Heavily inspired by the sincere and anthemic rock of '80s stars like U2, Peter Gabriel, the Police, and Simple Minds, Test Your Reflex update that vintage sound into a form akin to contemporaries like the Arcade Fire and the Faint rather than sticking to mere 1980s post-punk nostalgia. Formed in the Los Angeles suburb of Thousand Oaks, CA, in 2004 by singer and guitarist Ryan Levine, the band also includes lead guitarist R.C. Clark, keyboardist Andrew Ampaya, bassist Agustin Sanchez, and drummer Sal Cortez. Within months of forming, the band's teen idol looks and smartly retro vibe had attracted a small-scale bidding war that was eventually won by Sony BMG's RCA imprint. Test Your Reflex's debut album, The Burning Hour, was released in early 2007, preceded by the first single "Pieces of the Sun." ~ Stewart Mason