The 88 have been hailed as one of the finest pop/rock/alternative bands in recent memory; a distinction proven all the more relevant by their superb new self-titled collection. The Los Angeles-based band has cooked up a modern take on their classic style. Swirling with chiming guitars, melodic bass, groovy keys, and rocking drums, The 88 grabs the listener at the first note and never lets go, from the organ-fueled album opener “Center Of The Sun” to the shimmering beauty of “As Far As I Can See”. Songs like “Automatic Brain” and lead single “They Ought To See You Now” – the latter featuring guest vocals from the one and only Ray Davies – boast all the vitality and exuberance of a great rock ‘n roll band in full flight, brimming with both confidence and creativity.

Founded in 2002 by high school pals Adam Merrin (piano/keys) and Keith Slettedahl (vocals/guitar), and solidified as a band with the addition of bassist Todd O’Keefe and drummer Anthony Zimmitti, THE 88 made their bones on the Southern California indie scene, releasing two well-received albums and earning acclamation as “Best Pop/Rock Band of the Year” from L.A. Weekly.

The band’s lively stage show soon attracted major label buzz. In 2007, THE 88 signed with Island Records, releasing their major label debut the following year. A mutual parting of ways came in 2009, allowing the band to return to the independent landscape that allowed them to thrive. Slettedahl spent the early part of the year making home recordings, which were later finished by the band and released digitally as 2009’s “unofficial album” This Must Be Love.