By Helena Thompson

Welcome to Oberlin: musical paradise of northeastern Ohio! Whether you’re a new first-year student or an Obie vet, the following can serve to guide you though the sometimes overwhelming sea of Oberland artistry. Enjoy.

Andy Cook - myspace.com

1. Oberlin resident Bobby Stevens rolls your burritos at Agave by day, but by night he whispers you bourbon-drenched folk tunes as if he were the long-lost son of Townes van Zandt. Influences include Wild Turkey, beautiful barmaids, “that low down feelin’ in the bottom of the soul, hope, glory, frustration and everything in between.” Listen: “Give Me That Smile,” www.myspace.com/bobbystevens

2. This August, Andy Cook and the Wanderloons toured in support of their summer release Sing, Dionysus!, a record chock-full of both sing-a-long choruses and heartfelt lullabies. It’s as if Neil Young and the Beatles had a kid–truth be told, the results are almost too good for words. Listen: “Between the River and the Fire,” www.myspace.com/andycook

Haley Antell - myspace.com

3. Haley Antell crafts exquisitely finger-picked ballads that feel disarmingly ethereal, yet grounded in reality. During her solo shows (she moonlights as one of Andy Cook’s Wanderloons), she’s been known to cover Americana icons Patty Griffin and Hank Willams, Jr. Listen: “Slow Summer,” http://www.myspace.com/musichaleyantell

4. Double-degree student Matt Orenstein plays quirky folk-pop reminiscent of the Mountain Goats or Dear Catastrophe Waitress-era Belle and Sebastian. With his whimsical lyrics and expert whistling skills, Lionel O is truly a staple of the Oberlin musical community.  Listen: “To Chelsea,” www.myspace.com/whoislionelo

5. College junior Andrew Gombas is more than arguably the most prolific artist in Oberlin’s music scene–in 2010 alone, he’s recorded and released three albums. His most recent, Piblokto, is a record full of loss and desperation; fitting, as the record’s namesake is a hysterical condition known to specifically affect Eskimos. Listen: “Sara’s Song,” http://gombas.bandcamp.com/

6. The Bearcubes play sunshiny pop music that feels like puppy kisses, warm blankets and ice cream sundaes; songs such as “Summer Storm” include a string quartet stirring amidst a jaunty piano ostinato. Did I mention the two oboes? Listen: “New Moon in the Morning,” www.myspace.com/bearcubes

7. What do you get when you mix keytar, two double basses and a female Tom Waits? The Bits, of course! Their live shows, though infrequent, are a force to be reckoned with. Listen: “Icecream Cake,” www.myspace.com/thebitsohio

Organ Yank - myspace.com

8. With influences ranging everywhere from avant-garde composer John Zorn to more mainstream artists such as Outkast and Parliament Funkadelic, Organ Yank aims to assault your ears with fusion jazz perfection during every live performance. If there was ever a band to embody the term “auditory orgasm,” Organ Yank would be it. Listen: “Road Dome,” www.myspace.com/organyank

9. Zack Kelley fronts a group of musicians with a name that changes almost as often as Ohio weather in the summer. His band’s most recent incarnation goes by the Maids of Le Mans, churning out rock ditties that simultaneously confuse and intrigue, while still preserving Kelley’s signature solid songwriting. Listen: “Buckets of Love,” www.myspace.com/unclezaxandthestepkids

10. There’s also this pretty sweet band called the Black River Belles that y’all should listen to. Bringing “bluesgrass” to the Oberlin community for the past two years, this three-piece aims to break traditional notions about folk music while sticking to a bluegrass instrumentation of guitar, upright bass, and fiddle. Gosh, it’s really awkward to write about your own band. Listen: “Ohio, I Love You” on Soundcloud