Union Electric Since late 2009, the Union Electric has released three seven-inches, each showing a gradual development in the band's songwriting, musicianship and overall production. But make no mistake: This isn't a budding band that started out lost or inexperienced. It's by local history enthusiast and Mayday Orchestra's primary songwriter Tim Rakel, who uses this project as an outlet to explore exactly how noisy folk music can be before it's actually distortion-drenched rock. On its newest Tunnels/An Irish Orphan seven-inch, the band gets help from jack-of-all-trades Beth Bombara and Kit Hamon (Old Lights) and turns in its most cohesive and sonically ripe output to date. --Michael Dauphin
Warm Jets USA For more than a decade now, Jason Hutto has been one of St. Louis' premier ambassadors for overdriven, loud rock. Prior bands, such as Sexicolor and the Phonocaptors, pummeled our town with righteous riffage and raucous shows, so it's no small feat that Warm Jets USA might be Hutto's most aggressive act yet. In Chris Keith and Evan Bequette, Warm Jets has a rhythm section that can match Hutto's guitar heroics decibel for ear-splitting decibel. The power trio mines late-'80s and early '90s indie rock for its punishing sound (Dinosaur Jr. is a notable touchstone). But underneath the layers of glorious fuzz and bludgeoning drums are smartly written rock anthems that hit at a gut level. As proven by ballads like "Down on the Record," Warm Jets doesn't need all the sonic carnage to create affecting rock. Still, the power of its hellacious assault is impossible to deny. --Bob McMahon