The Corto Maltese

Austin-based indie rock band the Corto Maltese began generating a buzz for itself in 2007 with a three-song demo. The band -- comprised of Ben Maddox (vocals/guitar), Tyler Thompson (guitar), Wes Turner (bass), and Justin Roberts (drums) -- often garnered comparisons to former indie buzz band Arcade Fire and cited the influence of Berlin-era David Bowie. Their live shows around the Austin, Texas, area, including a performance at South by Southwest in March 2008, inspired further interest in the band. ~ Jason Birchmeier