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What? No, they don’t blast terrorizing 8-bit electro-clash beats while screaming nonsensically — that’d be Crystal Castles. And their drummer doesn’t go by the nom de plume “Sexual Chocolate” — think Crystal Antlers. Instead, Brooklyn, NY’s Crystal Stilts marry the garage-rock and alt-pop aesthetic of New Zealand’s late and eternally unappreciated the Chills with the gloriously gloomy moan of Joy Division’s Ian Curtis in a sound both lo-fi obsessives and file-sharing fetishists can attend. The group’s debut full-lentgh, Alight of Night (out Oct. 28), is lined with tunes that shine and glimmer (”Shattered Shine,” “Prismatic Room”), even as other tracks stare menacingly into the darkness (”The Dazzled,” “The Sinking”).

Who? Crystal Stilts were founded in New York in 2003 by Brad Hargett and JB Townshend. Soon the band — still just a duo — recorded their debut single, “Shattered Shine,” with Sean Mafucci (Gang Gang Dance, Kid Congo Powers) and then toured with numerous acts, from Blood on the Wall to the now defunct Brit rockers the Long Blondes. Over the past two years, Hargett and Townshend added Kyle Forrester on keyboards and Andy Adler on bass, while writing Alight of Night, which is Crystal Stilts’ second release of this year — following a self-titled EP — and the band’s first with former Vivian Girls drummer, Frankie Rose.

Fun Fact: Crystal Stilts’ relation to New Zealand indie rock doesn’t stop at their sonic influences: The band received the blessing of Hamish Kilgour, frontman of seminal NZ noise-pop outfit the Clean, at their very first show.

Now Hear This: Crystal Stilts - “Crystal Stilts”

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In a climate noisy with hip-hop, shiny R&B, bashful indie, and rockers who exploit grunge’s worst traits, Snow Patrol stand out as staggeringly straight-arrow, playing spacious rafter-rock that practically begs to be loved. In fact, these Irishmen have only one real contemporary: Coldplay.

Both bands traffic in almost solicitously earnest anthems but come across as humbly as arena-friendly outfits possibly could. (Snow Patrol wear the humility crown alone, now that Coldplay design their own costumes.) Perhaps emboldened by the success of 2006’s platinum Eyes Open — home to the Grey’s Anatomy

Who: Formed in 1985, the Jayhawks broke through to the mainstream on the strength of their 1992 classic, Hollywood Town Hall, and its surprising hit single, “Waiting for the Sun” (watch video below). Possessing their own two-headed songwriting monster in co-frontmen Gary Louris and Mark Olson, the Jayhawks channeled Americana’s deepest roots through an indie rock prism long before bands like Band of Horses, Blitzen Trapper, and Two Gallants made it one of the more exciting trends of this decade.

What: Louris and Olson recently released Ready for the Flood (produced by Black Crowes frontman Chris Robinson), their first collaborative studio effort since the 1995 Jayhawks classic, Tomorrow the Green Grass. And this week, Louris releases Acoustic Vagabonds, an offshoot of his Vagabonds album, which emerged earlier this year. The canon produced by the Jayhawks is staggering, from Louris and Olson’s solo projects to revolving-door side project Golden Smog to the Original Harmony Ridge Creek Dippers, the band Olson formed with his former wife, singer/songwriter Victoria Williams, after leaving the Jayhawks.

Fun Fact: Last month, the 1995-era Jayhawks lineup reunited for a one-off show at a music festival in Spain. So far, no plans have been announced for any U.S. appearances with that lineup.

Now Hear This: Gary Louris - “We’ll Get By” from Acoustic Vagabonds

Classic Jayhawks: “Waiting for the Sun”

PLUS: Watch the Jayhawks “Waiting for the Sun” on Letterman, circa 1991.

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Ray LaMontagne was midway through his 105-minute set at a sold out Radio City Music Hall in New York City Saturday night when someone yelled out, “Hey Ray, how ya feelin’?” LaMontagne, who is working to overcome intense shyness among crowds, addressed the question. “How am I feeling?” he said. “Are you kidding me? It’s amazing. Just amazing to be with you.” Then there was a pregnant pause before he laughed to himself just loud enough that everyone could hear. “I love you. That’s all. I love you, I love you.”

Under the hall’s radiating purple lights, the scruffy singer-songwriter introduced a trio of horns to join his band, bassist Jennifer Condos, Eric Heywood on slide-guitar, keyboardist Chris Joyner, and drummer Ethan Johns. The group then broke into what has been referred to as “front porch country,” with “Hey Me, Hey Mama,” a song off his new album, Gossip In The Grain.

If LaMontagne’s first two albums (2004’s Trouble and 2006’s Till The Sun Turns Black) are emotionally deep and dark, his new upbeat, country-fried material is revealing a newfound positive side. With smoky-deep rasps and often spine-chilling vocals, he more than held his own as he performed an array of new and old material, including “Empty,” “Burn,” “You Can Bring Me Flowers,” and “Trouble.”

After the first of two encores, he covered Rod Stewart’s “Stay With Me” — then played “Shelter,” followed by a crowd-stirring version of “Three More Days.” LaMontagne then played “Jolene” and a solo version of “All The Wild Horses.”  He ended the evening with the title track of the new album, helped by Leona Naess, who appears on his new album and opened up the night’s festivities. “I have to catch my breath,” he said of the marathon set.

The standing ovation LaMontagne got — well, that’s something he’s used to. But laughter, both by LaMontagne and the audience — that was something new. His fresh style showcased both on his new album and in the performance Saturday, illustrated a near flawless transition from a front porch in Maine to the front of the most prestigious stage in the world.

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What? Let’s face it: From his band’s 1998 concept album The Bedtime Drama: A Petite Tragedy to his performance — stark naked! — in Las Vegas last year, no one may ever fully understand Of Montreal’s oddball bandleader Kevin Barnes — or his black transsexual alter ego, Georgie Fruit. And Of Montreal’s ninth record to date, Skeletal Lamping, is Barnes at his zaniest. Performed and produced entirely by the frontman himself, Skeletal Lamping is spring-loaded with a myriad of melodies and genre-blending experiments, from hedonistic funk (”Id Engager”) to Imagine-era John Lennon balladry (”Touched Something’s Hollow”). Your feet won’t stop moving — even when your ears are freaking out.

Who? Though Barnes has been writing and performing the entirety of Of Montreal’s albums since 2004’s Satanic Panic in the Attic, the group started out as a trio in Athens, GA, with members of the local Elephant 6 psychedelic music collective fleshing out its lineup. Of Montreal are widely known for their extravagant live shows — where Barnes is now joined by a five-piece band — which feature elaborate costumes and props. Currently, Of Montreal’s live lineup is comprised of Barnes, Bryan Poole (guitar), Dottie Alexander (keyboards), Jamey Huggins (drummer/multi-instrumentalist), Davey Pierce (bass), and Ahmed Gallab (percussion).

Fun Fact: Often to their fans’ ire, Of Montreal have licensed their music for use in commercials by companies such as Outback Steakhouse, NASDAQ, and Garmin Global Positioning Systems.

Now Hear This: Of Montreal - “An Eluardian Instance”

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