In Austin, great indie bands are found on almost every corner. Despite such a large talent pool, though, The Bright Light Social Hour (@tblsh) managed to walk away from the 2011 Austin Music Awards with both “Band of the Year” and “Album of the Year”. They’ve also been steadily gaining national attention with NPR’s broadcast of one of their electrifying 2011 SXSW performances.

This band truly deserves every bit of buzz they’ve received recently. Why? Because this foursome is able to activate all five senses into a frenzy. Their self-titled album, released last fall, not only showcases their musicianship, but also their ability to marry the genres of rock, R&B, and blues into a psychedelic sound of their own. Their songs “Shanty” and “Back and Forth” combine disco elements with a bit of twang, while the slow and sexy “Detroit” oozes with soul.

While their award winning album is fun to listen ad nauseum, the best way to experience The Bright Light Social Hour is live. New Yorkers recently got to enjoy a one night stand with the band at Mercury Lounge as support for local favorites Black Taxi. Hearing their songs live and experiencing the group’s raw energy made the crowd move, feel, and shout out of excitement and approval. Doing an absolutely ill rendition of Muddy Waters’ “Mannish Boy”, The Bright Light Social Hour unwound the usually pretentious NYC crowd. Despite it being their first time to play in NYC, they acted like they like veterans that owned every bit of the stage.

The band mentioned they would be back in NYC in a few months. Hopefully they’ll take advantage of  the CMJ Music Marathon in October to show more New Yorkers, and the rest of the music industry, what they’re about.