Local band: Briar Rabbit

The almost year-old Chicago band Briar Rabbit makes you think. Coining the genre "thought-pop," that's kind of their shtick. The act also makes you tap your foot, which is arguably most important. The tunes are cool and calm, unpretentious and melodic. Briar Rabbit has already deservedly been featured in the RedEye, The Tribune, WBEZ, and plenty of other local media outlets.

They play something like polished hippie music with more complexities and subtleties in both the sound and lyrics. You could also think of it as John Mayer-ish jams that aren't trying as painfully hard.

Overall, it's quality local coffeehouse music. It would be best suited for a snowed-in winter night by a fireplace drinking tea with a couple close friends. The band is no stranger to guitars and percussion, but also incorporates keys, bass, a wall of backing vocals and accordion. Sometimes they even throw in a tap dancer. As an instrument. See it to believe it:

Check ‘em out on Facebook, Twitter or at www.briarrabbit.net for more.