Sons Of August

The band are as much of a surprise to its members, as they are to their audience. Five young men with pedigrees in punk, they teeter on the verge of something all their own. Though individually harboring different influences, as a collective they bridge the gap between modern pop sensibility, roots-laden folk-americana, and bound together by the urgency and DIY ethic of their first love of punk.

Frontman Matt Sessions' distinctive, earnest voice delivers an utmost sincerity, intensified by Maggie's forlorn fiddle and the faint ring of an accordion trailing each word. Holding it all up is the expert groundwork of the rhythm section. Talented yet tasteful, the bass and drums offer no pretenses. Full of creative quirks and nuances, they're not fooling anyone with seemingly simple backbeats.

The songs are well-worn when lovelorn, lonesome, or disenchanted. In rare instances, even optimism is beckoned, in songs such as "Winter Horoscopes" or "Cameo Rodeo".

There is not much one can say about such a new band, still searching to define themselves. The title of their yet-to-be-released debut, "Vaudeville", is due out in January.