Upon learning where Sovereign States hail -- and hence drive to their all-ages shows -- from, most indie rock fans will think of the Get Up Kids and Ed Rose.

It's almost like a word association game: "Kansas? Black Lodge Studio!" But while Sovereign States might stand next to the Get Up Kids in a broad sense, potentially even sharing a bill at some point, the band shares more in common with Brand New, or even greener California contemporaries the American Scene.

Citing the Jealous Sound and Title Fight as influences, the group has a post-punk edge that affords their singer the room he needs to float perfectly imperfect melodies in a genre otherwise known for clean, polished sounds.

"This song is essentially what fueled us to start this band," drummer Quinn Brabender tells Diffuser.fm. "The lyrical content speaks a lot about feeling left out in a music scene that generally caters towards other genres. A lot of people who enjoy our music usually tell us that we'd do really well in another part of the U.S.. To us, that's a bit frustrating, because we're not somewhere else. We're here, in Lawrence, Kansas. And we want to bring that mentality here instead of leaving to cater to another scene."

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