Meet the Band: Garrett Komyati (vocals, piano, guitar), Matt Childers (bass, drums), Michael O’Brien (drums), and Bryan Lecky (guitar)
Where They’re Coming From: Raised in East Side suburbs, this indie-pop quartet knew the blues by junior high. But they found a cure for midwestern weariness between screenings of Garden State and The Graduate.
They Kinda Sound Like: Avett Brothers, Jeff Buckley, David Bowie
Gigged With: Fitz and the Tantrums, Cotton Jones, Rogue Wave
Recordings: Self-produced, self-titled debut album came out in 2009. The follow-up — and a Cleveland-themed Christmas single — are in the works for 2011.
If the Modern Electric Were an Obscure Animal: “We’d be an anglerfish,” says Komyati. “It lures in prey with its electric light and then devours them.”
Imaginary Film They’d Score: “A 1970s-era Woody Allen rom-com, starring him and Scarlett Johansson,” says Komyati. “And throw in [Die Hard‘s] John McClane for good measure.”
Why They Say They Matter: “The Modern Electric have the hooks and the looks to restore your faith in pop music.”
Why We Say They Matter: The band vows to usher in a new artistic renaissance to our shores. In the meantime, we’ll give them credit for being one of Cleveland’s most ambitious and marketable pop groups.
Where You Can Hear Them:
Where You Can See Them: At the Beachland on February 16 and the Brite Winter Festival (britewintercleveland.com) at Hart Crane Memorial Park on February 19. — Andrew Clayman
This article appears in Feb 16-22, 2011.
