eclectic, and consistently good indie bands of the past 30 years. The trio, led by husband-and-wife team Ira Kaplan and Georgia Hubley, has one of the biggest followings in indie rock. Their 2012 EP Stupid Things is a preview of a full-length recording scheduled for release in early 2013.

CALEXICO, known for their complex arrangements and pristine instrumentation featuring violins, mariachi horns and cascading background vocals, have taken a slightly more Pop-ish stance on their 2012 release Algiers, recorded in and inspired by New Orleans. Pitchfork.com describes the effort simply as “impeccably conceived and imaginatively crafted.”