June

June emerged in the early 2000s with the same kind of catchy pop-punk and rock hybrid that defined other Chicago-area groups such as Fall Out Boy and the Academy Is.... Tim Brennan on vocals and guitar, A.J. Brown on bass and vocals, Mark Palacz on guitar, and Mark Sutor on drums initially treated the project as a lighthearted way to perform locally, yet the four-song demo and their shows quickly drew a sizable hometown audience and prompted a more committed approach. The band issued The June EP independently in mid-summer 2004, and despite limited road experience beyond Chicago they soon signed with the area powerhouse Victory Records. Their first album for the label, If You Speak Any Faster, arrived in August 2005 and led to extensive national touring. Nearly two years after that release the group delivered the noticeably poppier Make It Blur.