On The Verge

The Postelles

New York, N.Y.
The U.K. sounds of NYC
www.thepostelles.com

“It’s a little homage to the old Motown bands,” Daniel Balk (lead vocals/rhythm guitar) says of The Postelles’ moniker. Though fresh-faced, these four Manhattanites sound like a blend of the bands they strived to emulate early on: “We love ‘60s English bands, The Stones and The Kinks, punk like The Ramones and The Clash and Buddy Holly,” he adds. The original iteration of the band met in high school where the musicians were “very close friends,” and after a brief stint in college, the guys decided to pursue music full time. With the help of The Strokes’ Albert Hammond Jr., the early twentysomethings put out an EP in 2008 that quickly garnered radio airplay in Europe. The band has already hit the major festival circuit, seen success with this year’s White Night EP—and has its full-length debut due in July. After relaying crazy tales from the road involving 200 kids onstage at a show in Oregon, to debauchery in the streets of England and the bassist being punched twice by an 11-year-old girl in Philadelphia, Balk affirms, “We were born in New York City, grew up in New York City—that’s definitely always home.”