Courtesy of Apes of Wrath

All over San Diego, more so than ever, local bands are out-and-about struggling and succeeding to make a name for themselves with the hopes of getting signed by a major record label.

One such band, Apes of Wrath, is doing just this.

Typically performing The Beauty Bar, Kensington Club and other more intimate local venues, this unsigned band is one you’ve got to keep your eyes on, because its sound, energy and of course, musical talents, are nothing to be ignored.

In a recent interview with the band, I asked its artists about the motivation behind the title of their current album “Plastic, Fake And Frozen.” Lead vocalist Rob Kent laughed when asked if the album cover image of a four-armed, naked Barbie doll, coupled with the album title was a dig at the abject “Californication” of women or the notion of superficial Cali-lifestyle.

Kent replied, “Actually, the album title is taken from the lines of one of our songs, but yeah, there’s definitely a little bit of sarcasm there.”

And as one takes a look around at the types of people flocking to these venues, it can be said there are indeed a wide range of people in attendance, from the new-millennium hipster with tattoos and skinny jeans to the busty cougars stalking the bar, hunting for fresh meat.

The band noted that when becoming a band, you view your audience as a direct reflection of the music. A particular sound attracts a certain demographic, which Apes of Wrath is quick to point out that as it becomes larger, it pays greater attention to these factors. Kent and guitarist Andrew Goldmeier, who met each other in a music course at San Diego State, said, “As time goes on, we wanted to just be musicians, but now we’re forced to be businessmen and pay attention to demographics.” Goldmeier also said, “Always at the heart of it, we just want to get up and play good music.”

And it is good music.

So much so that one of the guitarists of San Diego’s own Louis XIV musical sensation has also taken notice and has been a huge supporter of Apes of Wrath’s progress. Its sound, as defined by its MySpace page, is in indie, powerpop and rock genres. Powerpop is a pretty good description, but defining genre nowadays is like nailing Jell-O to the wall 8212; it’s pretty freakin’ pointless.

Its song “Wide Awake” is reminiscent of The Strokes’ earlier indie garage rock sound, but Kent’s vocal talents are all his own.

One new song, “Death Train,” off its self-titled EP, is a supreme example of the band’s unique sound.

Kent croons, “I’m on the Death Train / Oh-Oh I can’t continue / I’m in the Ca-ca-ca-caboose!” and with lyrics like this, the crowd responds positively. During a recent live performance at Beauty Bar, it was clear that the Apes of Wrath have a significant following and know how to get the crowd dancing and swaying.

For information on its upcoming performances, head to its MySpace page at www.myspace.com/apesofwrathmusic.