Empire – Jukebox The Ghost Empire – Jukebox The Ghost

I Can’t Go On – Bayside I Can’t Go On – Bayside (Buy)

Of all the ambiguous genres in the entire blogosphere, my favorite would have to be the indie pop category.  It’s the sort of stuff that has the greatest chance of appearing in Grey’s Anatomy, or catching your ears while watching The Hills (RIP).  I was recently acquainted with the music of Jukebox The Ghost, an ”indie pop” rock band out of DC.  Earlier this year, they opened up for Free Energy, one of the bigger buzzy bands of 2010.

Ben Thronewill, Tommy Siegel, and Jesse Kristin, the men behind Jukebox The Ghost got together while at George Washington University (go Colonials!), and celebrated the formation of their band (previously called The Sunday Mail) by touring with Nightmare of You.  A perfect pairing as Jukebox The Ghost’s Ben Thornewill’s vocals shows glimpses of Brandon Reilly (lead singer of Nightmare of You, original member of The Rookie Lot with Brand New’s Jesse Lacey, Garrett Tierney, and Brian Lane).

The comparison game continues as I was instantly hooked by Jukebox The Ghost’s vocals, reminiscent of a poppier version of Anthony Raneri of Bayside.  Their sophomore LP drops this September via Yep Roc Records.  Watch out.