Undercover Alien

Local Artist Profiles

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Hailing from a city popularized by Disney, boy-bands, and unimaginative pop-rock outfits can be a tough mold to break for any serious artist, but it can be especially daunting for one whose sole vision is to ardently reject such plastic, insipid things and create something that is distinctly unique. Orlando-based indie-rock band Undercover Alien is up to the challenge. “The key is balance” says singer / guitarist, Brian Dunham, “We want to create music that is innovative and interesting without going so far as to alienate the average music listener”.

It’s a concept that echoes throughout the band’s self-produced debut release “Seeds”; songs swell to flares of syncopation only to settle into soft, intertwined guitar arpeggios, and songs that one would assume have ended, abruptly return for a few extra bars – surprising, and delighting, the listener.

Undercover Alien has been in and around the Orlando indie-rock scene for some time now, playing many popular, local rock music venues such as BackBooth, Copper Rocket Pub, Underground Bluz, 57 West, and more. They have shared the stage with other great Orlando-area bands including The Icarus Account, The Black Rabbits, and RUG. While they admittedly still have some musical obstacles to overcome, they have come a long way from the band’s humble beginnings.

It all started in late 2006, when Brian talked his brother, James Dunham, into taking up bass on a whim during a mutual visit to a local music store. For the next couple months the two jammed together, playing covers from their favorite mid-90s alt-rock bands. Brian and James were introduced to guitarist Donny Wentz via a mutual friend who had heard the brothers perform a couple songs while attending a house party. Brian, James and Donny met up for the first time and the result was sheer magic.

Well… not exactly. After what can only be described as “a rough start”, things started to click and the three were off, spawning original material and practicing on a regular basis. The band has cycled through their fair share of drummers, eventually settling on current drummer Ramon Small. While the band has been on-again-off-again in the past, they are once again playing shows, writing songs, and preparing to record a new CD. Only time will tell how long Undercover Alien will remain, well… undercover, but as long as there are those who are willing to embrace creativity in a world of cookie-cutter music, it shouldn’t be too long.