The CMJ Music Marathon returns tomorrow, Oct. 21st through the 25th, with more local shows to choose from now that Brooklyn music venues are eclipsing Manhattan’s. To help you discover that one fledgling band that gets your heart racing, we asked a few arbiters of sonic cool to share their must-hear bands. Be sure to show up early or buy advance tickets though — even those with badges can have trouble getting into individual shows.

Doug DeFalco, co-founder of JellyNYC, producer of the McCarren Pool Parties
The boyish San Diegan rockers The Muslims, says DeFalco, “bring the rock back with a Strokes-ish bang to your chest and crotch.” Of all their Brooklyn shows, the best, he says, will be the one at Public Assembly at 4pm on Saturday, since their “sound system is far superior to other places they will play.” (site>>). He also admits he’s “waited too long” to hear punk vixens The Vivian Girls, (above) and will “definitely” see them during CMJ. Fortunately both The Muslims and The Vivian Girls play a MyOpenBar-sponsored show at Don Pedro’s on Thursday (site>>).

In Manhattan he’s adamant that Brit rockers The Rumble Strips are “sad proof that English white boys STILL have more soul than American white boys (except for the entire Daptone family).” They play Wednesday at Red Bull Space with Brooklyn’s own Takka Takka. site>>

Conrad Doucette, drummer of eclectic rock outfit Takka Takka, which plays multiple shows at CMJ
Locally, Doucette says “You can’t go wrong with the lineup appearing at the Bell House throughout the week. The highlights for me are on Saturday afternoon: PWRFL Power, a completely unique, Brooklyn-via-Seattle-and-Japan one-man twee guitar hero, and also The Forms, the elegant math rockers who currently have a stripped, more spacious sound on display.” site>>

He also says it’s worth braving the dark basement of The Delancey on Sat. for the “moody vocals and beautifully atmospheric sonics” of The Secret Life of Sofia (above). site>>

Ear Farm
Our favorite music bloggers have their own, excellent free day party Wednesday at Pianos, featuring bands like Takka Takka, and have an hour-by-hour guide to CMJ, with mp3s scattered throughout. site>>

Erik Gundel, multi-instrumentalist for the Americana-garage outfit Motel Motel (second from left), a pig roast alum and band to watch. Playing three CMJ shows including Union Hall and The Knitting Factory with friends The Muggabears on Wednesday and Alina Simone (below)
Minimalist masters Pattern is Movement, says Gundel, is a duo “making amazingly unique pop” who “could be playing a much larger spot” than Union Pool’s intimate setting Friday at 8pm. They also play The Bell House Wednesday. site>>

He also touts Tel Aviv garage-rockers Monotonix as “one of the best live bands in the world these days” and tempts us with promises of “rocking riffs, nudity, and a cappella sing-alongs.”  They play a few shows including The Music Hall of Williamsburg and the Gramercy Theatre Saturday at 7pm with the fiercely powerful, topless femme-rappers Yo Majesty opening, continuing the nudity theme.  site>>

Allison Langerak of the dreamy folk-rockers Bel Air, (above) another pig roast alum with a CMJ show Friday at Spike Hill
“If you are a fan of dreamy slowcore that builds so slowly and artfully that before you realize it, it’s turned into explosive, full-blown rock,” says Langerak, “then you should definitely check El Jezel,” who play The Delancey on Sat. site>>

In Brooklyn, the ethereal, rock-psych band Hopewell “will be blowing the roof off of Greenpoint’s Europa” on Wednesday. site>>

Alina Simone, (above) the Brooklyn-by-way-of-Urkaine folk-punk chanteuse playing Wednesday at The Knitting Factory
Simone says The Seabellies are “amazing live” in the same sort of way as the instrument-swapping members of Broken Social Scene, whose Brooklyn Masonic Temple show is sold out. “They are really hitting big in their native Australia and this is the first time they are playing any shows in the US.” They play in Brooklyn and Manhattan, Fri., Sat., and Mon. site>>

She’s also “super excited” for the UK’s Bearsuit, who, after an aborted SXSW trip this year due to visa issues, are playing their first-ever US shows Wed., Thurs. and Sat. in the city and locally, site>>. The Hard Lessons, “a kickass rock-n-roll trio from Detroit” and Chris Leo’s Vague Angels — Ted Leo’s brother, whose band “is supposed to be really amazing” is another pick of hers. Both play Union Hall Friday at 11 and midnight. site>>

As for our two cents? If you want to wallow in sweetly morose Swedish pop, don’t miss the ineffably romantic Jens Lekman perform in Brooklyn Vegan’s showcase at the Music Hall of Williamsburg, 6pm on Tuesday (site>>).  For baroque, blue-grassy space rock (done with mandolin, cello, and violin) check out Miracles of Modern Science, cheekily named the MOMS, Friday at Glasslands Gallery (site>>). If high-energy antics and overloading the senses is more your cup of tea, then make sure to see garage punkster Jay Reatard (above) take down the house alongside the new and buzzy psych-rock act Crystal Antlers, 9pm on Saturday, also at Glasslands and The Music Hall of Williamsburg with Monotonix (site>>). If you’re a roots rock, bluegrass-by-way-of-Wilco fan, then catch the Jones Street Boys on Saturday with Goes Cube and others at Union Hall’s free afternoon show (site>>).

And we would be remiss if we didn’t mention that Tuesday night presents the rare chance to see the genre-bucking, whimsical San Francisco trio Deerhoof, 10pm at Spiegeltent. site>>

By Jocelyn. Secret Life of Sofia photo by Josh Goleman, Motel Motel photo by Jonny Leather, Alina Simone photo via brooklynvegan, Bel Air photo by Sheri Barclay.