Best Unsigned Band

Plenty of Houston bands get signed. They just rarely get famous. J.W. Americana wants fame. And while unsigned, the band (Rodney Elliott, Shane Lauder, Doug Kosmo and Arthur Moreno) has promise. Wickedly named after a controversial American expat, the band's music is just as uncompromising, bold and rooted as a suicide bomber's conviction. But we'd be missing the point if we didn't stress that J.W. Americana puts on a seriously fun show. A recent performance at Helios was easily the best rock show Houston has seen in half a decade. And, we understand, the group's song "I Fucking Love It" is huge in Milwaukee. A couple of national tours, and it's Ed Sullivan Theater.