The Unlikely Candidates

The Unlikely Candidates, an indie rock band from Keller, Texas, have built their reputation by sidestepping the sounds the state is best known for. Kyle Morris and Cole Male grew up as childhood friends and turned their shared interests into an alternative style of their own, rather than leaning on country, the tradition most associated with the region. Their songwriting has been described as grandiose yet garage-band-like, and it draws on bands that refuse to settle into one sound, such as the Beatles and Blur.

Their debut EP, Follow My Feet, arrived in September 2013, following the single of the same name that spring. The band moved from Atlantic Records to the smaller Another Century label in October 2016. Bed of Liars and Danger to Myself followed in 2017, the former partly shaped by West Coast-style rap, and the later reissue added "Oh My Dear Lord", which became another of their notable hits. The breakthrough came with "Novocaine", which reached number one on the Alternative Songs chart in March 2020. Their debut studio album, Panther Island, was set for release in May 2022, and the band released "Fingers Crossed" in March 2025 after drummer Kevin Goddard left the line-up.