Keyed In

I've been on the fence for most of the stuff I've heard from Patrick Carney's Audio Eagle label, but that's all changed with its' latest offering by Knoxville, TN's Royal Bangs. We Breed Champions (Buy) is out this month, and of course their PR folks are pimping the single "Broke Calculator," and you know what? It's pretty damn good.

It has a bit of a math-y feel and reminds me a great deal of early Grandaddy, with its spacey synths and semi-unfathomable lyrics concerning technology. Layered with pop-fueled guitars and skins, we've got the makings of a fun song to get your blood pumping. This could be the ideal song to start your summer cruising habits. Perfect for rolling down the windows, pumping up the stereo and showing off your indie cred to that damnable jock down the street that thinks he's so cool just because he's going to be starting QB AGAIN this season. Not to worry, though, we all know the really cool chicks dig the guys with kick ass musical tastes more anyway, right? Right? As long as we keep telling ourselves this, it's all going to be OK.

The band is heading out on tour and they will be hitting the region for a couple of dates in late June.

6/26: Metro Gallery, Baltimore, MD
6/27: ATM House, Philadelphia, PA

mp3: Broke Calculator