A hearty welcome to 2012 and our first artist of the week…of the year! In case you didn’t happen to tune in to the show, this month we’re showcasing the new tunes, the up-and-comers, and the soon-to-be-known. Our artist this week is one who, in their few years together, is managing to make way into the media eye.  Say hello to the year’s first artist of the week: Middle Class Rut.
Officially formed in 2006, Middle Class Rut was in development years before when the only members of the band, Sean Stockham and Zack Lopez, were teens writing songs in Sacramento, California. Through trial and error with their earlier band, Leisure, as well as the natural forces of life that puts distance between best friends, the boys learned from their experiences and realized that making music together was their calling. When 2006 rolled around the two already had tons of experience working together, gelling, and discovering the direction that they wanted to take with Middle Class Rut, and the two have managed to keep it up.
When you listen to Middle Class Rut you get a mish-mash of rock and punk influences that leaves them sounding somewhere between Jane’s Addiction, the Futureheads, and early Green Day. One thing setting them apart from other bands making it into the commercial spotlight is the dedication and passion involved in their music. Stockham and Lopez possess the honorable and admirable quality that they feel the need to tackle the process of musical production all on their own. And while the do it yourself style music has certainly taken hold in many underground avenues; it’s not often that you see this spreading into the ears of people listening to commercial stations and making waves all around the world.
Though Middle Class Rut have been around a good amount of time as friends and just over five years as a band itself, the duo have released only one full-length album, which was back in 2010. While this may seem lacking to people desiring more music from the band, their track record for EP and single releases more than makes up for only one album. What’s more, their 2010 album, No Name No Color, was a sort of farrago of songs recorded over the friends’ years of collaboration, never having been taken to a studio to be re-recorded, adding to the personal aspect of the album itself.
Middle Class Rut has been demonstrating their talents the world over and though their road has been long, their efforts have not been fruitless. Stockham and Lopez have been billed with big-time names like Social Distortion, Weezer, Alice in Chains, and Them Crooked Vultures. They’ve also been popping up in other forms of media. Hell, were it not for NHL 12’s soundtrack I doubt I would have heard of them any sooner. Here’s to hoping to hearing more Middle Class Rut and to a happy New Year for all our readers and staff! As per usual, follow the links below to your enjoyment!
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