Looking for something besides the all too repetitive and boring songs you hear on the radio? Check out these bands that may not be mainstream but are sure to provide some variety in your playlist.  From Alternative Country to Hip-Hop, these bands will broaden your musical horizons.

Ryan Adams

by Emma Hierholzer ‘15

When thinking of what makes a good musician, the emotion and mood his or her lyrics portray is often key. Ryan Adams is one of those musicians who possesses that rare talent of being both musically gifted and lyrically talented.

Starting off in a small country/rock band, Whiskeytown, Adams established himself as a promising artist and critical darling. After the band’s breakup in 2000, Adams went solo with his acclaimed album “Heartbreaker,” changing his style of music to feature more singer/songwriter elements. Since then, he’s made over 12 albums and recorded hundreds of songs. Although he’s not too mainstream, his music has been featured in various movies over the years, and his most recent album, “Ashes and Fire,” earned him a nomination in the 55th Grammy awards. So if you’re looking for an artist whose music portrays heartfelt emotion and catchy tunes, be sure to give Adams a listen.

Listen to: “La Cienega Just Smiled” [Gold], “New York New York” [Gold], “Dirty Rain” [Ashes and Fire], “Dance All Night” [Cold Roses], “So Alive” [Rock and Roll]

River City Extension

by Sydney Morrison ’13

Consisting of eight enthusiastic New Jersey locals, River City Extension is a group that deserves to be loved by all. And it’s hard not to – love them that is. Their music jumps back and forth from folk to indie-rock and surprises listeners with a country twang. Singer/songwriter/guitarist Joe Michelini has written amazing lyrics for their two albums, “The Unmistakable Man” and “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Your Anger.” Michelini is inspired by bands like My Morning Jacket, St. Vincent and Bright Eyes, creating the combination of their brooding yet uplifting sound. The band’s most interesting and inspiring quality is the use of many instruments. Having a large group allows them to enhance the standard guitar, drums and piano with a unique combination of a trumpet, mandolin, banjo, melophone, an organ and a cello.

Listen to: “Something Salty Something Sweet” [The Unmistakeable Man], “Our New Intelligence” [The Unmistakeable Man], “Slander” [Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Your Anger]

Paper Route

by Sam Selby ’14

Paper Route is an Indie Rock four-man band out of Nashville. After winning the hearts of fans by touring with Passion Pit, Paramore and Owl City, Paper Route released their debut album, “Absence,” in 2009. Their latest album, “The Peace of Wild Things,” was just released in September 2012 and has helped create an even larger following than they had before. Author and music critic David Dark has noted that Paper Route “chronicles specific experiences of soul-crushing disillusionment and a fractured sense of faith.” No two songs sound the same; all have a unique twist through their lyrics or their atmospheric music. This band shows how music should be written and produced, offering full hearted emotion, instead of superficial poppy pretty boys and their money.

Listen to: “Calm My Soul,” [The Peace of Wild Things] “Carousel,” [Absence] “Glass Heart Hymn,” [The Peace of Wild Things]

Childish Gambino

by Alex Porter ’13

Childish Gambino, the rap alter ego of actor and comedian Donald Glover of television show “Community” fame, offers a different variety of rap that even suburban teenagers can relate to. Intimate and emotionally open, Gambino explores his relationships with women and society. Not overly serious, the same songs are coated in laugh-out-loud punch lines and references. With one paid album and several more available for free online, Gambino covers a range of mainstream and obscure hip-hop styles; from Grizzly Bear and Animal Collective samples in “I AM JUST A RAPPER,” to an orchestra in “Camp,” and with Ghostface Killah in his most recent project, “Royalty.” A self-described role model for “smart middle class black kids,” Gambino’s rhymes resonate with listeners’ experiences and sound good, too.

Listen to: “Freaks and Geeks” [EP], “That Power” [Camp], “I Love Clothes (Deadbeat Summer)” [I AM JUST A RAPPER]

Frank Ocean

by Briana Applewhite ’13

“Four summers ago, I met somebody. I was nineteen years old. He was too.” Frank Ocean announced to his Tumblr and Twitter followers (aka the world) that his first love was a man. In the close-minded hip-hop and R&B world, his announcement was met with responses that ranged from shock to ignorant disgust, but more universally, overwhelming support for his new debut album, “Channel Orange.” Fans sometimes are blindsided by his shocking confession and lose sight of the music, which is a masterful in its own right. The tantalizing melodies, symphonic sounds and heartbreakingly honest lyrics are so unexpected from this man of only 25 years. Each track on the album tells a story, from the lonely world of a rich kid living in Ladera Heights, to the heartbreak of losing your first love. Get ready, because the two time Grammy winner is transforming the R&B world with his groundbreaking music.

Listen to: “Pyramids” [Channel Orange], “Thinkin’ Bout You” [Channel Orange], “Super Rich Kids” [Channel Orange]

A Fine Frenzy

by Meagan Barret ’15

Falling under the genre of “alternative pop-rock,” it appears that A Fine Frenzy, or Alison Sudol, doesn’t know what kind of music she makes, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Using elements from pop, rock and half a dozen other genres, A Fine Frenzy combines different techniques and invents her own style as she goes. The constant is her vocals, which are enhanced by organic music, usually a simple piano melody. The stylistic additions vary from song to song, from layered voices and bass guitar, which deliver a pop-like vibe, to softer acoustics and milder vocals, giving it a singer-songwriter, alternative ring. Sudol is an explorer in the music world with her own flexible style, and her music will keep listeners pleasantly surprised with every new release.

Listen to: “Happier” [Bomb in a Birdcage], “Borrowed Time” [One Cell in the Sea], “Untitled” [Pines]