Tally Hall

Tally Hall — a Michigan quintet often identifiable by its rainbow of ties — weaves glistening pop with crisp, classical touches in the manner of a modern-day Queen. Its full-bodied songs don't follow the traditional ABAB-coda scheme, though, and its lyrics don't track typical story maps. Instead, the rising and falling actions on its songs dip, soar and explode like contents of a pulsing musical blender. With the piano sensibilities of Ben Folds, the a cappella skills of the Whiffenpoofs and even a touch of Outkast-like hip-hop, this group makes the bulk of other indie bands look like a bunch of uninspired suckers.