So, it's been a busy week at the CMJ Music Marathon in New York and I've been going to see shows and panels like it's my job ... well, it kind of is :) Anyway, I've seen a ton of independent music which has been great and not so great. One thing that I've noticed is that many of the indie-rock bands that I've seen at CMJ draw from many similar influences and end up playing music that all sounds alike. When you're one of these bands, it's really tough to break away from the pack, and the one thing that is going to help you stand out is the quality of your songs.

What does this have to do with Bombay Bicycle Club? Plain and simple: they fall into all too common category of bands who are influenced by artists such as The Strokes, Sonic Youth, Arcade Fire, Radiohead, and Modest Mouse. Like many other young bands with the same influences, Bombay Bicycle Club wear these influences on their sleeve drawing comparisons to say a cross between... Radiohead and The Strokes, for instance. Yes, this is the kind of description that gets written about a ton of up-and-coming bands, but I'd venture to say that Bombay Bicycle Club is one band that knows how to use those influences to write great songs. Their newest EP, , is filled with upbeat indie rock tracks with a delicately trembling vocal delivery, echoing atmospheric guitars, and a driving back-beat. Songs like Pedestal show that this talented young band (each member is only 17 years old!) have a ton of potential to write great songs for many years to come.