The 101 is a very good band that features Eric Richter, formerly of an extremely good band (Christie Front Drive) and a pretty good band (Antartica). Christie Front Drive was the soundtrack to my strange college days (ask my lame-ass neighbors), and I'm thinking The 101 should be the soundtrack to these limbo-land years before I turn 30. The main intent of this band is to rock, but not in the distortion/feedback/kick-the-amp way. Rather, these guys rock in that catchy, why-am-I-smiling way.

Their latest album, Green, is a straight-up strum fest that leaves you with that ever-elusive feeling of happiness. How can you not be happy with head-bopping song transitions like these? The dudes just know how to write good songs. But really, I keep The 101 on repeat because of Richter's voice. I dug it in 1996 and I dig it in 2005. I know I say "why aren't they huge" a lot in these profile things, but... why aren't The 101 huge?

The 101 play Sin-e, Saturday, May 14th.