It’s been two years since the ACBs released their guitar-pop debut, Stona Rosa. Since then, the Kansas City group’s songs have been featured on MTV (The Inbetweeners), Daytrotter, and a bunch of blogs (You Ain’t No Picasso, We Listen For You, Decoder Magazine). They’ve also performed alongside like-minded acts Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, Starfucker, and Haim.

This spring finds the ACBs returning with their sophomore record, Little Leaves, via High Dive Records. Little Leaves – the title is a nod to frontman Konnor Ervin’s landscaping day job– is a natural progression for the band. The songwriting is tighter and the mood is breezier, but it’s still chockablock with the kind of oddball pop earworms found on Stona Rosa. Lead single “Ocean,” released as a free download in late 2012, prompted Popmatters to declare the ACBs one of its “Best Hopes to Break Out in 2013.”

The ACBs will be touring in support of Little Leaves throughout 2013 until their money dries up. The plan is simple: keep writing good songs, keep playing fun shows, keep grinding it out. Is this not still America?

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