The Blakes

The Blakes - The Blakes (2006)
The fact these guys are unsigned serves as further proof that life is unfair (case and point). I picked this up on the recommendation of Don Yates, KEXP's Music Director (arguably the greatest job in the world), who recently wrote:

In a year of great Northwest rock albums, the latest release from this Seattle trio might be the best of all. Their sound is more versatile than most, ranging from raw, noisy garage-punk and propulsive, Strokesish jangle to New Wave-influenced dance-rock and even a sweet, poignant ballad, but whatever the style, their instantly memorable songs are ridiculously catchy and remarkably well-crafted.

Just about each song on this album sounds like it's from a different band. I hear a lot of Strokes and Libertines, even a dash of James, and a lot of stuff that sounds familiar but is hard to finger. It's all on their MySpace Page - their bio is pretty funny. Buy the album directly from the band using PayPal. As an aside, Don Yates's reviews are a rich source of great new music.