Paul Fedor is the perfect director to animate Lacey Mosley's visions - he's worked with Marilyn Manson, P.O.D., and 30 Seconds To Mars, so he knows a fair bit about that infrequently-visited intersection between the secular and the divine. His is a dark vision, but there's something redemptive about it, too. The Parsons-educated Fedor is a painter and illustrator as well as a videomaker, and like many directors who straddle the divide between commercial and fine arts, he's interested in pushing boundaries. He also, apparently, has a storehouse full of paint. The "All Around Me" clip finds Flyleaf performing in an entirely white room - even their clothing, musical instruments, and amplifiers are bright white. Mosley alone wears a grey dress; barefoot, she dances across the floor in a kind of reverie. This scene holds until the heavy guitars kick in - then, colored paint begins to pour in streams from the top of the wall. The first rush is bright red, but other hues follow, and by the time the song has reached its chorus, the room is stained like an artist's easel. The paint coats the clothing of the bandmembers; it sprays onto Mosley's dress; and before the clip is done, Flyleaf has become a live-action canvas, themselves a chaotic, vibrant work of art.

Over the past few years, we've noticed something both remarkable and (to us) pleasing: independent bands have begun to incorporate choreographed routines into their videos. Consider the success of the "1,2,3,4" clip as a telling example - after years of arch disavowal from indie purists, dancing has become fashionable again. There are many reasons for this, including increased hipster acceptance of beat music, the visionary styles of contemporary video directors, and the undeniable spectacle of synchronized dancers. But the simple explanation is that independent music is much groovier than it used to be. Art-punk - especially British art-punk - has become genuinely funky again. And few art-punk bands are anywhere near as danceable as Oxford's propulsive Foals. The promo clip for "Balloons" features dancing, and lots of it: from the musicians in the band and from a chorus line of attractive, bobbed-haired young women in black flapper regalia. But this is no slick Janet Jackson spot - director Dave Ma has incorporated plenty of edgy, nervy weirdness into the video. Start with the Foals themselves: their actions are choppy, precise, machine-like. Even while performing, they hang their heads over their instruments, and shake as if animated by electrical jolts. The girls dance more gracefully, but their moves are similarly sudden and unsettling. By the end of the clip, they've surrounded the band on the set, and they all gyrate together: a mass of motion, chaotic, but oddly ritualized. That's a good description of the music that this quartet makes, too. Foals are at once the most radical and the most approachable of the new British dance-punk bands. Their radicalism comes from their deep understanding of avant-garde art movements and the virtues of minimalism - but they derive their approachability from their pop-smarts and their irresistible grooves. The spiky single-note guitar patterns, burbling synthesizer, odd song structures, and Yannis Philippakis's rhythmic yelp are all arresting; paired with Foals's crisp and precise rhythm section, they become a whirlwind of sound, one more infectious and booty-shaking than any indie band has a right to be.

Brendon Thomas can lead a full rock band down some rough roads, or hold an audience spellbound during an intimate solo acoustic set. No matter how he's presenting his warm and inviting songs, his project is called Foreverinmotion, and he's winning fans all over America. The Vermont native has a knack for engaging melodies, a straightforward and heartfelt lyrical sensibility, and a refreshing candor and hope about thorny emotional matters.

Consider "Hot Air Balloon", the lead single from the highly-regarded The Beautiful Unknown. Thomas sings from genuine concern: it's the emotional state of his lover that troubles him. While this is, on one important level, a romantic song, it could easily be addressed to a close friend, or to anybody haunted by self-doubt, depression, or worry. Thomas promises the listener that an escape from a "troubled state of mind" is possible, and offers reassurance that positive action can have salutary effects. That's the hot air balloon he's singing about - a getaway car from a poisoned headspace. "You deserve so much more than what you've allowed yourself to be", he sings, "I wish you were strong enough to set yourself free; I know that you are."

Franz Ferdinand are an indie rock band that formed in Glasgow, Scotland in 2001. Named after Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, the band comprises Alex Kapranos (lead vocals and guitar), Bob Hardy (bass guitar), Nick McCarthy (rhythm guitar, keyboards and backing vocals), and Paul Thomson (drums, percussion and backing vocals). The band first experienced chart success when their second single "Take Me Out" reached #3 in the UK Charts,[4] followed by their debut album Franz Ferdinand which debuted on the UK album chart at #3.[5] The band went on to win the 2004 Mercury Music Prize and two BRIT Awards in 2005 for Best British Group and Best British Rock Act. NME named Franz Ferdinand as their Album of the Year. From the album, three top-ten singles were released, "Take Me Out", "The Dark of the Matinée", "This Fire". Also, "Michael" peaked at #17. The band's second album, You Could Have It So Much Better, charted at #1 in the UK,[6] selling 101,884 copies in its first week, yielding the top ten hit "Do You Want To" and other hits such as "Walk Away" and "The Fallen".

The band known as Frightened Rabbit may be proud sons of Selkirk and Glasgow, but they're certainly no strangers to these shores. Since the release of Sing The Greys -- their critically-lauded debut - they've become an underground favorite in America. The quartet has performed on some of NYC's hippest stages (they've been regulars at Todd P's long-running series of concert events in Brooklyn), and their compelling songs have been featured on high-profile indie-rock review sites and much-visited weblogs. When they haven't been on national tour with Pinback or burning through SXSW, they've been headlining U.S. shows of their own. Many of those who've seen the quartet in action have compared their explosive live energy to The Arcade Fire; those who've fallen in love with the winsome sound of Sing The Greys have dubbed FR the heirs apparent to The Shins. All this stateside attention has stoked anticipation for the Frightened Rabbit follow-up - and fans hoping for another set of immediate, deliriously-melodic indie rock will surely be thrilled with The Midnight Organ Fight. And this album is no simple continuation: Frightened Rabbit has opened up their sound considerably. These tracks are at once more polished and more sophisticated than anything the band has previously attempted - producer Peter Katis (Spoon, Interpol) has imparted clarity and radio-ready crispness to the mixes. This has proved doubly fruitful: not only does it call more attention to singer Scott Hutchison's articulate, humorous, and passionately-penned lyrics, but it's allowed the band to stretch out and experiment with different approaches. For every sharp rocker like "I Feel Better", there's an aching (but no less edgy) ballad like "Keep Yourself Warm"; for every statement of urgency like "Fast Blood", there's an ambitious, reflective piece like "Floating In The Forth". Plainly, there are more dimensions to Frightened Rabbit than Sing The Greys hinted at, and The Midnight Organ Fight announces the arrival of an indie group to be reckoned with. "Heads Roll Off", the lead single from The Midnight Organ Fight, demonstrates why FR has captured the attention of so many devoted music fans: the melody is undeniable, the hook is deftly-baited, the guitars chime, and Hutchison's voice is instantly winning. His Scottish accent is pronounced and charming; his premise is clever; his diction is unimpeachable. No surprise, then, than a singer and writer this conscientious would feel at home in a classroom. Director Joe Tunmer (Pipettes, Black Dice, Emiliana Torrini, many others) shoots the band at play in an elementary school, performing to the blackboards, the familiar construction-paper wall-decorations, and the unoccupied desks. But the room isn't empty for long: just before the first chorus, the kindergarten kids come dancing through the door. They're well-dressed, well-scrubbed, and well-behaved - but their range of reaction is astonishing. Some join hands and skip around in a circle, some move to the music on their own, some look impassively and almost critically at the musicians, and some just stand there mesmerized. It's adorable, certainly, but it's also instructive. Tunmer manages to capture shorthand approximations of budding personalities, each one already distinct and focused. Every boy and girl in the class has his own entirely individual response to Frightened Rabbit's music, and thanks to his empathetic direction, each reaction seems noble and valid. These are little indie kids of the future, forging their own personal relationships with a remarkable band and an unforgettable song.

Alternative metal band Future Leaders of the World was led by singer/guitarist Phil Taylor, a Buffalo native who relocated to San Francisco after high school. At a Puddle of Mudd gig, he befriended Mike Flynn, who would later serve as the group's manager and financed Taylor's first three-song demo tape. Upon returning to Buffalo, Taylor formed the first incarnation of Future Leaders of the World with bassist Toby Cole and drummer Carl Messina. The fledgling trio drove cross-country to Los Angeles to record a demo session, but creative tensions soon forced Cole to exit from the lineup, and with the late 2003 additions of bassist Bill Hershey and lead guitarist Jake Stutevoss, Flynn negotiated a deal with Epic Records. Future Leaders of the World's debut album, LVL IV (aka "Level Four") appeared the following autumn, but in the midst of an extensive live schedule that included a series of dates on the Sno-Core Tour the band received word that Epic planned to terminate their contract and dissolved. After settling in Little Rock, AR, Taylor assembled a new Future Leaders of the World lineup in 2005 with former Evanescence members John LeCompt (guitar) and Rocky Gray (drums) as well as guitarist Jack Wiese and bassist Thad Ables. This revamped roster later adopted the name Machina. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide

The young women of Girl In A Coma have named themselves after a Smiths song that needs no introduction here, and frontwoman and guitarist Nina Diaz has more than a little Morrissey in her powerful, elastic singing. But she may also remind you of Billie Holliday, Patsy Cline, Patti Smith, Karen O, and even Joey Ramone. Diaz's voice is classic: robust, immediate, capable of expressing great sorrow and anger while simultaneously conveying punk attitude. It's the sort of voice that announces the coming of a major band - a wail of emotional solidarity, and an arrow that penetrates a listener's heart.

We've included two Girl In A Coma clips on this reel - a video accompanying "Clumsy Sky", the lead single, and another for the aching "Road To Home". Both songs contain more musical moods and ideas than what can be found on most indie rock full-lengths, and Nina Diaz's singing performances are spectacular throughout. Jim Mendiola - best known as the director behind punk rock films Pretty Vacant and Ozzy Goes To The Alamo - is another proud San Antonio weirdo, and in the "Clumsy Sky" clip, he coaxes the desert-Texan strangeness and charm from Diaz's artful songwriting. Mendiola shoots the band in a dusty dive bar, and turns the room into a hangout for some of the freakiest characters in the Lone Star State (the three members on Girl In A Coma fit right in, of course.) These aren't hipsters: they're devoted music listeners, young and old, who casually express their personal styles under the smoky lights of the San Antonio nightclub. In other words, they're a Girl In A Coma crowd.