Bandway

With joke bands, there's always an inherent issue with accessibility. Most all of them operate as some sort of parody, and while there's always plenty of people ready to laugh at the eccentricities of any given genre, some fans and musicians won't take kindly to being the butt of the gag. Somehow, though, Winston-via-Raleigh duo Bandway buck this notion. Theirs is a top-flight mock-rock performance, one that takes on the crunchy arena cockiness of bands like AC/DC and pulls no punches. They nail the hammy, repetitive riffs, slamming them home with the force of a champion lifter's reps. Singer and drummer Brooks Carter shreds his vocal chords, perfectly mimicking the high, crackling shriek of rock's most (in)famous front men.

Despite the tongue that is ever firmly in their cheek, Bandway's rock antics are so fully formed that fans of the genre might just accept it at face value. They've got razor sharp hooks and propulsive verses on beer-chugging topics such as the love of a four-day weekend. Their instrumentals, while purposefully over-acting the part, attack with precision, building momentum that refuses to let the listener go.

This music elicits as many fist-pumps as it does chuckles, making Bandway a wonderfully conflicted experience. One minute, you'll find yourself slapping your knee, howling with laughter as you shake your head at shenanigans; then with the next, you'll be bobbing your head and trying to sing along. These songs are both an indictment of cock rock and a triumphant celebration of its virtues. No matter which flavor you prefer, Bandway delivers the goods. —Jordan Lawrence