"You are cute if you listen to Locksley"

A couple of weeks ago, I got a new CD, Don't Make Me Wait, by NY-based band Locksley. But if that slogan (from a Locksley t-shirt) is to be believed, then I must look like Heidi Klum by now, because I have had this album playing on my iPod and in my car almost continuously since it arrived. Never heard of Locksley? Neither had I. They're currently unsigned, but I don't think they will be that way for long.I saw Locksley this fall when I took my son to see Hanson (yes, that Hanson, but if you haven't seen them live, then you need to. Amazing show). Locksley was the opening act. Now, usually at a concert, the opening act is just kind of a time-killer until the main attraction comes on. But this group of guys put on a really fun set of bouncy pop-garage band rock reminiscent of The Beatles and the British Invasion. When their show was over, I found myself actually wishing they'd play more songs.

Many of the songs on Don't Make Me Wait, as I said, are Beatles-esque. But that's not to say that Locksley is a tribute band by any means. You can tell what their musical influences are, but they're not copying anything. They've taken all the best characteristics of early Beatles' songs and added their own modern twist to it. (It also doesn't hurt that the lead singer sounds like Lennon and looks like McCartney.) You can tell that these guys love music, and the sheer fun they have playing it comes through the speakers loud and clear.

Curious? Check out their MySpace page where you can hear four songs off the album. They also have a YouTube page where they've put up a few music videos and also some very amusing random "home movie" type clips. Or you can just skip all that and head over to their website at http://www.bandoflocksley.com/ to buy the album so you can hear the rest of it, because it is that good.