The Lo and Beholds

Indie rock Charlotteans The Lo and Beholds somehow manage to be amazing and true to their roots. I'm not the biggest fan of country music (give me the watered down stuff like Taylor Swift or Rascal Flatts instead please), but Jason Rudisill's vocals are just Southern enough to be sweet and the lyrics' fire (Brunette Shades of Doom) and water (Four Mile Scar) analogies show relationships in a light that country songs and their straightforward stories never could.

"if it was him who taught you to swim, then why am i still treading here"

click to listen.

AM Taxi

Warped Tour 2010 is gonna rock. Automatic Loveletter and The All-American Rejects are back on the roster. Add AM Taxi (formerly called American Taxi) to your mental "must-see sets by bands beginning with the letter A" list. They claim to be influenced by the likes of The Clash, The Police, and The Replacements. Whatever the method of creating it - the resulting sound is amazing. Go get their free download The Mistake from their upcoming full-length debut with Virgin Records. NOW! Please and thank you.

"I am the ambulance that never comes, the antidote you spill, and in the accident I'll be the failure in your brakes."

click to listen.