Them Terribles

In an age where rock bands have to go out and kill their own prey to survive, Them Terribles seem to be moving with animal grace to claim their piece of the rock. Their sound bums a smoke off the nonchalant cool of Richard Hell, dips it in the irresistible swagger of The Strokes, and lights it up on the embers of 50's rebel charm and 60's garage mania (think mildew-damaged Dion & the Belmonts getting it on with The Animals). Then they exhale, breathing life into a brand new generation jonesing for a hit of something to call their own. Them Terribles are your new favorite band.

Their sound bums a smoke off the nonchalant cool of Richard Hell, dips it in the irresistible swagger of The Strokes, and lights it up on the embers of 50's rebel charm and 60's garage mania (think mildew-damaged Dion & the Belmonts getting it on with The Animals). Then they exhale, breathing life into a brand new generation jonesing for a hit of something to call their own. Them Terribles are your new favorite band.

Front man (and chief songwriter) Matt Green's vocals croon and crack like the lizard king choking on a mouthful of pop rocks and Coca Cola. He's a transplant, born in New Jersey, then adopted by Los Angelino parents who happened to live next door to a member of The Eagles, who incidentally kick started Matt's music fixation by giving him a drum kit.

Eventually, Matt ditched the drums in favor of guitar and piano after moving up to Santa Barbara where he met his future partners in crime: Guitarist Jonny Black and Joey Benenati whose dad (a member of underground power-pop legends The Tearaways) raised him on a steady diet of verses and choruses.

After cutting their teeth as teenage punters in the scrappy punk band Standard Issue back in 2003; the three of them moved down to Los Angeles, hooked up with Bay Area exile Geoff Franklin, and went to work on what would come to be known as Them Terribles.

One of their first shows ever was a competition between a few hundred unsigned bands. They reluctantly entered and quickly made it to the final eight. Then, at the awkward Hollywood showcase-showdown in a self-described, ?moment of passion? Green threw a beer bottle into the audience. It smashed against the soundboard and resulted in the club stopping them halfway through their set as the soundman shouted, ?you'll never play in this town again!? A half-hour later they were escorted back to the stage just in time to pick up their award for First Place.

There recent self-released EP, ?Rock, Paper, Terribles?; features songs like ?Tangerine? and ?Bullets & Guns?, upbeat anthems that are bound to make your stereo turn up with reckless abandon. "Yellow Lines" and "True Love" veer off into the time zone between last call and the morning after. All are instant modern rock classics with a familiar yet fresh sound, catchy but honest, youthful but confident.

It's useless to resist Them Terribles and their seemingly effortless knack for taking over your heart and soul; it's not a matter of ?if? and "when", it's a matter of right now!