A lyrical, melodic, and multifaceted folk-rock outfit with multiple lead singers and tight four-part harmonies, Reno, Nevada's the Novelists draw inspiration from a wide array of artists, including Ben Folds, the Beatles, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Elton John, Genesis, and Weezer. Built around the talents of core members Joel Ackerson, Eric Andersen, Zack Teran, and Miguel Jimenez-Cruz, the quartet made their debut in 2012 with the release of Backstory. Book 1 followed in 2014, and two years later, the group returned with the ambitious, crowd-funded double-LP Breaking the Script. ~ James Christopher Monger