Hot Lava

Hot Lava's eclectic indie pop tunes -- peppered with techno-geek jargon, slicked with gritty beach rock guitar stylings, and laced with spooky reverb effects -- nodded to fun-loving acts like the Bicycles and the Blow. Founded by a group of art school students in Richmond, VA, in 2006, Hot Lava underwent several lineup changes in their formative years; by the time the band went into the studio in 2008 to record its debut album, the lineup consisted of lead singer Allison Apperson, drummer Jared Sosa, bassist Andrew Mowe, and keyboardist Matt Deans. Their first release, Lavalog...