Hype over Indian Trading Furs rises every time their songs are played on the radio, and with an upcoming album release they are sure to please many.

The band, including City College students Kyran Million (guitar and vocals), Will Gallivan (banjo and vocals), Joey Mcdermott (drums) and Michael Million (bass), plans to release their first full-length album early this summer.

“We’re recording ten tracks of absolute greatness at the Soul Kitchen with producer Hayden Bush… We don’t have a name for it yet,” said Kyran.

For the past two years, the band has been playing gigs around Santa Barbara, and so far they have gone on three tours, including one 10-state tour.

Friday March 1, the band played at Velvet Jones to a small crowd of partygoers. To prepare for a show, the group scribbles down their set-lists. Minutes before the show they do a handshake called “the bear claw,” by linking their knuckles together and pushing on each other’s hands.

“Any other [songs] you just want to jam out?” Kyran asked the others, as he wrote down song titles onto ripped up pieces of paper.

Indian Trading Furs has a folk influenced rock sound. The group “enjoys the performance aspect” of playing together, said Gallivan. The enthusiasm of the group could be felt throughout the audience.

“We have 200 CD’s that we have to sell tonight,” said Kyran jokingly to the crowd. “We’re in the hole.”

The band released their first EP last May, and with the help of Spotify fans can listen to Indian Trading Furs three-track album for free.

“So much of what we do is pop music in a way,” said Kyran. “There is a format to most songs.”

Indian Trading Furs began when Kyran and Gallivan met two years ago in a songwriting class at City College and realized they had similar creative ideas. A year later Mcdermott joined the group as their drummer. Kyran’s brother, Michael, plays with them as well.

“Music [has] always affected me,” said Kyran. “When I’m writing I want a song to kind of drive a point home.”

Kyran writes many of the band’s songs, but not without help from his band mates.

“It’s a pretty collaborative effort,” he said. “There are so many better ideas that come up in group… It’s a big web of amazing.”

Many of their songs include soaring vocals and skillful banjo parts along with a steady drum beat.

Each member of the group began playing instruments at a young age. Gallivan began playing classical guitar when he was 6 years old and grew up watching his dad play. At 12, Kyran got his first guitar and had been playing the piano since the age of eight.

“I was a little performer,” said Kyran. “The first performance I ever did was in the third grade… I have a manila folder packed full of songs”

Mcdermott played in “a lot of punk bands in junior high” and began playing the drums because his sister did.

Because of local radio support, Indian Trading Furs has been getting a lot of much appreciated airtime.

“These guys are the next Mumford and Sons from America,” said DJ for KJEE, Joel Campbell aka “Phat J.”