Shurman - East Side of Love (2015)

Los Angeles-to-Austin band Shurman rock with more of a twang, thanks to lead singer Aaron Beavers' Texas roots and drummer Damon Allen's Georgia upbringing. The two met when Beavers' family moved from Texas to Allen's hometown outside of Atlanta. They were both 13 when they first entertained the idea of starting a band, but college separated the two when Beavers headed to Hawaii and Allen moved to L.A. They didn't lose contact. Beavers sent Allen every single one of the 100 songs he had written while in Hawaii. Allen was convinced that L.A. was the place for the two to form the band they had always talked about, and soon Beavers made the move. They formed the original Shurman and released two EPs -- 2000's Songs to Tell Your Friends About and 2001's Superfecta -- and toured like crazy, averaging 200 shows a year. They had created quite a buzz among the alternative country community and won over some high-profile friends. Some of these friends -- Lucinda Williams' guitarist Doug Pettibone, Dashboard Confessional member John Lefler, and Mavericks' co-founder Ben Peeler -- helped record the unsigned bands debut, Jubilee. The Vanguard label picked the record up and released it in April of 2005. Guitarist Jason Moore and bassist Keith Hanna were soon added to the band and the new Shurman hit the road once again to support the record. ~ David Jeffries