Trio B.C.

For a fledgling band, there's no more valuable ally than an already-established rock icon. Girl in a Coma counts Joan Jett as a mentor and a labelmate—the band is signed to her Blackheart Records. Instead of Jett's arena-punk, though, this San Antonio-based Latina trio—sisters Nina and Phanie Diaz and buddy Jenn Alva—matches throwback vocals with a modern-rock attitude. Think the Ronettes, heavily tattooed, meeting My Bloody Valentine in a Texas alley. The act's sophomore release, "Trio B.C.," finds it full of swagger and in fine form with tracks like "Ven Cerca," featuring Nina crooning Spanish lyrics with a snarl. Droning, high-voltage guitars fill "Static Mind," while "BB" maintains a swinging, torch-singer vibe while evoking the spirit of the American Southwest. The members of Girl in a Coma may be protégés of a music legend, but they don't need to ride Jett's coattails—these kids are more than alright.