Or, The Whale
The San Francisco-based Or, the Whale might take their name from Moby Dick's alternate title, but they've got more of a heartland sensibility than a seafaring one. Four sets of pipes and an assortment of instruments (including banjo, pedal steel, and "frog") add up to a charming form of countrified pop that you don't hear too often on the West Coast anymore. The band had a big year in 2007, getting voted "best alt-country band" by SF Weekly, embarking on several tours, and releasing their lovely debut album, Light Poles and Pines, which is absolutely worth a gander from the crow's nest. MICHAEL HARKIN
