Girl In A Coma
Both Before I'm Gone
Blackheart

If the moniker Girl In A Coma has you saying to yourself, "Hey! They're ripping off The Smiths!" you are not mistaken. This young trio of chicks from Texas is in fact paying homage to the classic lyric penned by Mr. Morrissey, and one quick listen to the vocals of frontwoman Nina will lay all doubts to rest as to whom this girl models her singing style after. Dubbed the "female version of Morrissey," she's got a deep voice with a slight British undertone eerily similiar to Moz's. She even dabbles in issues of celibacy like her idol, give a listen to "Celibate Now."

Their Smiths-meets-Pixies-meets-No-Doubt sound caught the ear of Joan Jett last year. Jett signed them to her Blackheart Records label. Their debut release, Both Before I'm Gone, is by no means perfect, but songs like "Road To Home," "Say" and the hook-heavy "Clumsy Sky" are hints at what's to come from this band.

They'll be doing this summer's Warped Tour and most likely getting stuck on a side stage at an ungodly hour like 1 p.m., but I would plan my day around catching their set.

Blackheart Records: www.blackheart.com
Jen Cray