the christmas lights

Hometown : Frostburg

Members: Derek Shank, keyboards and vocals; Josh Grapes, samples, effects, keyboards and vocals; Curt Tompkins, drums and vocals; Kenny Tompkins, guitar and lead vocals

Founded : 2006

Style : experimental electro-pop

Influenced by : Mum, Deerhoof, Panda Bear

Notable: The Christmas Lights is the brainchild of Kenny Tompkins, who recorded the band's debut album, Walk Like a Human, at home by himself. Tompkins recruited Grapes, Shank and his brother, Curt, to perform the pieces live.

Quotable : "It's supposed to represent a lack of reverence for the traditional or a sort of ironic ownership of something universal," Tompkins said of the band name. "It's not really affiliated with religion or Christmas or anything like that."

For more information about the band, go to myspace.com/thechristmaslights.

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