No bones about it: Rock Island has yet to become a music mecca like other Illinois cities. Chicago obviously has its hit-makers, Champaign gave the world both mega-stars (REO Speedwagon) and indie giants (Braid, Hum), while even Rockford will always boast Cheap Trick as their claim to fame. But talent lies rooted in this city of just under 40,000. Daytrotter.com has become a beacon of the indie scene, recording huge national bands in between tour stops, and quartet The Last Glimpse is also making their mark with a blistering, expansive sound that gives nods to the spacey ambiance of bands like Hum, the anthemic pop of Jimmy Eat World and all the gritty layers in between.

The band's 2011 EP Lies & Liars is a crushing, melodic journey through memorable riffs, stunning time changes and performances that are due for massive radio play. Lead-off track "A Moment Past" features the kind of earnest, clean strumming that was the meat-and-potatoes of emotional, yet heavy bands of the late 90's and early 2000's (think Failure or Appleseed Cast), and its a welcome introduction, leading into the pristine harmonies and soaring choruses of the rest of the track. Elsewhere, both "Seven Days" and "Should I Be Sad?" are perfect driving songs, sporting powerful mid-tempo structures and expert showmanship. The closing title track lets loose to wrap things up, and is punctuated by screams and some slick studio experimentation. It's a short, but effective release that, anchored by live performances with alt-rock heroes like Local H, is gaining more fans by the day.

This year has also brought the band some fame as the winner of Rock Island Brewing Company's 3rd Annual Battle of the Bands. And it happened with more drama than you would expect. As vocalist/guitarist Steve Krug tells it, "We had only been together about six months at the time, and our lead guitarist Jeff Loder played both our first round show and the finals with a broken shoulder. There were 12 bands and a few days before our first round he broke his left shoulder in a bicycle accident. He played the show against doctors orders and we won that round to go to the finals, then we played the finals only 10 days after he had surgery to repair his shoulder. I'm still amazed to this day, I'd like to think I'd do the same but that's pretty hardcore."

Their four song E.P., Lies & Liars is available now at music.thelastglimpse.com as a free download.

Texture, emotion, and crushing sound, this is The Last Glimpse. It's a project about capturing a feeling, and the band does so expertly. Largely influenced by 90's space rock pioneers HUM and melodic masters Jimmy Eat World, The Last Glimpse isn't afraid to be experimental but doesn't stray too far from what makes pop music great. With two accomplished singer / songwriters working together to craft the basics, vocal texture and harmony weave seamlessly with huge guitars and drums, making the band's sound massive, dynamic, and melodic.

Their four song E.P., Lies & Liars is available now at music.thelastglimpse.com as a free download.

Texture, emotion, and crushing sound. This is The Last Glimpse.