Color Palette

Modern and melodic-minded electro-rock band Color Palette provide a blast of synths reminiscent of The Killers at their very best. Lead singer Jay Nemeyer's vocals have a tendency to blend into the lush music to become a perfect compliment. This Washington D.C. based band so far only has a couple of songs to reach listeners' ears, "Seventeen" and the excellent "Heartless," with the latter providing a couplet that's the final nail in a relationship's coffin: "All our moves become so calculated/What's the sense in giving love it's not reciprocated?" 

Color Palette paints quite a sound with several musical influences to be heard. It will be nice to see what else these guys have up their sleeve. Look for their debut EP to come out early next month. 

Heartless-

US Royalty

US Royalty has been Washington, D.C.'s best kept secret for about 3 years now. After one of their live shows, it was written that there was no question if the band was any good, but how long they would stay local. That's pretty good praise and much deserved. US Royalty sounds to me a little like an Americana version of The Killers without the synths. All their songs are staright ahead indie rock. Lead singer John Thornley has a voice that expresses so much with every word.

They released an EP in the summer of last year, and also have some newer tracks posted on Myspace. Some of the best are the laid back lament of Raincoats and the forceful Where Are You Now. On that track, Thornley searches for the love he lost, singing, Sometimes I think of you when we're old and grown. The song starts out simple before exploding and all the while you can hear the emotion in his crackling voice. US Royalty definitely lives up to their name.

US Royalty- Myspace
Raincoats-