Going under the nom de plumes of Cassie Ramone, Kickball Katy, and Ali, Vivian Girls emerged in 2008 amidst a crowded Brooklyn indie rock scene, and made an immediate splash among the blogosphere and 7" collectors alike. Their sound represents a mixture of elemental punk chords, distorted guitars, surf-inspired melodies, girl-group-evoking vocal harmonies, and an aggressive edge that has allowed them to share bills with hardcore acts like F****d Up. By the end of 2008, revered punk label In the Red released their self-titled debut to a wide audience, and the group was sharing bills with everyone from Deerhunter and King Khan to Love Is All and Times New Viking. ~ Kenneth Herzog