If music fans thought Korn’s success would open Bakersfield’s musical floodgates into the rock and roll world, they were proved wrong long ago.

More than a decade later there’s a new sound rising out of the Bakersfield band scene through the alternative music talents of Lost Ocean. And they’re not Nu-Metal at all.

Lost Ocean’s Bakersfield quartet of Jeff Gray, Christopher Short, Bret Black and keyboard virtuoso, Skyler Johnson, features rocking keyboard-driven Indie sounds on EMI’s Credential Recordings label.

The music? Try echoes of Coldplay’s keyboard-heavy melodic atmosphere that today’s twenty-something crowd just might be looking for. The album itself is an uplifting extension to their e.p. "Night to Life."

Lost Ocean’s rise out of such a scene seems rare since band members admit they had to step out of Bakersfield to build their fan base. Gone are the days when young people flock in the hundreds to follow their favorite local bands.

Bassist Bret Black said, “It’s tough because a lot of people want to go to the Marketplace or hang out at Starbucks. Doesn’t seem like people want to go downtown to hang out at a venue. In other cities people still go out. They don’t have to have a friend playing in a band. For them it’s like going to a movie, or going to get a coffee.”

And their recording sessions? On a hill just outside of Nashville lies Windyham Farm, or infamously known as “Al Capone’s Castle.” There, Lost Ocean recorded not only their album, but enough material to put out the recent e.p. “Night to Life.”

“We did an extended recording session,” Black said. “The album was the main thing. The e.p. was an afterthought.”

Are the members of Lost Ocean excited by a national tour? Their current tour marks the fourth tour of the year already for the band to promote their album.

“We have a few more tours this year," said Black. "We would love to experiment and play other places than downtown venues in Bakersfield. A show at the Marketplace, or a movie theatre. I think there are Bakersfield fans who would like our music. We want to get people out of their comfort zone.”

Fans can find Lost Ocean in stores at Barnes & Nobles and Borders. Also, try online storefronts at Target.com and Amazon.com.

Lost Ocean Homepage: www.lostoceanmusic.com

Lost Ocean on MySpace: www.myspace.com/lostocean