SR-71

Taking their name from the fastest airplane ever built, the alternative rock foursome SR-71 deliver jaunty punk songs edged with corporate rock polish. The group formed during the early '90s in their hometown of Baltimore, where guitarist and frontman Mitch Allan joined bassist Jeff Reid, drummer Dan Garvin, and guitarist Mark Beauchemin. SR-71 propel listeners through rapid three-chord spirals and bursts of spastic energy that recall punk-pop revivalists such as Blink 182 and Less Than Jake. Their raw, hard-hitting sound draws from deep roots in British punk acts including UK Subs and the Sex Pistols, yet the band also voices admiration for the Beatles, Queen, Duran Duran, and The Police. Released on RCA in summer 2000, the debut album Now You See Inside later earned gold certification, though personnel shifts soon followed. Within a year Garvin departed and drummer John Allen joined the lineup. The revised quartet prepared its next release, which surfaced in fall 2002 as Tomorrow and featured a more polished production approach.