We’ve been eagerly awaiting new material from La Scala since they released their debut EP, The Harlequin, back in 2008. The Chicago-based quartet blends together just the right amounts of melodramatic pop and new wave with Eastern European folk to make us long for the Old World while furiously rocking out. Backed up by shrilling and warbling guitars and heavy reverb, front man Balthazar de Ley leads the band with his haunting baritone vocals. Their sound is mysterious and exotic, mustering up images of dancing gypsies and accordion street performers. more ›

Balthazar de Ley has been putting out consistently great music since starting up Menthol during his college days in downstate Illinois. His songwriting took root in the slab-like guitar college-rock that typified the Champaign-Urbana sound in the early '90s, but later in the decade we discovered his incredibly deft hand when it came to constructing a pop tune. Menthol's final album remains one of our favorite releases of all time, so when we heard de Ley had decided to soldier on with a different band, under the moniker La Scala, we were rather excited to hear the results. more ›