Like the soundtrack to a spaghetti western set in the Dust Bowl, Whiskey Folk's "folk noir" blends ominous, reverb-dripping guitars with boot-stomping train beats and funereal horns to create sonic backdrops for down-on-your-luck ballads and beer-soaked anthems. Their music is the sound of a union meeting at its drunkest, of a last-resort robbery gone awry, of mice and men and the lengths they'll go to forget about their troubles.

Rap battle between Captain Dan the pirate and the British Navy.

LaFarge writes and performs original, sometimes traditional music steeped in American blues, country and Western swing from the days when 78s ruled the record player. Watch him perform a short set at the NPR Music offices, with the help of his band The South City Three. Set List: "La La Blues" "Pack It Up" "Head To Toe" For more videos, visit npr.org/tinydeskconcerts

Ben Caplan is a Canadian folk music artist from Halifax, Nova Scotia. This song is my favorite, you should listen to it - or you will miss a great tune. It's up on you.

The Chicharones is an alt hip hop crew made up of rappers Josh Martinez and Sleep. They formed in 2001 and have taken it relatively easy with their career, with a three year haitus in 2006. This song is on their 2012 album, Swine Flew but, for me, this is the definitive version. I love everything about this video.

Initially just John Darnielle, who would appear on stage alone and say "Hi, we're The Mountain Goats", this is probably my all time favourite band. The guitar is often simple but the lyrics are arguably some of the best of any current-generation songwriter. Originally, Darnielle released lo-fi albums of his acoustic songs, recorded on a Panasonic boom box. Later, as a fully-formed band, the music took a more polished feel, but never wavers from its original lyrical brilliance.

Sean Na Na is a soft rock band fronted by a Sean Tillmann - you may know him by his other name, Har Mar Superstar. This is the most chilled out song from their 2002 album, My Majesty. I always really liked this album but could never quite put my finger on why.

Doomtree is a hip hop collective and self-run label from Minnesota, featuring five rappers and two producers. Each of the members has also released solo material on the label. They embody the spirit of DIY music. I was lucky enough to see them live a couple of weeks ago, and between songs one of them pointed out that "everyone who runs our record label is here tonight". This song is from their latest album, All Hands.

The strangest hip-hop group I've ever heard of. I was introduced to this stuff by a crazy punk I knew in college. Me and my friends used to sit around listening to this stuff and laughing our asses off.

I recently came to love Wampire. Here's the video that got me hooked.

Therapy? are, in my humble opinion, one of the greatest straight up rock bands of the last three decades. After having achieved a brief taste of mainstream success in the 90s, they've consistently produced quality music (to the tune of 14 studio albums to date). One of the most overlooked bands in the current landscape. This downbeat song, from their 1999 album Suicide Pact - You First, is a departure from their often heavier guitar-driven approach. The guitar solos alone make it worth a listen.

World Inferno is an awesome (currently 8-piece) band that mixes punk/cabaret/klezmer and lots of other styles to create a truly unique, ever-evolving sound. There is something exciting about the abandon in Jack Terricloth's lyrics and delivery. It's like a crazy circus without the cringe. This song is from their fourth studio album, Addicted to Bad Ideas.

The Uncluded sound a little weird at first. No way around it. Then they sound unique and interesting. It is the unlikely collaboration between rapper Aesop Rock and Kimya Dawson of anti-folk staple, The Moldy Peaches. This song comes from their 2003 album, Hokey Fright.

An amazing live performance by Kiril Džajkovski and TK Wonder at Woodstock Festival 2013. Kiril usually combines ethnic Macedonian music and electronic beats, here you can hear it in combination with Tiki Wonder whose flow (and not only flow) will leave you breathless.

Boy is a Swiss/German pop duo who have been around since 2007. This song is from their 2011 album, Mutual Friends. I find this song really addictive. Check out the cool little breakdown near the end of the song.

Found Cosmo a couple years ago on The Hype Machine. His songs always make me smile, as well as his videos.

One of the happiest songs I've ever heard. I cannot watch this video and not smile!

Although well loved in some circles, Fugazi are perhaps the definition of the perpetual underdog. This amazing song was included only on the soundtrack of the Fugazi documentary, Instrument.