New Orleans, LA · alt-rock

Better Than Ezra

2 upcoming festivals

'Good' still is — New Orleans alt-rock lifers with easy charm and a '90s catalog deeper than the one-hit tag suggests.

Better Than Ezra formed in Louisiana in 1988 and became one of the more durable bands to emerge from the mid-1990s alternative rock boom. Their breakthrough came with "Good," a jangling, hook-driven single that remains their best-known song, though the catalogue behind it runs through power pop, post-grunge and, on later records, a smoother adult contemporary sound. Kevin Griffin has fronted the group throughout and also works as a songwriter for other artists.

Live, the band leans on the loose, talkative rapport built over decades of touring, mixing the radio songs with deeper album tracks. They have retained a strong following in New Orleans, where they are closely identified with the city's music scene.

alt-rock