Formed from ex-members of Sacramento’s Mister Metaphor, Seattle, WA’s, Bridges are a progressive math-pop conglomerate with more syrup-sweet melodies than you can shake an abacus at. The band is currently on tour through mid-July on the West Coast, and last night melted the apathy of a cozy crowd at Chico, CA’s Cafe Coda.

The group played for about 40 minutes, without stopping for anything, fashioning a seemingly endless song, which was actually several seamless segues into different tunes. Think early Velvet Teen or don’t. If you live on the West, check these guys out at these select dates. You won’t be disappointed.

After playing a sub-par show last night with my new act (*cough*clickhere*cough*), I was unloading our gear when I saw Strix Vega setting up for their set. What struck me wasn’t the 2 keyboards, 3 billion fx pedals or the 3 guitars for the trio, it was the giant 3 foot gong suspended upon a bass rig via a keyboard stand. I quickly changed my plans from going to bed to checking out the group.

Defined as soul (on their myspace page), I got a very prog, almost Pink Floyd vibe from them. Each member was proficient on their instruments, and their bassist [Andy Powell] pretty much owned. Cummon, when was the last time you saw a guy rip on a 4 string then play keys/ gong at the same time?  Their set was entertaining from start to finish, which is something I can’t say about most bands I see.  If I wasn’t a dirtbag or poor, I would have picked up their CD for sure.

Today we bring you Oshin, a New York indie rock four-piece that’s been in our inbox for a few months now. It seems that every time I went to blog about a new Band of The Day I’d listen to Ohshin and then fail to have anything of interest to write about them, or else get distracted by an office fire or a a pretty butterfly. But now I’m ready for their fretboard-tapping antics, sway-worthy musical vibe, Sunny Day Real Estate meets Dismemberment Plan songcraft and vaguely Thom York-esque vocal delivery, and…OOOOH PRETTY !!!

http://www.myspace.com/ohshin

Former Synthesis Band You’ve Never Heard Of…OF THE DAY!!111, Russian Circles is up to some big shit. They’re new full length, the Matt Bayles-produced Station is basically one of the raddest records of ‘08, and after their current tour with Daughters, they are hitting the road with some random band named Coheed and Cambria. Check out an interview with the band on the front page and learn about the realest shit to come out of Chicago since Obama.

Former Synthesis Managing Editor and all-around Chico legend Max Sidman left for the greener pastures of the Bay Area some years back in search of fame and fortune. He, of course found both, but more importantly found himself a badass band, Ovipositor. Check out an interview with the band over on the Synthesis.net homepage and if you’re lucky enough to live in the Bay (or even luckier, to live in Chico) check the band out live the next few weeks rawt hurr:

The Shimmies rep NorCal HELLA hard. Their debut CD The Frogtown LP takes the best of nineties alt-rock and combines it with contemporary indie rock, throws in a dash of sevnties epicness (dude plays his guitar with a bow on some “Kashmir” style shit) and wraps it all in a bearded, long haired package. Check out an interview with the lads here, then check out their tunes on Myspace. DEWD!