As time goes on it is always fun to discover new bands. Over the years I have found hundreds. Whether it be going to open acts at concerts or endless, mindless YouTube/Spotify/iTunes surfing.

Somehow a band called “The Pink Spiders” alluded me. This three piece band from Nashville, Tenn. is a garage rocking, melody making machine. On some flip of a coin The Pink Spiders escaped getting caught up in Nashville’s ever growing country music scene.

The power trio formed in 2003 and released their first album “The Pink Spiders Are Taking Over!” later that year. This seven song album was homemade, far away from any high-end studios.

The album would get their feet moving so they could release their second and most successful album “Teenage Graffiti” in 2006.

Unlike their first album, this record was done in a high-end studio and was produced by Ric Ocasek, the lead singer and song writer from the band “The Cars.” Listening to this album it’s easy to hear the influence he had on the band.

When I first listened to The Pink Spiders, I could have sworn that I was listening to Gerard Way from My Chemical Romance. At some points, Matt Friction’s voice sounds eerily similar to Way’s voice.

However, after giving the album some time I couldn’t get enough of it. The influences you can hear from this album are incredible, from The Cars, My Chemical Romance, Ted Leo and The Pharmacist and even older bands such as The Ramones and Cheap Trick.

Their first single from “Teenage Graffiti” was a song called “Little Razorblade.” One listen to this song and any rock lover would be drawn in immediately. You can really hear “The Cars” influence in the hook of this song.

The song that I first heard was a song called “Modern Swingers.” The song is about almost exactly what the title says. You can tell from the chorus line:

“Yeah my baby’s pretty as a car crash. Sexy as a stinger of a hornet in your arm. Just another modern swinger. Screaming ‘catch me if you can’ With a cigarette in hand and it’s love It’s heavy and it hurts and it’s love.”

In short, he means you’re not good looking but I love it. A real dirty song to say the least, but probably the catchiest chorus in their entire musical career.

The last song that I feel should be showcased is the outlier. The song is called “Adalae.” The track features vocal melodies that will not leave your head for days. The harmonies in the song is something straight out of a 1960’s British Invasion band.

The simple guitar plucking and drum beat make it all the more unusual for this album. However, it’s one of my favorite and most played songs from this band because of that very reason.

If you are looking at getting into this band but aren’t in to rocking out, “Adalae” would be a fantastic starting point.

The band has been on hiatus since 2011. However, in the middle of 2016, The Pink Spiders said they were putting out a new album in the spring of 2017.

Cameron Campbell is a staff writer for   The Dakota Student. He can be reached at  [email protected]