The Hectors: Geeks, Thugs, Slakers, and Dreamers

Some of you long-time readers may know that I've never expressed a great interest in L.A.'s music scene, despite the fact that I live here. Aside from a select few -- HEALTH, Foreign Born, CokeDance -- I'm not too down with L.A.'s pickings.

That being said, with every passing day, every new discovery, my opinion softens and degrades more and more. Indeed, Los Angeles has quite a few cool bands ... quite a few awesome bands, for that matter, and the Hectors (MySpace) fall into one of those categories, no doubt.

The quartet got its name from a 17th century London gang, notorious for their aggressive and mean-spirited vandalism and "hooliganism." The Hectors would accurately describe a Sex Pistols knock-off punk outfit, then, but maybe not these four (I'm not knocking the name! I like it! Just saying it's not the first thing I would've thought they'd be called!) The new EP, Sometimes They Collide, is out on Tarantism Records, and is certainly worth checking out. A meticulous, grandiose infusion of shoe-gaze, power-pop, and something grittier ... maybe some Radiohead-esque wall of sound? Or Pixies alt-rock? That "X Factor" is the group's making point, I'd say. Check out a couple tracks below, but be sure to support these guys!

the Hectors - Proof of Sale
the Hectors - A Million Fingers