The Skinny

Lucky Boys Confusion, a polished, radio-friendly five-piece from the suburbs of Chicago, seamlessly meshes punk, reggae and hip-hop in sing-along tunes like "Dumb Pop Song," interspersed among a handful of fist-in-the-air pop punk anthems. The band's self-released 1997 EP "What Gets Me High" built it a strong local fan base in the suburbs, which extended into the city as sold-out gigs ensued. After self-releasing a full-length the following year, LBC was taken under Elektra's wing to support its 2001 effort, "Throwing the Game." LBC mixes hokey and playful lyrics with an upbeat pop-punk-ska feel by laying sing-along hooks over catchy four-chord riffs. "Throwing the Game" comes off oil-slick: credible to the kids but commercial enough to go far.

The Crowd

Just when you thought it was time to stop spiking your hair and lose your wallet chain ...

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