Secret Colours
If you didn’t know these guys were from Chicago, you’d assume they’re a bunch of Brits, with their insanely Britpop-influenced sound and their unusual spelling of color, but the Windy City exports manage to capture the soul of the UK in the late ’90s/early ’00s and mix in a good amount of Psychedelia for a sound all their own. Ample amounts of fuzz and pop combine to sound something like if The Stone Roses and The Black Angels decided to mate, and their offspring is something to be cherished. Their most recent record, Positive Distractions, culls from an even wider array of influences, with the melodic Beatles-y “Mrs. Bell” bleeding all too well into “Heavy & Steady”, which starts with a near-perfect Modest Mouse impression before turning into something entirely different with more of a pop Pink Floyd vibe. All the essentials are here, and Secret Colours are just toying around with them until they find the perfect recipe for success. –Pat Levy Consequence of Sound – The New Class: 17 College Rock Acts to Watch.
In 2010, the band moved from neophyte in the Chicago psychedelic scene to crusader with unforgettable performances at Austin Psych Fest in 2012 & 2014 and Psychedelic dripped stage sets at SXSW in 2011, 2012, & 2014. Appearances with Dr. Dog, Warpaint, Night Beats, Ringo Deathstarr, Elephant Stone, Spindrift, Asteroid #4, Raveonettes, and The Warlocks, have continued to keep Secret Colours in the hearts and minds of their Chicago faithful. They worked with producer Brian Deck(Modest Mouse, Gomez, Sage Francis) sharpening the edges of their sophomore album, Peach. Releasing a special Stanley Mouse cover edition of this psychedelic inspired record solidified their standing in the psych community. Not slowing down to expand on their mix of 60’s Psychedlia, 90’s Shoe gaze, and Brit-Pop melodies, the band released Positive Distractions in 2014 further developing their own unique mix of songs drenched in a sound that will help you to turn on, tune in, and drop out. Look and listen for their continued nuance of music this summer as they release their upcoming LP.
Knubby
knubby is a power rock trio from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. John Morgan on drums, Chad Willenborg on guitar/vocals and Jim Scharosch on bass/vocals. Been compared to Queens of the Stone Age, The Pixies, The Melvins, Clutch, and Primus.
Oak BLVD
Oak Blvd is a duo based out of Ames, Iowa that was started in early 2015. The band is comprised of Micole Lee (Guitar, Lead Vocals, Lyrics, Bass, & Backing Vocals) and Adam Smith (Drums, Lyrics, Bass, & Backing Vocals). The two met in middle school, and have been playing music together for over 6 years in various bands throughout the years. They draw inspiration from a multitude of genres, including rock, indie, blues, alternative, metal, folk, and others. Because the two listen to such a wide variety of music, their sound changes from project to project, and even song to song. However, even though the style of their music may change, the energy and the honesty that they put into every note is consistent.
They self-recorded, produced, and mixed their first EP – “Depressed & Underdressed”, releasing it in January of 2016. They are currently working on their second EP, which will be released in late 2016.