Oklahoma City is not typically thought of as a music city, but we've got a group that proves we should be turning stones everywhere. They come to us with sunflowers in their eyes and spirit lifting piano/guitar sunshine pop. Don't be fooled by the name, the music is quite pretty. Meet
The Ugly Suit.
The band is made up of six friends from Oklahoma City, skewing much younger than the music would let on (20-23). The songs sound fully developed and mature, probably a nod to the band playing together for many years (teens) before finally coming together to form the happy-go-lucky energetic debut
The Uglysuit, out 8/19 on
Quarterstick Records. The band is garnering a bit of good press from themselves, with features on
Last FM and
Rolling Stone, as well as play on many local radio stations. "Chicago" is certainly a radio-friendly tune, with possible mainstream appeal. They channel the simple, honest song constructions of
Bishop Allen, with lead singer Israel Hindman channeling several iconic vocalists, most prominently Jeff Tweedy. Keep in mind these guys (Wilco, Bishop Allen) have been around, while The Uglysuit are like the new kids on the block, already garnering comparisons to old favorites.
The band has said it went through many incarnations and styles before arriving at the sound they have today, spanning from all over and including hard rock (they formed when they were only 12 or 13). We're glad they arrived at the lush layers and ambient vocals, because it suits them well. And comparisons aside, the album plays well and is a really raw, float through space-rock, and the band is only getting started. We're eager to see how the album fares when it drops, and exactly where a band that seems to have already come to fruition can take their sound... they've already taken it to the moon and back. -
joe puglisi
The Uglysuit Upcoming Dates
9/20 - The Hideout, Chicago, IL
9/21 - The Hideout, Chicago, IL
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MP3: The Uglysuit:: Chicago - The Uglysuit
Pre-order The Uglysuit
The Uglysuit on Myspace