So WOXY has been playing a song called “Thanks to You” by The Deep Vibration quite a bit over the last few weeks. The song is a bit of a soul/R&B throwback (think Wilco’s “Walken”), but doesn’t feel at all dated or contrived. For whatever reason, though, while I always kinda dug the song when it would come on, it never occurred to me to check out any of the band’s other song.

Today, however, the band appeared for a live WOXY Lounge Act… and they completely blew me away. Quite simply, it was one of the most confident, powerful and exciting live performances I’ve heard in a long time. Check it out for yourself here ASAP.

I was so floored by the performance that, even before the band had finished its set, I jumped over to eMusic and downloaded the band’s debut EP, Veracruz. And I’m happy to say it’s fantastic.

Listening to these guys reminds me a lot of the first time I ever saw David Vandervelde live (at the Hideout party at the Yard Dog at SXSW in 2007) — an incredible mix of musicianship, love for 70′s Americana, and an absolutely stunning level of excitement and exuberance. Put simply, listening to The Deep Vibration reminds me about everything great about rock and roll, and I’m gonna be doing it quite a bit from now on.

Here’s my current favorite tune on the EP, though the “Oh My Sweet Carolina”-like “Tennessee Rose” is really, really close.

The Deep Vibration, “Oklahoma City Woman Blues”