Celebration

Insound Staff Pick - 2008! There was a time, in the '70's and '80's, when regional America threw up amazing rock 'n' roll bands every few months. Akron, Detroit, Seattle, Boston, Washington DC, Chapel Hill, Memphis, Dallas, the country kept turning out wayward visionaries, grounded in rock 'n' roll but telling singular stories. In the 21st century, media-watchers keep telling us we're becoming more and more alike. They are completely wrong, of course, and here's the latest piece of evidence. Thomas Function love punk rock, but they love country, blues, new wave, garage rock, and the shit happening up the street, too. It comes out sounding like a bunch of earnest, severe songs from the foothills of Huntsville, Alabama, full of anger, clarity, and bourbon. Is America on the brink of a new rock 'n' roll renaissance? People who snapped up their instantly OOP singles, saw one of their chaotic shows, or participated in the fervid blogging about this bunch aren't betting against it.