State Champs

Albany, New York-based pop-punk band the State Champs began in 2010, basing their quick-paced and emotive sound on the influence of masters of the genre like Fall Out Boy, the Story So Far, and New Found Glory. Based around singer Derek Discanio's wailing vocals, the band was filled out by guitarists Tyler Szalkowski and Tony Diaz and bassist William Goodermote; they were eventually joined by drummer Evan Ambrosio. After a demo circulated, the band released the Overslept EP in late 2012, and followed with full-length The Finer Things in 2013. The bands's second LP, Around the World and Back, is due out in October 2015.