Lonely Planet Boy

Champions if not originators of Pittsburgh's quiet music movement, Lonely Planet Boy earned an enthusiastic local following in the late '90s for its accessible take on earnest, largely acoustic rock. The group formed in 1999 for a backyard Neil Diamond tribute concert, with Dan Baselj (vocals, guitar), Mike Cuccaro (drums), Pat Wilson (banjo, guitar), and Charlie Knight (bass) as the initial lineup (Greg Lagrosa replaced Knight a year later). Casting Baselj in the role of singer/songwriter with the rest of the band embellishing the songs and adding texture, Lonely Planet Boy issued its debut, Some Songs You May Enjoy, in mid-2000. The darker Hey Who Wants to Be Friends With Me followed in 2001.