Opener Joan Wasser, leader of Joan as Police Woman, creates a powerful blend of classic soul and experimental rock that's as engaging as it is original.

NPR: Crowded House, Joan as Police Woman in Concert

Inspired by the experimental rock bands of the '70s, former Tripping Daisy frontman Tim DeLaughter formed The Polyphonic Spree in 2000, with the aim of working with a wide variety of musicians and performers.

NPR: The Polyphonic Spree and Mark Olson in Concert

From the beginning, they mixed experimental noise rock with New York s post-punk, avant-garde aesthetic and came to create a new sound one that redefined what rock guitars could do, with dissonant feedback and alternate tunings.

NPR: Sonic Youth's B-Sides Are Worthwhile and Strong

However Alt-J's experimental art-rock album An Awesome Wave and London singer Jessie Ware's debut Devotion have been tipped for success by rival bookmakers Paddy Power.

BBC: Plan B and Hawley named Mercury favourites

The band scores these themes with appropriately gloomy, experimental noise-rock.

NPR: ((Sounder)): 'Those Days Were Good Days (as Days Sometimes Are)'

Alt-J 's debut, "An Awesome Wave" (Canvasback), mixes alt-rock, electronica, experimental a cappella vocals and folk in a clever album that zigs and zags with each track.

WSJ: Lost in the Trees, Frank Ocean, John Fullbright and Other Best of 2012

After more than a decade of jamming, improvising and experimenting with sound, Benevento has discovered his own way into music by combining the thrust of rock, the questing of jazz and the experimental ecstasy of jam.

NPR: Marco Benevento: Jazz Not Jazz

The space-rock aesthetic was no doubt influenced by producer and experimental musician Peter Kember, formerly of Spacemen 3.

NPR: First Listen: MGMT's 'Congratulations'