Formed in the summer of 2000 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, their unique name was penned by Van Morrison in the lyrics to his composition "Sweet Thing" off of the classic Astral Weeks album. Their mission is to "make music with as much heart as possible without resorting to lyrical cliches and exaggerated angst." The debut album, Jump the Hedges First, was released on the Universal Warning label in 2002 and contains compelling ideas poured over sparkling pop. Van Morrison doesn't exactly come to mind when hearing the sounds they collectively create, but the quintet have the image and the approach together better than some acts who have been around for decades. Their official bio states "To Against Tomorrow's Sky, melody and lyrics are just as important as smashing drums and loud guitars." They've shared the stage with a plethora of other groups: Built to Spill, Spoon, Cursive, the Good Life, Imperial Teen, Rocky Votolato, Radio 4, 764-HERO and a slew of others, for the most part because Jeff Fuller liked them the best and was "more stoked to play with" (those acts). The vocalists both lean towards the John Lennon side of the Lennon/McCartney spectrum and do keep a lid on the angst, though it cuts through the dramatic and tight spitfire assault. Though they are basically pop, the group can turn it up a few levels. A second album was recorded during 2004 and the band rocked Denver's Channel 9 News "Back Yard" event in July of that year, their modern garage sound giving them a dominant position in what is considered a somewhat neglected music scene in Colorado. ~ Joe Viglione