By Jim Dunn

I am an indie/grunge nerd.

My pal Rishi Bahl of the Spacepimps is Pittsburgh pop punk royalty.

Two Saturdays ago, at Stage AE, The Full Steam released "yours truly" an ep that would be in the midst of catapulting them into the upper echelon of Pittsburgh rock, if not for their impending move to LA. The greatest example of the sheer power and mass appeal of The Full Steam, is Rishi and I continually exchanging "holy sh*t" looks of bewilderment during the onslaught of hooks and grooves in one of the finest sets I've seen a band from this city play. Ever. If this was their last Pittsburgh show, they went out with a bang.

"Yours Truly" is the follow up to 2010's "The Colorage" released when the band was still called Yours Truly. (there's a "who's on first" joke somewhere in here, but I'll just blow right by it) Guitarist/Lead Vocalist Justin Portis, Bassist Jaron "DJ Huggy" Lamont and drummer/vocalist Eric Downs have been on Pittsburgh's radar since 2011's finals appearance in the X's winter rock showcase.

The EP is a triumph on many levels.

Recorded throughout 2012, mostly with Sean Cho at +\- studios and mastered at Treelady Studios, "Yours Truly" packs more of a punch than "The Colorage" while still staying true to the bands melodic foundation. Songs like the opening track "incinerator" and the EP highlight "Laundry Service" showcase Portis and Downs weaving perfect harmonies through Downs frantic beats and Huggy's thumping bass lines. Other songs like "the prosecutor" showcase Portis' penchant for storytelling and character creation. "the act of taking a theme and creating a song around it is a new concept for us. It was something we tried to do with the Prosecutor. It's about a woman who works in the courtroom where the main character is on trial for murder" says Portis.

It was a slow process to finish a record that speeds through 6 tracks in under 30 minutes. "it took us most of 2012 to record and finish the album" explains Portis. "it took about 50 hours to record and just about the same to mix and master, it just happened to be over many months, a little at a time"

The band will now take their new record to Los Angeles. The reasons are plentiful. "we felt the quality of music that we were producing was of a caliber that could compete in major markets" says drummer/vocalist Eric Downs. "LA is home to decidedly progressive minded people and the weather allows the music scene to live on perpetually through the year."

the Full Steam departs our city on an upward trajectory. "Pittsburgh is a beautiful transitional, springboard city. on the negative side with it being a sports town, it's easy to be a party/cover band, but it's very difficult to be an independent band." says Downs.

Despite leaving Rishi and I scouring the city for a band that appeals to pop punkers and grunge nerds alike, the guys in The Full Steam leave with fond memories. "Pittsburgh has allowed us to meet life long friends and fans who have shown us that we have a unique strong and viable product, which has given us the confidence to make a cross country move" says Downs.

A great band like this leaving the city can serve as a reminder to all music lovers. if you really like a Pittsburgh band, support them as much as you can or you might be waving goodbye someday too.