For the past few months, Salon has been running an unsigned-band Song Search competition. The best band in America, Bishop Allen, won. Unfortunately, their song is available for purchase which counteracts some of the rules, so they were disqualified. Although this is semi-sad, they are sure to get some of the publicity they deserve.

I love Bishop Allen. I first saw them play at the opening night party for The Tank, a New York City venue that is owned by some of my friends. I bought their CD and immediately developed a not-so-secret crush on them. Later, they played one of our CP parties (with We Are Scientists, another incredible band, and the Oxford Collapse, both of whom are now poised to take over the world).

This year, Bishop Allen embarked on a project to release one EP of new material every month, and so far, there hasn’t been a bad song in the bunch. There will be a time in the near future when they will be huge, so get in now while you still have a chance to see them in a small venue.

Sidenote: the only reservation I have about them is that I have met them many times and played with them twice and they still have no idea who I am. Such is the fate of the “guy who plays funny music.” It should not change your opinion of their music, which is undeniably fantastic. It should, however, give you newfound respect for me.