Whoah. I don't know how we slept on this, but the Boston Phoenix presented the best new band from each state as part of their Fourth of July celebrations, or "Independents' Day," as some music sites have been calling it. So, 50 bands from 50 states means that they declared the best bands from Kansas and Missouri. Who'd they pick?
Well, it must be noted that these are the best new bands, meaning that some of your more established favorites were out of the running. And, considering the Phoenix is located halfway across the country, that band you go see play your friend's living room isn't even on their radar.
That isn't to say that the choices aren't good. Far from it. The choice for Kansas was Lawrence's Rooftop Vigilantes. The Phoenix writes that the Vigilantes are a "raucous" and "defiantly sloppy" act that traffics "in 100-second hook-laden punk-pop drive-bys, ascendant with a maniacal 'Runaway' Farfisa organ that adds Del Shannon-ish flavor." That's accurate and succinct as hell.
The choice for Missouri's best new band is a bit more surprising. Springfield's Ha Ha Tonka, despite releasing an album on Bloodshot, probably isn't on the list for most folks in the region. The Phoenix makes the case for the inclusion well, writing lovingly of the band's "mix of sunlit bluegrass, or-nery indie-punk, and Smoky Mountain folk."
What do you think? Is there an obvious choice that the Phoenix totally spaced on, or did they hit the nail on the head with their picks? Argue to your heart's content in the comments.
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Congrats to RVs and HHT. Then again, that's a pretty cheeky contest, to say the least. Personally, I would hesitate to purport to nominate just one KS or MO band myself, much less make picks for ID, MI, VT or HI.
That said, Rooftop, the Dactyls and Antennas Up would be duking it out for my pick for KS new-band primacy. For MO ... I give up.
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