“Elston,” a new independent indie-acoustic pop rock band from Chicago’s northwest side, announced the release of its new album “Strange Birds.” Named after Elston Avenue in Chicago, the band, led by Chicago natives Adrian Dinu (vocals, piano, guitar) and Mario Licciardi (guitar and vocals) created all of the music tracks on their own, using off-the-shelf music production technology. Elston’s new songs can be best described as thought-provoking, moody, eccentric, but sometimes so revealing that one voice and one acoustic guitar is enough to deliver the truth about what needs to be said. One example that really evokes the spirit of Elston’s music is “A Strong Kid”. The song was written about Licciardi’s nephew, Brian Hoeft, who survived a near-fatal car accident after being struck head on by a drunk driver. “It’s a testimony of his strength to recover”, said Licciardi. “When I heard of Brian’s accident I was devastated. His life will never be the same as he faces years of rehabilitation. The only way for me to cope with this tragedy was to focus on expressing what I felt inside.” Playing in various bands throughout the city, Dinu and Licciardi have been playing music together for nearly 10 years. The two songwriters grew up together on Chicago’s northwest side, honing their vocals together performing in neighborhood bars such as the Beat Kitchen, Double Door, Elbo Room and festivals such as the Belmont and Sheffield Street Fair. Dinu and Licciardi wrote each of the seven songs on the new EP and produced the tracks themselves. “Any kid can go to their corner music store and get the software to record his or her own music and make a CD,” said Dinu. “Of course, the talent needs to be there. If you have the passion and a good ear, you too can compete with what the major labels are releasing. We hope to make an impact with this new album, especially on the Internet.” Dinu and Licciardi decided to name the band Elston after a street in Chicago that is considered to be the alternative route for getting into the heart of the city. Growing up together on Chicago’s northwest side they would drive up and down Elston the street, going to see shows, to rehearsals, and looking for gigs. “We grew up around this street,” said Licciardi. “It’s a bloodline for us. So we decided to name our band after it.” The tracks made their debut recently on MySpace.com. Those that have received the most positive feedback include “Feelin’ the Rain,” “Hang Around” and “Strange Birds.” Those songs and one other, “Happily Ever After,” are available for live streaming at http://www.myspace.com/elstonband. The full CD is available for sale through their MySpace Web site, the band’s own website, http://www.elstonband.com and also through CD Baby.