2008 Breaking the Band

The Hold Steady

The beer-soaked Springsteen-esque anthems of Brooklyn's The Hold Steady sent their third album, Boys in Girls in America (Vagrant), to an impressive debut at #124 on the Billboard charts. Brilliant lyricist Craig Finn and his merry band of riffers have raised their national profile beyond the critics' buzz, starting with their witty debut, 2004's Almost Killed Me, and their sophomore release, 2005's Separation Sunday, a concept album about reckless partying teenagers grappling with Catholicism which led to a Village Voice cover (a rarity for a band) and near-unanimous best-of-the-year reviews. Their music has been featured on the soundtracks to The Nanny Diaries and Aqua Teen Hunger Force, and a fourth album, tentatively titled Stay Positive, is in the can and due for future release.
Visit The Hold Steady's website

The Virgins

With an air of NYC cool, The Virgins have made quite a splash in the past year. Fans of the CW's Gossip Girl should be familiar with songs like "Rich Girl" and other tracks off their eponymous e.p., which was featured prominently in the "Seventeen Candles" episode. It's no surprise that the downtown foursome's sexy dirty rock is New York Times-approved and making a splash in fashion and film; frontman Donald Cumming has worked as an actor (Bugcrush), model, and the director of photography on recent hit documentary Billy The Kid. Their full-length debut is due in June on Atlantic Records.
The Virgins on Myspace

Republic Tigers

Kansas City's Republic Tigers are poised to make a splash this spring. One of the first signings to Alexandra Patsavas' Chop Shop Records label, an imprint of Atlantic Records, the Tigers are a five-piece band creating dreamy, airy indie pop. Their first full-length release, Keep Color, due out in May, will also be the first full-length debut from Chop Shop. They're due to make their network debut on David Letterman in early May, and their cover of "Deck The Halls" was featured in the Christmas episode of Gossip Girl. 
Republic Tigers on Myspace

Bad Veins

Chosen by Alexandra Patsavas as the winners of the Target Music Maker Award, the unsigned band Bad Veins from Cincinnati, Ohio, will receive a prize of $10,000 at the Breaking The Band showcase and will play a short opening set. Drummer Sebastien Schultz and singer, guitarist, and synth player Ben Davis make a glorious pop sound with the help of their reel-to-reel player, which has brought them to Myspace prominence and well-received appearances at CMJ and this year's SXSW festival in Austin.
Visit Bad Veins' website