SPACE MOVIES | Experimental | Space Movies is just a two-man band, but it sounds like there's a hell of a lot more members when you hear them live. Sometimes Aaron Hansen straps on a sort of gas-mask microphone to sing while he hammers away at the kit; Alex Moe alternates playing keyboard and bass guitar. The duo improvs most of their stuff %u2014 which is really incredible when you hear it all come together. myspace.com/spacemovies

RICE QUEEN | Punk | While punk outfit Rice Queen features members of other functioning Spokane bands, they are most certainly not a side project. Currently recording and flying under pretty much every radar, Rice Queen have only played one show and don't have any scheduled, but consider this the calm before the storm.

SAFE WORD | Hardcore | Local hardcore revivalist project Safe Word may still be a baby %u2014 they've only played two shows since their conception %u2014 but the group plays with the furor of an entire city's worth of rage. What Safe Word lack in gimmickry they bountifully make up for in fierce energy and an incredible presence.

DAVID PLELL & THE ULTRA PEACH | Rockenspiel | You know these guys from their old band, Cyrus Fell Down. Today, they've come back to life as the Ultra Peach: a thick rock band anchored by a whole hell of a lot of glockenspiel. Yes, it's actually completely, totally awesome. They're as folksy and happy as they are rock n' roll. Truly a unique new local band.

BANDIT TRAIN | Super Mario | Back in 2009, the brothers Malsalm (Chris and Mike) were called Please Draw in Me, and they were one of the Inlander's picks for top bands that year. Now called Bandit Train, these guys overlay the brightest of keyboards with the most dynamic blastbeats to make the prettiest, coolest video game-like music you've ever heard.

TIM BLOOD & THE GUTPANTHERS | Punk | One of this year's Bands to Watch, Tim Blood & the Gutpanthers first caught our hearts at a Peaceful Valley house show. The kids there were acting like the band, a scrappy denim-vested clan from Moscow, Idaho, was AC-freakin-DC, the way they were dancing and screaming as they played. Truly a hilarious live band, but one that writes punk that hearkens back to the Sex Pistols, the Replacements and Husker Du. controlforce.bandcamp.com

BELT OF VAPOR | Heavy Experimental Rock | If there was a last band standing competition locally, judged on terms of longevity, Belt of Vapor would be absolutely owning it. This longtime local three-piece evolved from a hardcore outfit with heavy Melvins/Jesus Lizard leanings into the pointed, experimental, raw band it is today. It's pissed off stuff that might make you wanna yell along: "I'm gonna run, no one can catch me, not even God." The band just released a 7" record on Seattle's Whoa! Boat Records. beltofvapor.bandcamp.com

LOSING SKIN | Hardcore | There are few bands asked back to Seattle's Rainfest every year, but one of this year's Bands to Watch, Losing Skin, is one of them. The band %u2014 which has several members of defunct local hardcore band, Behold %u2014 has gained a fast reputation across the Northwest for its mashing together of metal and hardcore. Losing Skin brings the pain, on record and on stage: occasionally some things get thrown, some faces bleed. It's all in good fun though. losingskin.bandcamp.com

JAZZ | Experimental Rock | Jazz isn't just a clever name: these locals make solid, heavy rock that always, somehow, ends up walking off toward a horizon of distortion and guitar jamming. There's a lot to like about this band, but one of our favorite things is the way singer Ramsey Troxel will be singing along %u2014 like everything's peachy f--king keen %u2014 when suddenly loses it, totally freaking out into the mic. Jazz is a local band worth every bit of your love. jazztheband.bandcamp.com

DRAG LIKE PULL | Heavy/Emo | Before emo was horrible, there were bands like Drag Like Pull %u2014 bands who weren't afraid to sing honestly and sadly over heavy, intense music. Risen from the ashes of the Toy Garden, Drag Like Pull is in the midst of an ambitious four-EP project for each season of the year. "Fall," released in winter, was a pretty and beautiful, and we're hoping to see "Winter" (or whatever season they feel like singing about) next. draglikepull.bandcamp.com

DIAMOND SPEEDBOAT | Rock | Diamond Speedboat plays the kind of rock and roll that makes you want to yell "f--k yeah!" Fronted by the vocals of Ben Ham %u2014 a heart-on-his-sleeve singer %u2014 Diamond Speedboat is loud and anthemic, for fans of Foo Fighters or people who want to rock out with a beer in hand. reverberation.com/diamondspeedboat

WILDCARD | Hip-hop | Phil Andrade, better known on stages as Wildcard, brings a hard-nosed, been-there, seen-that edge to the local hip-hop scene. The California/Spokane rapper has won over audiences with his polished, radio-ready sound, packed with witty, unapologetic lyrics, blues guitars and female guest vocalists. Wildcard sells out venues locally, so get there early. wildcardqm.com

SUL ROSS | Acoustic | A duo of young, acoustic musicians, Lucas Brown and Mark Breckenridge are called Sul Ross. They make music with dreamy melodies, deep lyrics, complex harmonies, and overall beautiful aesthetics every time. markbreckenridge.bandcamp.com

SILVER TREASON | Country | Silver Treason has made country cool again in Spokane's club rock scene. The band %u2014 made up of long-respected members of the punk scene here %u2014 plays a Hank Williams/Waylon Jennings type of country, driven by the steady twanging of pedal steel guitar player, Jamie Frost. They were one of The Inlander's 2011 Bands to Watch, and put on a show that is literally impossible not to dance to.

TEAM GROWL | Acoustic | Team Growl's been a lot of things with a lot of people, but it's always been the project of gritty singer/songwriter Matthew Winters. Winters (a 2010 Band to Watch) makes playing acoustic guitar look manly. With a gravelly, baritone voice. He opts for heart and soul over being pitch-perfect, turning the singer-songwriter stereotype on its head. Visit Facebook.com/teamgrowl

DUCK DUCK SUCKERPUNCH | Rock | Who knew that that smiling face behind the bar at the Baby Bar had one hell of a voice? Led by the deep, gorgeous vocals of Patty Tully, Duck Duck Suckerpunch is a happy little rock band. Featuring members of the Camaros and Whiskey Dick Mountain, DDSP has made a big splash in the last year with their songs that you can dance to, drink to and sing along to.

BBBBANDITS | Surf Rock | There are no words to BBBBandits songs %u2014 and that's no problem. This band (one of this year's Bands to Watch) will compel you with the absolutely jawdropping guitar playing of Gawain Fadeley, the band's bespectacled axeman. The four-piece band brings some of Spokane's most interesting, compelling and masterful music to the current local music scene: a sound inspired by Link Wray, Dick Dale and bands like the Ventures. It's hair-raising stuff.

WHISKEY DICK MOUNTAIN | Gospel Punk | The men of Whiskey Dick Mountain, a band that took home a 2011 Bands to Watch title, have got the fever %u2014 a fever for punk rock, whiskey and the gospel of rock and roll. They're an infectious band, what with all their yelping, good-time party songs and the reverend-like preaching on the part of lead singer Tim Lannigan. If you've never seen WDM, you're missing out on one of Spokane's best live bands.

MATERIAL KISS | Dance | Holding it down for North Idaho, Post Falls DJ Material Kiss brings a little of everything to his turntables %u2014 from hip-hop to rockabilly. You've seen him play at the Hop, Partybros and Bassline Entertainment shows. soundcloud.com/materialkiss

DIRTY PANDA | Dance | How we love a DJ that's not just standing there. And when Dirty Panda, another North Idaho staple, gets excited, you know it. He's pumping his fists, jumping up and down. And the crowd get excited too as he sends out waves of bass-driven, dance heavy love to their glowstick infected brains. reverbnation.com/dirtypanda

THUMPER | Dubstep | Who knew that a young lady playing the dive bars of Coeur d'Alene Idaho was doing some of the most interesting DJ work in the area? Thumper, aka Jordan Magnuson, is bringing the local rave scene to life with her unique take on dubstep. It's got all the chilling drops that the kids seem to love these days, but with a lot more craft and integrity than some of the other yokels out there. She's one of this year's Inlander Bands to Watch. soundcloud.com/thumperbeats

FRANKLIN | Indie Pop | OK, so we've heard about four people now say that Franklin, a relatively new band of cute Whitworthians, is Spokane's answer to Local Natives. There's lots of clapping, lots of singing along. They're green in the local scene, but we're hoping to see them rise up alongside Terrible Buttons in Spokane's indie crowd.

SUMMER IN SIBERIA | Experimental Pop | Another local band that's driven by electronic beats, Summer in Siberia plays a brand of rock that's meant for backyard parties and basement makeout sessions. This trio croons over the beat (much in the same vein as bands like MGMT) sometimes, and other times, like on "Someday I'll Procrastinate," unleashes a crazy wave of loud, infectious electric rock. summerinsiberia.bandcamp.com

JAEDA | Positive hip-hop | Two years after winning one of our Bands to Watch titles, Jaeda is starting to embrace her power as a local hip-hop heavyweight. Her rhyming talent is clear, but what's rad about her music is the way she brings honor, thankfulness and this New Age-y sort of attitude %u2014 rapping about "your third eye" and "peace, love, life, reflection" %u2014 into her songs. Reverbnation.com/jaeda

CATHEDRAL PEARLS | Indie Folk | Undeniably, Karli Ingersoll has been one of the most beloved local female singer-songwriters from here in the last decade. She was fantastic on her own, but what's even better is seeing her now onstage with a band: her husband Caleb on drums, Max Harnishfeger (Ruby Parasols) singing beside her, Carrie Harnishfeger on keys. They sing, and it's beautiful music. But this time around, it actually really rocks too. cathedralpearls.bandcamp.com

TERRIBLE BUTTONS | Horror Folk | They're almost like a family band, this giant Whitworth-bred indie-folk outfit. Led by Kent Ueland, the Terrible Buttons %u2014 one of this year's Bands to Watch %u2014 steer the indie-folk thing down a much darker, path less traveled. They sing songs of divorce and heartbreak, of disappointment and dejection. And what they do has caught on like wildfire around the Northwest, bringing out crowds of fans both in and out of town. terriblebuttons.bandcamp.com

FREETIME SYNTHETIC | Flip-hop | For the past 15 years, Freetime Synthetic has been turning the typical hip-hop stereotype on its head %u2014 instead, making songs and beats that sound and feel completely new in a well-worn genre. Freetime (aka Jason Corcoran) has long been at the center of local hip-hop with his local hip-hop collective, Bad Penmanship. reverbnation.com/freetimesynthetic

DJ STONE TOBEY | DJ | Behind every great rapper, there's a solid DJ %u2014 and behind Spokane's hip-hop scene has always been DJ Stone Tobey. We watched as he backed Freetime Synthetic for over 30 tracks at a show last month %u2014 a task not for the weak-DJ.

RAMBLECHILD | Experimental | Ramblechild is just one guy %u2014 but that hardly means he's a moody dude with an acoustic guitar playing coffeeshops. Quite the opposite, actually: Ramblechild rambles over a heavy beat and meandering guitars, positioning himself as the no-wave psychedelic folk alternative to Spokane's singer-songwriter scene. ramblechild.bandcamp.com

SALES WAGON | Electro-Tingle | The first time we saw Sales Wagon, it was in a barn and he was playing Jim Jones samples over crazy electronic beats. And since then, we've seen him wow crowds with his mind-bending, earth shaking, "huh?"-inducing Aphex Twin-like beats that he makes with crazy little machines on stage. It's like somewhere out in space, someone's throwing a dance party %u2014 and it's being transmitted only to Sales Wagon's brain. He'll throw a producer's corner type of session with other local beatmakers, including Guttahface and K. Clifton. Facebook.com/saleswagon

ROMPER | Dance Party | This Moscow, Idaho band is exactly the opposite of the type of music you'd expect to come out of Moscow (no offense, we love Moscow): it's electric, loud, a little strange and totally irresistible. The band just played a set at Boise's Treefort music fest, and is coming to Spokane to shower us with little pearls of acid-trippy goodness. Bring your dancing shoes.

THE SOUL & THE MACHINE | Experimental Pop | This longtime Spokane band is just as electronic as it is rock and roll. And we're not talking just electric guitars, but dancey plugged in beats. The band might be the only rock band in town without a drummer %u2014 instead they've got a drum machine hammering behind their '60s-esque guitars and wailing vocals. thesoulandthemachine.bandcamp.com

MIRROR MIRROR | Rock Noir | For years, Jason Campbell has been in Mirror Mirror with a revolving cast of members from here to Olympia. With this Spokane band, one of this year's Bands to Watch, Campbell's hazy rock songs come to life to create something romantic and heartbroken, bitter and beautiful. It is, perhaps, one of Spokane's most unique sounds %u2014 which has gained the band attention from radio stations and fans around the globe. mirrormirror.bandcamp.com

BROTHERS OV MIDNITE | Pentagrams | Quick: think about a DJ for a second. What you're picturing? That's the exact opposite of Brothers ov Midnite, the darkest, moodiest DJ duo to come through these parts in, well, ever. Justin East and Dan Ocean play everything from goth to the very darkest hip-hop, almost as if to show that you don't have to be happy and poppy to get out and dance.

JACOB BUTCHER | Folk | Holding it down for Spokane's singer-songwriter scene, Jacob Butcher and his brassy voice have long sung songs of memories and nostalgia over gentle acoustic strumming. He makes you feel as if you're sitting around a campfire; his music is the kind of easy, relaxing coffee shop fodder you don't see much around here anymore.

LIZ ROGNES | Folk | Liz Rognes makes simple music beautiful. The Spokane-by-way-of-Minnesota singer-songwriter has fast risen in the local scene with her powerful real-life songwriting. She's a unique female singer: her vocals often starting submissive and evolving into something strong and powerful. A true Spokane gem. Facebook.com/liz-rognes-music

IAN L. MILES | Experimental Folk | Ian Miles %u2014 a guy that's been appearing more and more around Spokane stages %u2014 sings, screams, pleads and talks as he plays. It makes him far-more than just a folk singer; Miles is all emotion in his music %u2014 forcing him to make music that is dejected and pissed in the very best way. Ianmiles.bandcamp.com

CLYDE WEBB | Bedroom folk | Moscow/Boise singer often wears a dark black shades and a tshirt with a giant Golden Retriever on it while he's playing. And that alludes, a little, to the type of music he makes. It's both cool and bold, but also tragic and personal as he sings about blowjobs and heartbreak and roadtrips in tiny 2-minute songs. Clydewebb.bandcamp.com

MATT MITCHELL | Americana | Matt Mitchell, best known around these parts as the multi-instrumentalist at the mic in Folkinception, brings a little roots and some hootin' and hollering to the singer scene here.

DEAD SERIOUS LOVERS | Quiet Rock | Henry Nordstrom is like Spokane's own Thom Yorke %u2014 never fearing the high notes, surrounding his voice in the moody atmospheres created by guitarist Vaughn Wood and drummer Brandon Vasquez. It's stark music, and that's what makes the emotion of it so very powerful. deadseriouslovers.bandcamp.com