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aBetter Yesterday has drawn quite a bit of attention recently as a semifinalist in the Graffiti Rock Challenge and as a battle-of-the-bands winner at lead singer Greg Meyer's alma mater, Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

The band's name has a definite retro tinge to it, and each member of the quartet cites influences that are familiar to anyone who's been listening to music for a while.

"My parents brought me up on Oldies," says Greg, including such favorites as the Temptations. But his songwriting and performing owes more to the more recently popularized Emo style, combining harder-edged rock with lyrics that roller-coaster ride of relationships.

The titles of the three songs on the band's demo disc - "Twists & Turns," "Until These Pictures Fade" and "Things We Cannot Do Alone" - give a pretty good clue about the typical emo subject matter. (Although band members say they're drifting a bit away from Emo, adding ska-influenced drumbeats and lyrics that reflect a bit more contentment.)

As a counterpoint to Greg's keyboards and acoustic guitar, Tom Esch's lead guitar is the most recently added instrument for aBetter Yesterday. Tom, who also has fronted his own band (PWYN), says his playing drew originally from "the early alternative school - Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, the Seattle scene." Later, he found influence in bands from back in the '60s, as did aBY bass player Chris Kilburg.

Chris also cites the alternative scene as an influence, as well as jazz players like saxophonist John Coltrane and groundbreaking fusion bassist Jaco Pastorius.

As for aBY's fourth member, drummer Josh Fields got in on the action early, as he was a friend of Greg's roommate.
"My main influence in my drumming is ska and punk music," Josh says, citing Jeremy Taggart of Our Lady Peace in particular.

While aBY members can claim plenty of influence from musicians who were in their prime decades ago, their sound is right at home in the 21st century, drawing comparison with bands like Saves the Day and Good Charlotte with their catchy hooks and affecting lyrics.