Retrospective on rock: a look back at the year in local music

It's fitting that Merge Records is celebrating its 15-year anniversary after a spectacular year in local music. The Durham-based indie record label, spearheaded by two bandmembers of Superchunk, began in Chapel Hill when many local bands were gaining national coverage. In 2003--despite the loss of Radio-Free Records, Durham's only independent record store--there were a number of notable local indie rock releases--Portastatic's The Summer of the Shark among others--that got critics around the nation talking.

Jett Rink's eponymous debut was one such release. With a live-wire stage presence and frenetic vocal/instrumental arrangements to match, singer Viva fronts the band as a rock spirit materialized. I first saw Jett Rink play at the Compulation, a compilation of songs from local rock groups, release party, which in and of itself was the closest thing to a tribute to the region. The honors for the Compulation and the Jett Rink EP go to the intrepid visionaries at Durham's new record label Pox World Empire. The "Poxperiment" is coming.

The vets at Merge themselves heralded arguably the area's next big thing. The Rosebuds wowed enough critics, including myself, with their worldwide premiere Make Out to get on several end of the year top ten lists. With a sound that harkens back to the Smiths if they did sunny pop-rock, the band has constructed some of the tightest melodies in decades.

However, this year's local rock heroes have to be The Butchies. Back with their strongest set of songs yet, they stick true to the pop formula, inserting just a little bit of grrl rock 'tude here and there. I've never seen a band have more fun on stage, nor one that radiates such a rock-star presence.