The Coydogs

We hate to reduce a band to its influences, but exceptions do exist. Example: The Coydogs sound like Tom Petty fronting Crazy Horse circa "Stupid Girl" -- oh yeah, toss in a little Big Star/Teenage Fanclub. The thought of a band nailing the ultimate all-time awesome fusion of American power pop and California country-rock can be pondered for lifetimes. Of course, the Coydogs don't achieve perfection, but they go for it. Plus, the band has cultivated a better balance of brute force and song craft than most of its peers.