Members: Josh Purnell, Rob Warnick, Andy Crawford

The truth about Cincinnati Indie Rock is that folks can spot a flash in the pan from a mile away. We're a picky bunch, and artists who want attention or respect need more than one trick. The Mighty - a trio of seasoned local collaborators—knew that much when they boldly abandoned the safety of anthemic College Rock to test the boundaries of their collective, and considerable, musicality.

The result has turned heads from Newport to Northside. The Mighty's growing catalog winks suggestively at the catchiness that made them a household name, but "Power Pop" comes nowhere near tunes as visceral and emotive as these. With energy that is miles from sunny, the Mighty take each experiment to a fresh level of intensity, scraping themes of love and loss across chain-link guitar interludes before downshifting calmly. The lyrics are at the same time haunting and purposeful, expertly designed to draw the ear back to what's really important—the music's narrative instrumentation.

Creating music that showcases both classic Pop sensibility and technical ability is no small feat, but the Mighty have done their homework. With a grounded sense of style and identity, they soldier on, reminding real Cincinnati music lovers to expect more.