The Sidekicks/Saintseneca/Natural Sway

Sidekicks singer-guitarist Steve Ciolek and drummer Matt Climer met at Paudua High School in the early 2000s. Both freshmen, they shared a history class and randomly discovered that they liked the same type of music, namely pop-punk. The band made its debut in 2007 with So Long, Soggy Dog, and the group has been going strong ever since. Produced, engineered and mixed by John Agnello (Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., Kurt Vile), the band's latest album, Happiness Hours, emphasizes the band’s melodic side. "Twin's Twist," for example, features harmony vocals and shimmering guitars as Ciolek sings about adopting a "high school state of mind." Good stuff. (Niesel)