Every college and university has its share of student bands, ranging from the John Meyer and Ani DiFranco wannabes all the way to the crazy experimental static-feedback noise band, made up entirely of fine art sculpture students and campus radio station people. They last a very short time, and every student has a different memory of what the local scene looked like in their tenure there. My university was no different, though my memories are few; I just didn’t see all that many local bands, wasn’t really friends with the people talented enough to be in a band. I worked with someone who co-edited a magazine with Stephanie Earp, then one of the more successful musicians in that she put out an album or two. I’ve had the misfortune of seeing Bedouin Soundclash play—they had to compete with a guy spinning fire sticks, and the fire sticks guy won handily—and I knew a bunch of girls who were devout fans of a metal band called Obsidian. This was doubly hilarious because I saw the girls once just before their pilgrimmage/concert to pick up another friend on our way to see Stars. They’d transformed from sweet, unassuming college students into raccoon-eyed leather goddesses draped in black. (Okay, I’m exaggerating just a bit. Maybe more than a bit.)

The closest I came to “knowing the band” was a group called the Radical Dudez. One or two of my Film classmates may have played in the band at some point, though I never did find out exactly who was in the band. I can’t tell you just how good they are because I don’t remember seeing an actual show of theirs, but I hear they were pretty good—my loss, apparently. In any case, despite their abilities, I would never expect the Dudez to find a whole lot of exposure outside the confines of our university. That’s just the way these things go; cases like Bedouin Soundclash are exceedingly rare.

So imagine my surprise when one day, an internet acquaintance of mine sends me this track by A Day For Kites. It’s a melancholy little number, very accomplished and well produced. Kerri Carisse has a great singing voice, full of nuance and maturity that belies her relatively young age (or so I assume; I don’t actually know how old she is, but I’ve got a good guess). In fact, you could say the same about the whole production. It’s a seductive and beguiling piece of work, but the most surprising thing is that the band is made up partially of members of the Radical Dudez, and all are alums or current students of my alma mater. How my acquaintance managed to find them, I don’t know. It’s shocking in a way even the meteoric rise (and inevitable downfall) of Bedouin Soundclash can’t match; it’s like having someone you’ve never met walk up to you one day and compliment you on that short story you wrote in high school. It’s a pleasant surprise to be sure, but now you’re wondering what other hidden treasures you’ve missed out on.

If the people in A Day For Kites do happen to read this, know that someone halfway across the continent thinks you’re pretty cool. And now, so do I.