Wooden Kites

Between playing shows, recording an album and keeping commitments to various other musical projects, it's a wonder that any of the Wooden Kites have had time to sleep, much less weather life's other tedious obligations. The band plays out relentlessly, earning fans night after night with its combination of earnest emotion and a stormy (yet controlled) musical presentation. All of this practice has solidified the songs on the band's debut album, The Orchard — which is a fusion of bold, swinging compositions ("Miranda Avery"), pirate-inspired anthems ("Sailin' Song"), drinking ditties ("You and Me and the Bottle Makes Three") and climactic, transcendent indie rock ("Bumble"). Think local folk-punks Rats and People mixed with Bright Eyes — only better.