This has been a decisive year for San Francisco's The Fresh & Onlys - including invitations to play All Tomorrow's Parties and then join Deerhunter for a UK tour, extensive treks throughout the US, and standout performances at the Woodsist festivals in NY and Big Sur. Keeping with their notorious urgent pace the Fresh & Onlys released a handful of exclusive 7" singles, and Captured Tracks issued the lush and anthemic August In My Mind EP. Now to cap off the year, Play It Strange arrives this Fall from the infamous In The Red Records with a tour supporting Clinic across the US to follow. More from In The Red Records

Meet The So So Glos. Theirs is a New York story, not in the "only in..." sense-despite their unusual beginnings-but in the way that New York's story is about inclusion amidst tumult, about embracing both dark days and bright nights, about politics being personal and doing it yourself. They are, literally, a band of brothers. Singer-bassist Alex and guitarist Ryan Levine were raised under the same Brooklyn roof. Drummer Zach Staggers became their stepbrother at the age of 4, and lived nearby anyway-they'd gone to preschool together and founded their own proto-punk "Bad Boys Club." Guitarist Matt Elkin arrived in 2007, one year after the band formed, a long-lost sibling in spirit whose induction to the fraternity was immediate and complete. And in their four years, the Glos have cut a brash creative swath through their native city that includes three records made, two all-ages venues founded, and at least one jaw broken. More from Green Owl

A hybrid of mysterious, sensual rhythms; a soundtrack for the dark untraveled corners hidden beneath the gentle reflections of a pulsating metropolis... such is the musical landscape of Minneapolis band, Dearling Physique. Avant-garde but accessible, dark yet uplifting, Dearling Physique is a band that manipulates genres, effortlessly gliding between ambient sounds and electronica, from alternative pop to soul, while defying preconceived notions of conventional music. More from Dearling Physique

Polyvinyl recording artist James Husband is currently supporting Azure Ray on their fall tour, which is in Mobile, AL tonight, October 12 at the Alabama Music Box. The 6-week tour will wrap up in Birmingham, AL on November 20 at the Bottletree. In addition to support duties, Husband will also be a touring member of Azure Ray. Other guests on the tour include Tim Fite, Dead Fingers, and Nik Freitas. More from Polyvinyl Records

These United States are embarking upon a tour that some might call geographically-ambitious. It includes a stint in Texas with Thrift Store Cowboys, some Canada dates with the Wooden Sky, and all manner of dates in between, like Joshua Tree Roots Music Festival with Jerry Joseph and Langhorn Slim. Johnny Flynn, the Soft Pack, and Adam Acuragi will also be sharing a stage with These United States this fall. More from These United States

The son of Palestinian and Filipino immigrants, Hanni El Khatib grew up in San Franscisco (now residing in LA) and was obsessed with classic Americana and pop culture of the 1950s and 60s. Influenced by pioneers of early Rock and R&B (Johnny Burnette, Sam Cooke, Johnny Cash), the multi-instrumentalist serves as singer, songwriter & producer for his one-man band that is part garage rock, part blues, part folk & part doo whop. With his sinewy guitar and wry, whiskey-glazed voice, Hanni creates malt shop music for those who drink them spiked with bourbon. His debut 7" is now available on Innovative Leisure Records and has been garnering quite the attention from his music featured in HBO's Hung to being asked to open up for Florence & The Machine's North American Tour. More from Hannie El Khatib

Kingston, Ontario's quick-rising duo, PS I Love You have just released their amazing new album, Meet Me At The Muster Station, in North America via Paper Bag Records (released October 5). To support the release, PS I Love You is currently on tour with Japandroids. More from PS I Love YOu

Mutual Benefit aka Jordan Lee plays off kilter pop songs backed by a wide variety of sounds including homemade electronics, banjo, expired bacon bits percussion and overambitious harmonies. The music sounds a bit like Sufjan Stevens if he had been dropping acid with the Velvet Underground instead of going to church. Spider Heaven, Mutual Benefits' newest release, was recorded and inspired by parks, basements, and attics in rural Ohio where Jordan transplanted to from Austin, TX. When not experimenting with sound and thought, Jordan also happily runs a DIY tape label and radio show called Kassette Klub. More from Mutual Benefit

The grandfather of hip hop in the Tamp Bay area, DJ Sandman, was recently tapped by Djbooth.net to rock their next mixtape installment, Best of the Booth v.5. Sandman hits it all from mainstream MCs Kanye West, 50 Cent & KRS One to other hometown heroes Celph Titled, Laws & Dynasty. (Sample audio = Dynasty - "Magnificent" - Download = The full mix!) More from DJ Sandman

Sometimes the most unlikely pairings make for the most interesting outcomes. This could not be truer in the case of Toronto’s Bonjay. The duo will release their Broughtupsy mini-album October 5, 2010. We offered a preview track, “Stumble,” which was a perfect introduction to the world of Bonjay with its chopped up sirens, irresistible beat, and a voice from singer Alanna Stuart that is as commanding as it is seductive. Now you can hearBonjay’s rendition of Caribou’s “Jamelia” as they take this dreamy track and rework it for the dancefloor, giving it their signature dancehall-indie flair. More from Bonjay