Ambulance LTD

When it comes to Ambulance LTD, diversity is key: Not only do band members come from as far afield as Belfast, Northern Ireland; Santa Monica, California; Eugene, Oregon and "all over New England," but they also bring in influences as diverse as jazz great John Coltrane, Guns N' Roses, Fleetwood Mac, My Bloody Valentine and Black Sabbath to their swooning, atmospheric sound. Each member independently found his way to New York with the aim to try his luck in the music scene. After flirting briefly with the New York jazz community, the guys found each other in 2000 and started crafting their rather eccentric sound, melding their love for atmospheric guitars with a steady, jazz-like beat, resulting in a layered, ethereal sound with chops. Eventually, Ambulance LTD got a showcase at Brownies, but to say their performance was a disappointment would be somewhat of an understatement. But there was a silver lining: one of the few people in the audience happened to be an A&R person for TVT Records. Ambulance LTD were signed shortly thereafter and released their eponymous debut EP in 2003. The band's first full length album, Up, came out in 2004.