Much like Whiskeytown in their prime, Ghosts I've Met balance out a sincere delivery of late-night head-on-the-bar boozing songs and slow-burning love ballads for the brokenhearted. What's even more impressive is that this wonderful sound comes from a brand-new band without a record on the shelves.

"It's our first tour as a band, so we're starting out with just our five-song tour EP, from there we're going to work up to a full-length," says frontman Sam Watts, calling from a tour van slicing through the wasteland of mid-Texas.

For a band with no backing and only a few songs under their belt, Ghosts I've Met have been enjoying their initial tour, thanks in most part to the rich pedigree of musicians in the band. Guitarist Ben Blankenship spent time in Modest Mouse, cellist Brent Arnold used to front a band (Brent Arnold & the Spheres) that was released on fabled indie Up Records, and violinist Margaret White tours alongside two of rock's most intriguing personalities, Cat Power and Sparklehorse.

With all this talent on one stage, Watts & Co. have their sights aimed high, and are ready to leave the bar for better things. "We've been doing a lot less country," he says. "I think I've been pretty happy trying to steer the ship away from the sad, sad, lonely three-chord blues." Just as long as that steering keeps the band far away from Ryan Adams, they'll be fine.-Ezra Ace Cardiff