Meet Little Owl

I do so enjoy a good band with something owlish about their name, and the latest to ingratiate themselves into my good graces are the Santa Barbarans of Little Owl. And it's not just that they cite Rod Stewart as their one and only influence, either, mind you.

They call themselves "orchestral dance pop," and in truth that's pretty bang on the mark. In "Tucked Away, Our Home Our Mountain," Little Owl brings together the rapid-fire, frenetic skyscraper urban jangle of that first Bloc Party record with some of the Arcade Fire's baroque quirkiness while throwing in some California sunshine just for kicks. The song is like a moment of breathless, racing heart emotional adrenaline. It is, as you can well imagine, a rather infectious sound. I'm looking forward to hearing a whole lot more from this delightful Left Coast outfit.