Sound-off! An Underage Battle: The Oh Wells

The Oh Wells are not dismissive. Nor are they American. We don't believe the two are necessarily related. Out of Vancouver, B.C., The Oh Wells put ukulele and piano front and center on their technicolor pop. Citing Simon & Garfunkel and Belle & Sebastian (what? no Slap & Tickle? They've got the ampersand and everything!) as influences, tOW recognizes and transcends them by writing hyper-literate, structurally sophisticated songs about the minutiae of their lives, sprinkled liberally with Harry Potter references and high school boys.

"Quick-tempoed jangle folk" let's call it, inset with charmingly intertwined vocals from founders Sarah Jickling and Molly Griffin. Rounded out by bassist Dan Roberts and percussionist Nathan Rice, The Oh Wells will appeal equally to fans of the Tea Cozies and Those Darlins.

This Saturday they will try to shrug off Kids and Animals, Land of Pines, and Micah B for a spot in the Final of EMP's Sound-Off! Get prepared to care.

Saturday 7:00 p.m. // EMP/SFM // $10 ($7 students / EMP|SFM members)