A couple weeks back, we caught the very tail end of a performance from new local duo called Black Stone Rangers. It wasn't much, but it was enough to pique our interest in the outfit, which, apparently, is named after an infamous 1960s Chicago gang. So we did as we do, and we checked out their MySpace page.
There, we found some nice little sonic surprises--enough to confirm our interest. The duo, we've found, pleasurably splits the difference between the bubblegum-like electro-pop of Museum Creatures and the darker, oddball electro-pop of Darktown Strutters. It's an alluring mix, for sure.
So we reached out to the band for a little more info. In return, they sent a pretty extended bio you can read in full after the jump. It's a little long, but it's a good read. The highlights? The band members met in Kansas, traveled together to Dallas, where singer Ruth Smith has performed as a DJ for the last four years under the name of DJ Baby Ruthless. She and guitarist Derek Kutzer shared some musical influences--post-punk and new wave, mostly, which makes some sense upon hearing their music. But they pretty much hated everything else the other enjoyed, which, oddly enough, you can kind of hear in the music, too, as the band tries to cram various sonic elements into their sound.
Suffice it to say that it's an interesting blend--and one well worth hearing. On that note, give a listen to the band's song, "Plug It In," which Smith and Kutzer were kind enough to pass along as a free download to DC9 readers, after the jump. It's the latest in a long line of great mp3s from we've shared with you from promising local bands in recent weeks.
Bonus mp3: