World Cafe

Jonathan Wilson is practically overflowing with music, if his debut album Gentle Spirit is any indication. The album runs 78 minutes, with several songs spanning more than six minutes. That's a lot of material for a debut, but Wilson is no newbie — he's worked with the likes of Elvis Costello, Robbie Robertson and Jackson Browne.

Polica's sound is crisp, minimalist and mesmerizing. Singer Channy Leaneagh plays her voice like an instrument, using AutoTune both in the studio and at live shows to manipulate her vocals. Against the sliding violins, saxophone solos, relaxed bass and dueling drums of Polica, it's hard to believe that before this, Leaneagh sang folk music for six years in her previous band, Roma di Luna.

Girls' 2011 album Father, Son, Holy Ghost strikes a careful balance between creating music that sounds classic and writing something that's already been done. Ever since Girls' debut, Album, the band has been writing and recording music that's familiar, urgent and refreshingly simple.

JC Brooks and his band The Uptown Sound have made a name for themselves by bringing back the essentials of 1970s soul. Blending rock and R&B from the early '70s — with nods to the underground punk and hip-hop movements of the same period — the group is known for its classically retro sound. Guitarist Billy Bungeroth, drummer Kevin Marks, keyboardist Andy Rosenstein and bassist Ben Taylor provide the nitty-gritty groundwork for JC Brooks, a singer with funk flowing through his veins.

The celebrated alt-country group Centro-Matic hails from Denton, Texas. What began as a side project for singer-songwriter and guitarist Will Johnson in the 1990s soon grew into a full-fledged band. With 20 albums in just 14 years, Centro-Matic has built a solid reputation for playful yet masterful, country-infused rock. With Matt Pence, Scott Danborn and Mark Hedman supporting Johnson's quick wit and pop influences, Centro-Matic's catalog exudes both boundless energy and emotional restraint.