Hot Lava's eclectic indie pop tunes -- peppered with techno-geek jargon, slicked with gritty beach rock guitar stylings, and laced with spooky reverb effects -- nodded to fun-loving acts like
the Bicycles and
the Blow. Founded by a group of art school students in Richmond, VA, in 2006,
Hot Lava underwent several lineup changes in their formative years; by the time the band went into the studio in 2008 to record its debut album, the lineup consisted of lead singer
Allison Apperson, drummer
Jared Sosa, bassist
Andrew Mowe, and keyboardist
Matt Deans. Their first release,
Lavalogy, was released on Bar/None in 2009. ~ Margaret Reges, All Music Guide