Bad Veins

Detail: The Cincinnati-based duo has performed in New York City at least 10 times, mostly by invite, as bloggers, managers and label reps have been worked up into a lather. The band has made fans with its unique set-up -- the twosome plays backed by a reel-to-reel player that runs everything from keyboards to full orchestral sounds.

But most important are their songs. Sharp, memorable and often lush, they recall everything from Pavement to The Strokes to The Flaming Lips yet sound absolutely like none of those bands.

While some musicians spend half of their "band time" hustling, banging on doors, sending out hundreds of unsolicited CDs and usually getting hundreds of rejection letters in return, Bad Veins has largely just worked on music and played shows, watching as the accolades roll in.

They're kind of like the naturally skinny girl who all the other girls who exercise and diet incessantly hate in high school.