Kinch

A local radio favorite, Kinch hit quite a mark with their impeccable 2008 album, Advances, and made it quite evident in March at South by Southwest. While in Austin, they represented the Valley in tip-top form. Kinch are everything modern Arizona music is, wants to be, and should be. Their tunes range from Wingsesque piano-driven ballads (“Fare Forward”) to cosmic, soothing psychedelia (“A Tantrum”) to mostly acoustic mellowness (“She Walks in Beauty”). Despite MySpace’s being the go-to place for indie bands, Kinch were ahead of the curve on that one, creating an account in early 2005 and securing the all-important “/kinch” URL. After a tour of Southern California, this fireball foursome will be rocking Phoenix at the Vans Warped Tour and, of course, pleasing you to the max during Summer of Sound. To paraphrase Tina Turner, Kinch are “Simply the Best” act you’ll find dwelling in the Valley. — John LaBarber