With a sound that effortlessly mixes classic, no-frills rock 'n' roll with an alterna-pop edge, L.A.'s Maxfield Rabbit has been building a strong following through nonstop club dates around the L.A. area and appearances at a number of regional festivals.

On "Evermore," Julia Albert's sassy vocal quickly becomes the focal point, soaring over the lazy-but-funky rhythmic section and gritty rhythm guitar that opens the tune. Over the sparse verse, Albert takes over, using her voice to push the tune into the chorus. You'll be reminded of melodic '80s rock, à la 'Til Tuesday -- only with more attitude. On other tunes, the band pares itself down for acoustic-based songs that feature Albert sharing vocal chores with singer/guitarist Roger LaPlant.

Maxfield Rabbit doesn't cater to trends, so don't expect to hear any hip hop drum loops, samples or trendy production tricks. But download "Evermore" and you will hear rock 'n' roll, the way the good lord intended it.

-- Michael Lipton

Michael Lipton is a writer whose work has appeared in Spin, Option, Musician, Request and LA Weekly. As a musician he can be heard on recordings with Southern Culture on the Skids and as a member of the house band on "Mountain Stage," a live performance radio show distributed internationally by Public Radio International.