Described as “post-modern, pseudo-intellectual, indie-prog,” by guitarist James Dennin, The Rubberband has created a compelling mix of pop sensibility and alternative rock influences.

Originally formed to conquer its school talent contest at St. Hilda’s St. Hughes Middle School, the band consists of guitarist and lead vocalist Greg Somerville, Dema Paxton Fofang on bass, and Charlotte Kahn on drums, in addition to Dennin.

“They have a really original underground sound with offbeat lyrics,” said Spencer Fallek, longtime fan. The Somerville penned “Pockets” contains the lyrics, “Aesthetically pleasing/ Her mind is deceiving/ Please check if she’s grieving/ All right,” displaying the bands penchant for songs about the turmoil of relationships. “I use songwriting as a way to say what I want to say but can’t say directly,” said Somerville. “In this case it just happened to be about women.”

Having garnered comparison by fans to former New York high-school band The Strokes, Somerville cites them as a primary influence. Some of the group’s biggest crowd pleasers, such as “Pockets” and “The Wreck,” distinctly recall the catchy guitar work and peppy choruses of garage rock revival bands The Strokes and The Libertines.

With regards to the future, band members are optimistic, yet realistic. “We are looking to revive the fledgling New York underground scene,” said Somerville, adding that unlikely as this may seem, “My dream is to get signed.” Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.