Cardinals

Indie band Cardinals make old school, guitar-based, somewhat straight-up rock with high-powered, energetic and tuneful songs. They come with a triple guitar attack that swings between grungy and sparkly; leaning on the former more often than the latter, to be fair. Vocalist Euan Manning has a voice that commands attention. His brother Finn is the card up the band's sleeve with his accordion, which adds a lovely texture to their songs, also giving an extra oomph to the whole Irish pub vibe they got going. The big winner, though, has to be the strength of their songwriting. Their music is moody at its core, well-crafted, imaginative, and highly memorable.