Who? Ames, Iowa is home to blues-rock revivalists Radio Moscow. Predominantly the brainchild of multi-instrumentalist Parker Griggs, the trio -- rounded out by Luke McDuff (bass) and Mayuko (drums) -- enlisted Black Keys guitarist and labelmate Dan Auerbach to produce and engineer their self-titled debut, out next month on Bomp!/Alive records.

What's the Deal? Marrying the bluesy psychedelic fervor of Cream with the big, precise fretwork of Jimi Hendrix, Radio Moscow relish in distortion and grittiness. Prevalent are themes of heartache, heartbreak, and drug intake, sometimes accompanied by instrumental forays into tumbleweeding country ("Lickskillet") and East Indian-influenced soundscapes ("Ordovician Fauna").

Fun Fact: "'Lucky Batch' is dedicated to my obese dog, Duchess," Griggs told SPIN.com. "She's a Black Lab and Springer Spaniel mix, and she weight about 90 pounds." ELIE Z. PERLER

Now Hear This:
Radio Moscow - "Frustrating Sound" DOWNLOAD MP3

Talk: Will you tune into Radio Moscow? COMMENT

On the Web:
Radio Moscow at myspace.com