...In which our heroine digs the fruit.

So I have these friends. And they're in a band. But the band's actually legitimate--as in records albums, tours the country, gets played on the radio.

Ladies and gentlemen (I just thought of Heath Ledger's Joker when I typed that) I present Pomegranates, comprised of my friends Isaac Karns on guitar/vocals, Josh Kufeldt on bass, Joey Cook on vocals, and Jacob Merritt on drums. Isaac and Josh both kicked around in other local bands while they attended Princeton, but it wasn't until they teamed up with some friends that the reality of creating genuinely good music stuck. I saw both of them in other bands--Josh by himself in the Moon Collision, and Isaac with his old band, the name of which I can't think of right now. Both were okay, but once Isaac and Josh started working together, I really got interested.

I've had plenty of friends in band, but the Poms are the first that I feel could have a legitimate shot at not even playing the fame game, but at least producing some fine music on a consistent basis. It has been really interesting for me to talk to Isaac and Josh about how exactly one goes about doing things like setting up a tour, recording an album, selling merch, and all the other stuff that being in a real band entails. I also salute them for their bravery in shunning the traditional model of how to operate after high school.

I've been lucky enough to get to hear from Josh a lot of the music before it gets released, and to see the band live at their album release party at the Northside Tavern and when the opened for Peter, Bjorn, and John. As a music fan, it's thrilling to me to get an insider's view of a band, especially one that I have friends in.

So go have a listen to the Pomegranates--the best place is over at their Myspace, but the two Lounge Acts they did for WOXY are also quite a good intro to the band. (Can I just mention what a thrill it is to know people being played on WOXY?) And if you really can't get enough, head over and check out the band's blog, Everybody Outside.