“Ones to watch for 2010″ Northern Ireland’s Strait Laces have been making noise since 2008. “Chunky, ballsy and a little bit sinister” their music nods to Biffy Clyro and At The Drive In whilst still maintaining a fresh sound.

The indie band’s incredibly catchy debut single ‘Seconds Out’ was released through Bruised Fruit Records and is available to buy from online music stores.

The most exciting band to come out of the north west of Ireland this year is Strait Laces. Three feisty young lads making spiky-rock-pop, they always pack a punch with their music.

Tunng – Hustle from Thrill Jockey Records on Vimeo.

The indie band’s album …And Then We Saw Land is due in early April on Thrill Jockey.

Independent band Lily Sparks have just released their debut EP, Cooper Cobra.

Forged in the crucible of the New York rock scene, Lily Sparks has emerged with a unique voice. Flanked by glitter guitars that alternate between crunch and wail, the singer’s got a set of pipes that can go from fragility to fury in a heartbeat. These girls play hard-rocking, toe-tapping songs that’ll make you want to shout and sing along.

First timers are never quite sure what to expect when they see a Lily Sparks show but after a few seconds it’s pretty clear: They rock. Flanked by glitter guitars that alternate between crunch and wail, the singer’s got a set of pipes that can go from fragility to fury in a heartbeat. These girls play hard-rocking, toe-tapping songs that’ll make you want to shout and sing along.

• Lead vocalist Niamh (pronounced “neev”) was born to sing. As a child in Ireland she sang traditional Irish songs, perfomed in choral groups and played lead roles in musical theater. She’s classically trained in voice and piano. She’s probably taller than you. But don’t let that scare you…

Disco Curtis will be supporting Co-Headliners Eye Alaska and Rookie of the Year on tour kicking off on April 8th in Wichita, Kansas.

The independent band recently released their video for their new single “Ashley,” which won MTVU’s The Freshmen and is now in rotation on MTVU.

Disco Curtis was most recently signed to MySpace/Interscope Records and debuted their music video for “Ashley” on MySpace racking in over 44,000 plays its first week.

Today, the band currently performs songs off their debut EP Play With Fire Get Burned which is available now via itunes.

New Zealand’s Kerretta make their US debut this March when the band kicks off their first ever US tour with a show at this year’s SXSW. To coincide with the SXSW performance and US tour, the band will be releasing their debut album – Vilayer – Stateside for the first time.

For those who have seen their blistering live show, Kerretta will no doubt be high on the “to see” gig agenda. Those yet to experience the propulsive, driving rock from this instrumental three-piece have a chance to see them push the envelope of tone and dynamics in an intense set. Their catchy, sometimes ambient brand of molten-core will appeal to fans of The Swans and Isis, but discerning listeners will know the trio peddle a uniquely atmospheric take on angular rock.

Get ready Chicago, Bear Ceuse is hitting the road and playing at Reggie’s Music Joint on Saturday, February 27, 2010. The indie band will also make an appearance on Fearless Radio on Saturday.

After playing a packed show at Arlene’s Grocery in New York, Bear Ceuse is continuing its tour through the states to spread the gospel. Check out their latest song “Zombies,” available for download here, www.westminsterlab.blogspot.com. Or if you want to download the whole EP for free, just leave your email address, and listen risk-free, http://www.westminsterlabs.com/.

Cloud Cult is thrilled to announce some US tour dates this February, March and April – their first in nearly six months. The handful of 2010 US dates include a benefit show on February 26th at First Avenue in Minneapolis where all proceeds will go to saving The Electric Fetus Record Store outside of $1 from each ticket that will be set aside for the American Red Cross’ Haiti Relief Fund.

In addition, this past fall Craig and Connie Minowa moved to a new home just West of Madison, WI where Craig has been writing and recording a new album set for release later this year. The record will be the band’s first studio album in more than two years and is the follow up to the critically acclaimed Feel Good Ghosts (Tea Partying Through Tornados) (Earthology – April 2008).

The Bigger Lights will be supporting This Providence on the ‘Bout Damn Time Tour kicking off on March 25th in Portland, OR. The tour will also include The Audition, Anarbor and Artist Vs. Poet (3/25-4/03). TBL just released their new single “Jessie” on iTunes and will be releasing their debut self-titled album on March 30th via Doghouse Records.

The Bigger Lights, consisting of vocalist Topher Talley, guitarists John Kendall Royston and Chris McPeters, bassist Dan Mineart, and drummer Ryan Seaman have written and captured a memorable collection of radio- ready pop/rock anthems, each with distinguishably diverse influences filling its own unique place on their new album. Their new single, “Jessie” is incredibly infectious with a chorus guaranteed to be stuck in your head for days on end!

Courtesy of our friends at Full Time Hobby Records, Tunng have just released an album teaser for their upcoming CD …And Then We Saw Land – due out in the US on Thrill Jockey Records this April.

“I’ve always been drawn to the darker sides of art and music,” says Little Invisibles vocalist Gina Degnars. “Even back when I started taking piano lessons, when I was seven years old—I always wanted to play the minor chords, not the major ones. There’s a powerful beauty in darkness, I think.”

So there is, from Chopin to Poe to Twilight. And it’s that same dark, powerful beauty that resonates throughout Little Invisibles’ brand of hauntingly melodic alternative pop.

With Gina’s aching voice and poignant keyboard at the fore, the band’s epic, sweeping songs rise and swell like waves on a moonlit shore until they crash over the listener like a sea of Byronic heartbreak. Five of these impossibly moving songs—all composed, like the rest of the group’s music, by Gina—make up Closer, Little Invisibles’ stunning debut.

When I first meet with artists I often ask this simple question: What did you do for your career today? Because I’m well aware that by the time they talk to me, many feel overwhelmed and have already retreated into a mindset of excuses–I only have so much time so it’s not worth it or it’s already late or I’m burnt out. But excuses don’t help you at all.

That’s not to say feeling overwhelmed is unreasonable. The music business is intimidating once you begin to look at the business aspects and everything that you need to do to become self sufficient as well as effective and productive, but there’s a little secret people don’t know: the little stuff can be just as important as the big stuff. It’s about forward motion, and forward motion can take place in the smallest snatches of free time. Whether you’re waiting for someone else to do vocals on a recording before you mix or you’re waiting on a tech guy or girl to set up your website, there’s always stuff that can be done.

A simple checklist can include:

Updating a networking site.

Adding friends to a networking site.

Researching new venues or contacting a new venue.

Researching new review sites or magazines and/or sending to them.

Researching booking agents and/or contacting them.

Researching new management companies and/or contacting them.

Researching hotels or places to stay for tours and adding them to your database.

Ahimsa Sunrise will be releasing their sophomore EP, Save It via iTunes and Hot Topic locations on April 6th. The band has already self-released their debut EP The Unseen Realm in 2008 and their album Viceroy and The Monarch in late 2005. The band just finished shooting the video for the EP’s single, “Save It”.

Ionia the dynamic 5-piece melodic rock band from New York is preparing to release their debut full length Moral Hazard on April 20, 2010. Ionia has toured throughout the North and Mid East United States, as well as internationally through self-promoted and nationally promoted tours. Ionia has been gaining national attention and a burgeoning fan base thanks to powerful moving lyrics as well as catchy melodic hard-rock/metal-pop and a stage show full of physical high-jinks.

Thanks to their loyal and dedicated fan base, they’ve won national contests such as the Ernie Ball Battle of the Bands, Warped Tour contest and the Famecast Taste of Chaos Tour. As their fan base begins to exponentially grow, they’ve been invited to open for major label bands such as: Cancer Bats, Four Year Strong, Bring me the Horizon, Pierce the Veil, Thursday, Buck Cherry, Kill Hannah, Alice in Chains, A Wilhelm Scream and Underoath. They have also played such major festivals and Tours such as Locobazooka, Dewey Beach, Music -Conference 09, CMJ 2009 and the Kevin Says Stage during Warped Tour 2009.