Bad Bad Hats is simple. Guitar, bass, drums. Verse, hook, chorus. But Bad Bad Hats is also smart, and that’s what sets them apart. The band consists of songwriting duo Kerry Alexander and Chris Hoge who met in Minneapolis while attending Macalester College. The two had been writing songs independently of another since high school, Alexander playing her introspective folk tunes at local open mic nights, while Hoge recorded Weezer-style pop gems in his bedroom. Together, their songwriting falls perfectly in the middle of Top 40 hooks and indie craft, pairing Chris’ knack for sweet sounds with Kerry’s lyrical smarts.

It’s an irresistible combination, so much so that at their first show performing with friend and bassist, Noah Boswell, they were noticed by and later signed to Afternoon Records. The band released their newest EP, It Hurts, earlier this year and their talents were quickly noted by local and national publications alike, garnering praise from Music For Robots, Sound of Confusion, and Sirens of Decay. They were ranked #5 in the City Pages’ list of “College Bands You Need to Hear” and were recently selected as a finalist in Vita.mn’s annual Are You Local? contest, which determines the best new band in the Cities.

Their 5 song EP is available for free download from the Afternoon Records website.

GALLERY