Suicide wins vote, Phoenx has nice stuff to say

BEST LOCAL SONG
SUICIDE LIQUORS, LOCK IT AWAY

Lock It Away is the kind of melodic, hard-edged rock that gloms on to your brain like a frantic cat and doesnt let go. Songwriter Bill Cole, who writes a lot of the bands songs---"some good ones and a lot of crappy ones"---takes his cues from archetypal indie acts like the Replacements and Hüsker Dü, and his influences are pretty visible here. Lock It Away, the bands best track from their last set, Shotgun Riding, features seasoned execution and pro performance, mostly because members of the band have been around awhile and have seen the inside of quite a few studios. Collectively, they’ve spent time in respected acts like the Groundhawgs, Mother Jefferson, Backwash and, currently, the Sleazies. "The song itself deals with keeping yourself in check while youre waiting for the big thing to happen", says Cole. "Youre frustrated about the big thing, because you don’t know what that big thing is. You dont know if maybe it already happened and you didn’t realize it". Cole, who jokingly classifies his writing style as "self-important heavy metal", brought the song to the band one day and the crew picked up on it quickly. "I guess it was one of the ones I brought in that day that didn’t suck", Bill deadpans. "They’re always a good sounding board and I trust their judgment". Theyre also really good. Pete Burr, who does time in the Sleazies, thrums the bass here, and the kid, drummer John Berard (24), gives the tune a healthy backbeat. The band plans to record a follow-up to Shotgun Riding this summer. "We still have the dream, says Cole, but it fades a little every year". "With the Internet now, theres a chance for every band. Weve been doing this for so long that its more fun than anything, which is reason enough to do it"