Border rock: Seattle’s Pickwick is worth the trip south CBC Music - Free Streaming Radio, Videos, Songs, Concerts & Playlists

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There are many reasons to make a trip across the border to the good ol' U.S. of A. Gas is cheaper and cross-border shopping can be a delight, especially now that the duty free allowances have increased. And then there's the music. Cities like Seattle and Detroit have spawned some pretty big bands. Border towns across the 49th parallel are buzzing with fresh talent. The Border Rock series looks at what music is worth crossing the border for these days.

Seattle is but a few hours from Vancouver, a lovely drive through mountains and the Skagit Valley. A Pacific port town like Vancouver, Seattle is home to a lively music scene and has been for a long time. After all, Seattle spawned a whole new genre of rock called grunge, which helped put the final stake into the heart of hair rock back in the late ’80s and early '90s. As part of that grunge scene, Nirvana redefined rock, launching it on a fresh course for the ’90s. More recently, the city can claim Fleet Foxes among its biggest contributions to the music scene.

But what about the next big thing? What Seattle band has the buzz right now? According to the Seattle Examiner, there's a band called Pickwick that might be the next big thing from the Emerald City. The band is new and they have yet to release their first full album, but they've got a lot of interest with fans in their hometown.

Pickwick's sound has been described as neo-soul. Check out this video, which shows the band playing seaside in the great outdoors of Washington state. The band features amazing vocals, and taps into the roots of soul in a fresh way.