Hartford's alt-indie trendsetters Cheem always play by their own set of rules, and their new video for "Spring Breeze" (streaming below) explains why. The comedic clip mirrors the message of the song, showing what happens when a musician "finds success and becomes complacent, until a group with new ideas and motivation take over," in the words of the band. Cheem said the song "grew out of our collective frustration with how all levels of the music industry favor trendy soundalikes over fresh sounds. The video is a twisted, literal interpretation of the song." Meshing together elements of pop, indie and alternative rock, funk and more, the resulting melody is upbeat yet sardonic -- a duality that perfectly describes who Cheem is as a band. Cheem is a band who is still daring to try, and it shows. - Lilly Milman

Stream an exclusive premiere of the video for "Spring Breeze" below. 

 Earlier this month, Connecticut's Cheem dropped a video for their recently released single, "Spiral", a catchy, pop-punk laden alt-rock tune that establishes the band firmly as an artist to watch.  About a year out from their debut album, Making a Planet, the Hartford five-piece shows they have plenty more to say, with interesting instrumental breakdowns and a classic dual vocal style.  Check out the video below and keep an eye out for upcoming shows. -Brian Varneke

After working on it for nearly a year, Connecticut’s Cheem released its debut EP, Elka, on September 10. The pop punk set starts off with the spunky “Chicks Love Gongs,” a track boasting two choruses basically sung at the same time. (It works to great effect though – just listen!) The mood shifts on the EP’s title track, a love song of sorts that promises “I’m never far” and details a romantic runaway over beautiful chords. Later, the band shows off its knack for catchy, tight guitar riffs on “Reward” and pushes its instrumental boundaries on the spacious outro track “Apollo.” Download Elka for free now over on the band’s Bandcamp page. – Jake Reed (@jakejreed)