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Sound Check

Mike Damante

The Copyrights

Chicago has a rich history of producing some of the best bands in punk rock music. Whether it is influential icons like Screeching Weasel or Naked Raygun, or the new wave of bands graduating from the small world of the Fireside Bowl and moving toward semi-to-mainstream success such as Alkaline Trio, Rise Against, The Lawrence Arms and even Fall Out Boy, Chicago has been a breeding ground for this style of music. Enter Carbondale, Illinois’ The Copyrights, who claim their suburb is "nowhere near Chicago."

While Teenage Bottlerocket gets all the attention as the best Ramones-core pop-punk band around, The Copyrights deserve to wear that badge. The band writes some of the best old school pop-punk and buzz-pop songs that are equally catchy as they are raw. It is good to see a band playing real pop-punk music, despite what is the most marketable at the moment. The Copyrights’ newest album Learn the Hard Way is out now on Red Scare Records.

Yelle

Yelle is a straight-up pop act, playing obnoxiously catchy club music that you cannot believe you are listening to and then can’t believe how much you are enjoying. While listening to Yelle, it is hard to ignore the artsy vibe the band gives off. Yelle’s music can easily be the soundtrack to a New Age, trendy art gallery or played over the speakers at a thrift store in Montrose. While their music is popular in their native Europe and Australia, it may be only a matter of time before their music is heavily rotated at clubs in the United States.

Roshan Bhatt

Cassino

Cassino is a two-man band out of Huntsville, Ala., that was born from the ashes of Northstar, a band whose breakup had a huge impact on me. It’s hard to stick a genre tag on them.

Overall, it’s a laid-back acoustic folk-rock sound with just the right amount of pop sensibility, suitable for all seasons and times of day. Their debut album, Sounds of Salvation (available at www.merchdirect.net/cassino), was released in early 2007, and it was among my top albums last year. Check out their songs at www.myspace.com/cassinoband because hopefully, there is a huge future that lies ahead of them; it would be a shame to let this band slide under the radar.

Manchester Orchestra

Don’t let the name fool you. You won’t hear any cellos or violins on this record. However, you will find an infectious blend of pop and indie-rock that is guaranteed to dominate your playlist for months to come.Manchester Orchestra is a five-piece from the outskirts of Atlanta, and has been on the rise since 2007.

Their debut album I’m Like a Virgin Losing a Child has a handful of pop gems like "Wolves at Night" and "Now That You’re Home." Be sure to check out the band on their tour with Say Anything, set to hit Houston in April.

To take a listen, visit www.myspace.com/manchesterorchestra.

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