MUSIC: The Vue: Looking in from the Outside

The recent tide of high caliber bands has catapulted several new groups to indie rock stardom, but there are also a number of hard-working bands who've been around much longer than a few months, just waiting to ride this wave in. One such experienced group is San Francisco's The Vue, a retro rock riot, whose EP, "Babies are for Petting," was released in March.

They've kept their heads above water through a devotion to maintaining their own sound, even if they can't fully describe it. "I have a hard time putting something as abstract as music into words," said Vue keyboardist Jessica Graves, "References are always a trap." But comparisons to newer bands like The Strokes and the White Stripes have been hard to avoid. "I feel pretty confident that we're not like Johnny come-latelies riding on this new wave," Graves insisted. "Acoustically, I don't think there are many bands we sound like."

She's probably right. "Babies are for Petting," is a clangy, harmonica-tinged rock set that moves quickly from tight, poppy riffs on "Look out for Traffic," to the broader "It Won't Last," which begs to be played to a screaming arena. Maybe it's the influence of San Francisco that breathes something different into Vue's music. Graves seems to think so. "As opposed to Los Angeles or New York, where we spend a lot of time, there's no pressure to be hip and like, 'Oh I just saw this band and they were really cool.' That freed us to write what we like and not be worried about being the next big thing."

Vue's refusal to talk about themselves in these terms hasn't stopped the rest of the music world, and with a full-length album on the way this summer, as well as an upcoming tour with the Ravonettes, Vue may just ride this wave all the way in.

• Macy Parker