New Jams: Eastern Conference Champions

“Nicotine-like, addicting tunes,” “a breath of fresh air,” “phenomenal” and “disillusioned but driven.” These are just a few of the adjectives used to describe pop-rockers Eastern Conference Champions.

Hailing from Southampton, PA, the group (consisting of Josh Ostrander, Greg Lyons and Vern Zaborowski) is quickly making their way up the musical ladder. 

Their gritty sound has been compared to Coldplay and Smashing Pumpkins, but British super-producer Owen Morris (Oasis, The Verve) says, “ECC sounds like no one f*cking else.”

After throwing in the towel with their original band, Laguardia, Ostrander and Lyons found themselves between a rock and a hard place, no longer under the wing of Universal Records and left to record on their own dime. The duo recorded nonstop and teamed up with Zaborowski to create what is now Eastern Conference Champions.

Catching the attention of the Geffen Records president, ECC was quickly signed with Suretone Records and went on to record Ameritown (which was released in 2007).

“It’s refreshing to see a band who actually looked like they enjoyed playing their songs,” Blender wrote. 

After their appearance on Last Call With Carson Daly, the band has continued to gain momentum with more interviews, appearances and shows.

Ameritown is an album that exudes energy, passion and the binding force to city life. From their single, “The Box” which describes the drug and alcohol scene to “Rabbit Hole” which tells the tired story of over exhaustion from the rush of metropolitan life, ECC is showcasing the ups and the downs of city living. ECC is a breath of fresh air, with raspy vocals and even a little taste of the glockenspiel.

With an audience primarily based in the UK, ECC is currently on tour in Europe. To keep updated on US tour dates or to listen to their music, check out their Myspace page for more information on this up and coming trio.