Tennessee synth pop? Pawn-shop Rolands and Kraftwerk-esque black rubber suits aside, the Clears have managed to rise out of Memphis with a sound that tips its hat to the synth gods of the '80s like Gary Numan without the cheesiness that follows most bands making an effort to sound retro. Their self-titled debut album, released in 1997 by Smells Like Records, shows off their addictive utopian-machine music, put together by a trio who all keep a hand on the keyboards while making their own unique contributions on other instruments: Alicja Trout on vocals and guitar, Chris Clarity on vocals, and Brad Pounders on drums and vocals. ~ Stacia Proefrock, Rovi