By Jesse Beer-Dietz

Wheels returns after stuffing our faces for the Thanksgiving weekend with a killer new indie rock band from Jersey and an update on a band that we believe will be making a big impact next year, hands-down. Keep feedin the inbox: Jesse.beerdietz@hitsmagazine.com.

SPOTLIGHT
(Damn) This Desert Air (www.myspace.com/damnthisdesertair): Alternative rockers from Wayne, NJ, creating a buzz within the Rock Band Network community. The group describes its sound as alternative rock with a hint of the maturity of prog rock combined with the angst of punk rock. I’d say it’s a combination of Chevelle and Taproot. Their track “Ghost I Own” is available for Rock Band and has been downloaded 287 times already in just over a month. They’ll be on an upcoming HUM tribute CD as well. Pay close attention to these guys as they continue to grow and develop their sound. Tracks to check out on their MySpace page: “Ghost I Own” and “Calling Orion.”

BAND UPDATE
The Daylights (www.myspace.com/thedaylights): We’ve featured these unsigned L.A. pop-rock veterans several times in the last year, and they’re back with a new video, “I Hope This Gets to You.” The clip was just put up a couple of days ago, and the influential People & Blogs website immediately named it Top Favorite and Top Rated. L.A. Alternative station KYSR 98.7 is already playing the song, as labels sniff around. Check out the video here.

LAWYER BABBLE
L.A.- based alt-pop group boxViolet (boxviolet.com) have signed a co-publishing/production deal with Peer Music; A&R, Sam Kling. Legal rep is Ben McLane, Esq. (bcmclane@aol.com).