Eels + Jessca Hoop

The ever-mysterious, super-creative Mark Oliver Everett leads Eels, a Los Angeles outfit that keeps one foot in experimental waters and the other in the mainstream. As anyone who's caught Eels live knows, though, they pull out all the stops onstage. The band released two albums in 2010 alone: End Times and Tomorrow Morning, both spun off from last year's Hombre Lobo. Singer-songwriter Jesca Hoop, who started her career nannying for Tom Waits's kid, has a lovely, clear voice.