hey champ.

having just recently re-watched 'better off dead' , i find myself understanding the appeal of the hot, bitchy, rich girl even with the rejection that looms. but that rejection ultimately leads to sweet payback. i get that satisified revenge vibe from chicago electro trio hey champ . take the lyrics "you're just a cold dust girl". damn, i'm not even quite sure what that means, but i know it's harsh.

i'm not in the habit of using the word 'dreamy' very often - honestly, it's a bit of a descriptive deterrent for me when it comes to a track - but there just isn't a better way to describe lead vocalist saam hagshenas' melodic pipes, at times reminding me of peter heppner .

inspired by the legends of rockford-rooted 80's bands before them (cheap trick ), hagshenas and jonathan marks started building a sound in their early teens. pete dougherty, a fellow self-proclaimed princeton outsider, joined a year ago to play keys, adding a delicious synth depth to the music. enter the creation of a style part electro-pop, part good italo disco.

there is something definitely indie about the hey champ feel, but i wouldn't dare call it indie-dance rock. it's more complex than that. local djs on the side, the electric trio knows what magical music combinations make the kids dance and have definitely harnessed that element in their live sound.

schooled in matters of under the radar pop culture (i.e. 'where in the world is carmen sandiego?' is listed as one of their influences), the guys from hey champ seem genuinely interesting and playfully cool. also, since it has been commented on before, don't let their 50's dad endearment of a moniker scare you off.

enjoy two of my new favs and a remix of a track by hey champ electro-rock comrades, prairie cartel in 320 kbps!

hey champ - cold dust girl
hey champ - face control
prairie cartel - cracktown (hey champ remix)

don't be the last to add these guys on myspace (how embarrassing). and be on the look out for more. they're not signed yet, but it won't be long! props to creamteam for spotting the talent of these boys first.