Meet and greet The Suborbitals, a band from Monterey/Santa Cruz, California.

Made up of Ryan Masters (vocals, guitar), Heath Proskin (bass), Gordon Stokes (vocals, drums), and Ben Herod (saxophones, flute), The Suborbitals "sling the dank from shiny pulpits; they bristle like hedgehogs in sequined slippers; massage the tenderloin of your darkest dreams."

Formed in 2002, The Suborbitals played their first gig in 2003, followed by becoming the ad hoc house band at Ocean Thunder, a Monterey biker bar, and Monterey Live, a venue located in downtown Monterey. In 2006, they released their debut album, Blackout Rolling, garnering considerate reviews.

Just recently, they dropped a new album, called Hey Oblivion, full of a baker's dozen of over-the-top alt-rock tracks.The best tracks on Hey Oblivion include "Let's Forget It For A While," a down-tempo alt-rock tune both austere and deliciously cool, like The Kinks covering The Talking Heads, innovative and nuanced with surfacing pale energy.

"Devil's Dance Card" exudes flavors of Latin blues and wickedly tight burlesque strip club music, the kind you'd find at a gentleman's club on the wrong side of the tracks, rife with deep tones from the sax and theatrical vocals. "Wise Blood" opens with a slapping bassline from the bowels of the earth and snug percussion. The drawling, simmering tones of the sax infuse the tune with opaque, ominous sensuality.

"Aquanaut" is pure, unadulterated burlesque blues mingled with oozing savors from a buttery sax, and scrumptious histrionic vocals, treacly and potently marinated in whisky and cigarette smoke. "Klutina" exudes snazzy aromas of lounge music amalgamated with jazz-lite, as if Jethro Tull got booked to play the Ramada Inn.

Hey Oblivion is totally cool, embracing a spectrum of innovative sonic textures.