Imagine the rich layers and melodies of bands like Coldplay or Keane combined with the energy and straight-forward rock of bands like The Strokes or Phantom Planet then add the lyical depth of a Jeff Tweedy (Wilco) or James Mercer (The Shins).

5 MP3 Songs
ROCK: Modern Rock, POP: Today's Top 40



Details:
Since their conception in 2002, The Good Luck Joes have caught the ears of discerning listeners (young and old), as well as some key movers-and-shakers in the music industry. The Good Luck Joes have refined a pop-rock sound that treads nimbly around Harrison-esque guitar hooks, Coldplay’s piano-driven grandiosity, and Wilco’s intimate confessions-in-song. The songs on the band’s 2004 48 Hours EP (produced by the band and Joe Puerta, bassist and songwriter for Ambrosia) are alternately at home on the dance floor (the power-pop, shout-along “Letting Go / Hanging On”) and in the bedroom (“Thin Air,” a piano based meditation on distance). The jewel of the EP, however, is the title track, which, juxtaposes atmospheric piano and a driving rhythm section with a vocal melody both catchy and heartbreaking that finally blossoms into an anthemic, four-note guitar riff. The single engaged the interest of L.A. producer Chad Fischer (Colin Hay, Cary Brothers, Alexi Murdoch) who is currently at work with the band on an LP of new material.

Live, The Good Luck Joes have a charismatic and highly energetic stage presence. Audiences relate emotionally to the band’s lyrics, which are done justice by lead-singer Andrew Martin’s impassioned and honest delivery. Next to him are lead-guitarist Andrew Krei and keyboardist Andrew Citron, who both intrigue with their stage presence: at some moments they are pictures of stoic concentration while at others they move with exuberance and rock’n’roll abandon. And in the rhythm section are, surprisingly, two non-Andrew; Joe Scheltema and Peter Kuyk-White on bass and drums respectively provide the groove and kinetic energy that drive the bands performance.