Rock Candy

They’re young, pretty, have a fiddle player and swoon and swoop like Queen. What’s not to like? Formed early last year by a group of mostly UCA students and led by namesake Seth Latture, the band describes its sound on its MySpace page as “eating Christmas dinner with Ben Folds and Freddie Mercury.” That sounds about right for grandiose songs like “Thieves and Liars” and “The Gypsy Song,” though vocalist Mandi Tollet’s harmonic contributions can’t be ignored. In other spots, the band delves into moodier territory. “The Boxer” sounds ready-made for the soundtrack to the emotional climax in a romantic comedy, and “Don’t Say Go,” a song left off the band’s self-titled debut, forgets the fiddle and piano in favor of a gently strummed acoustic guitar and hushed vocals. Heypenny, a young band from Nashville with Arkansas roots, provides a pop-lovely compliment. Typically built around keys, the music has a low-key orchestral feel of Sufjan Stevens. Sleeptalker, another rising indie-rock group from Nashville, also appears.