Pop Rock

matchbox 20, U2, goo goo dolls

Jazz Funeral: Jazz Funeral

Lifting their name from a term used in traditional New Orleans funerals where music is played, Jazz Funeral is a pop rock band that entertains as much as they mystify. Well, to be exact, Jazz Funeral is simply singer-songwriter, self-proclaimed philosopher and avid drinker, Paul Adler. Essentially rock with a sometimes gritty pop punk (even emo) sound, the album is a nice introduction to the singer's sound. This is a debut compilation for the singer and it seems like much of his philosophy and lifestyle is embedded in the tracks.

Republic of Lights: Go Rococo

After receiving a huge amount of praise and positive reviews for their album as well as live performances, Republic of Light seems to have had a good start on their musical journey. These Chicago natives created quite a bit of noise in the indie music world with their album Go Rococo. The crew is composed of Alan on vocals, Brian on guitars, Greg on keyboards and Rosie on guitars. Combining a flurry of indie pop, new wave, great lyrics and tons of catchy rhythm; the band is easily likable while the record is a great go-to album if you want something to keep your energy up and bouncing.

Literature: Arab Spring

Slowly but surely, Literature blooms a garden full of good music in their new release entitled Arab Spring. Kevin Adickes, Nathaniel Gardaci, Seth Whaland and Mike Yaklin, better known as Literature have crafted ten power pop tracks that appeals to the senses. It was recorded during the summer of 2011 and was released on new year's day of this year.

Austin Bucholtz: Fairytale Shadowland

Sincerity is clearly rooted in Fairytale Shadowland, the brain child of Austin Bucholtz and Michael Koch. The EP is composed of three heart-piercing tracks that wonders along pop and soft rock. Raised in Saint Joseph, Michigan, Bucholtz is a truly talented artist inspired by musicians like Adele, P!nk, Natasha Bedingfield, KT Tunstall and more. He's currently settled in Charleston, South Carolina where he shares his own brand of amazing musical creations.

The Please & Thank Yous: Mind Yr P’s & Q’s

These Chicago natives describe their journey on their Facebook as "a bunch of wimps started practicing in a basement. Some left, others joined, and a couple managed to remain constant. They are playing shows, touring, and recording their sophomore slump." Well, those basement practices sure did pay off. The Please & Thank Yous sound is jolly punk pop, reminiscent of Goldfinger from the 90s and the many punk bands that never took themselves too seriously. It's this carefree and honesty that makes them interesting to listen to. Mind Yr P's & Q's is the band's full length debut. It's a mix of both old and new songs; narrating the bands personal take on the various happenings of life.

Awake! Awake!: We’ve Been Strangers

Even though this debut record from the band is a few years old; We've Been Strangers is still a great album to check out. It's a fast paced record that's packed with plenty of indie pop rock goodness. Made up of David Johnson on lead vocals; Andrew Goodwin on guitar; Taylor Powell on drums; and Chad Turner on bass; Awake! Awake! hails from Murfreesboro, TN. Inspired by bands like Jimmy Eat World, Switchfoot, MuteMath and classic artists like U2 and The Police; their sound is a nice compilation of feel-good indie rock and melodic power pop.

She Makes War: Disarm

One of the most interesting indie female pop rock compilations I've heard in a long time, Disarm from She Makes War both enchants and captivates upon first listen. The lady behind this musical project is multi-instrumentalist Laura Kidd. Apart from music, she's dabbled in other interests like film making and photography among others. She also does session work for various musicians including Alex Parks, I Blame Coco and Tricky. This is her debut compilation and it comes with 13 tracks that hover between indie rock, slight grunge and pop.

The Bonny Situation: Robot Says I Love You

Taking their name from the iconic movie Pulp Fiction, The Bonny Situation has definitely got one of the coolest names any indie film geek will recognize. The band itself is from Germany and have been around since 2007 with a slightly different lineup back then. Although the band admits that their sound is mostly consists of pop music, they do like to mix it up a bit; adding a little alternative and even new wave in there. Robot Says I Love You is a 2010 release from the group. Most of the tracks on the record were inspired by the contents of a 1978 diary from someone with the initials R.B.T.

Yetis: Lightmares EP

Armed with guitars, sweet vocals and melodic r-acoustic vibes, Lightmares EP by the Yetis makes for good company on a quiet afternoon. The band is made up of Cameron Smith - guitars & vocals, Curtis Smith - bass & vocals, David Muratore - guitars & vocals, Jenna Smith - violin, glockenspiel & vocals andThomas Brett - drums, percussion & vocals. Their sound resonates with pop rock along with a Christian rock tinge. This EP first came out in March 2011 and is available at a pay-what-you-want option over at their BandCamp page.