State of The Union: Let's Talk About New York

I've been living in New York for a little over a year, and have yet to find any local bands I can claim as favorites. There have been inklings, but nothing that gripped me permanently. So now it's time to stop waiting for music to find me, and start finding music.

One Last Shot
One of my big complaints about Leathermouth is that they've only put out one album. But in comes One Last Shot, which features raw, direct, questioning vocals that sound like they're coming straight from the mouth of Frank Iero- but are in fact coming from frontman Jeremy Miller.

Melancholics
Melancholics bridge the wide gap between psychedelic pop and grunge. Their music could be the soundtrack to a bad-news-bears-style road trip that's just as memorable for its pitfalls as its peaks.

Rachel Ries
Admittedly, I was first taken by the cover art of Rachel Ries' album Ghost of a Gardener, before I heard a single note. Then I was pulled in further by her Florence Welch-like voice and her multi-instrumental talents. Her music is both soothing and haunting, as you would expect of death and flowers.

Broken English
Broken English has the heavy layering of instrumentals of young Fall Out Boy, with vocals reminiscent of Rise Against. The combination of true punk and pop punk is a successful one, as it keeps the ear guessing and the listener engaged.