The Mae Shi

If anyone's reading this from the USA and is planning on going to South by South West, then make sure you look these guys up.

The Mae Shi are a four piece experimental punk band hailing from sunny California, whose mix of Indie, Punk and anthemic tunes combine to make one intriguing band, and one only look on their Myspace profile playlist to see why.

Run to Your Grave is that song you heard on the radio a while back but have never been able to find since. With a shouty, upbeat chorus and simple arrangement, it's a definite contender for Song of the Year (so far).

The Lamb and the Lion, which you might recognise as the song from a Skins advert, is also one to listen out for. The Tetris like guitar riff at the start hypnotises, before the very Yeah Yeah Yeahs-esque bridge entices with it's psychedelic charm, making this track very groovy indeed.

If you're into the heavier stuff however, then Vampire Beats is bound to be more your cup of tea. With an altogether more edgy vibe, the short but not so sweet track demonstrates just how intense 90 seconds can be. And if you're really up for chillaxing to something ambient, there's a rather epic extended version of The Lion and the Lamb. At 11 minutes, Kingdom Come is a very mellow synth track that drifts in and out of a slightly surreal James Bond theme.

Tetris? Skins? James Bond?
Told you they were intriguing.

It may only be March but, seeing as the sun's made it's debut appearance in the South this year, I think it's not too early to say that this band will be definite summer BBQ/festival material.

www.myspace.com/themaeshi