In some ways, graduating from college during a recession was a good thing for the members of the pop/rock band June Divided.

“We started writing songs for fun between sending out resumes,” recalls lead singer Melissa Menago. “And, before we knew it, we had a band.”

Everyone from Jimmy Eat World and Anberlin to Paul McCartney and Brand New influenced the Philly-based quartet—Menago on vocals/guitar, Chris Kissel on guitar, Keith Gill on drums and Rich Mancinelli on bass. The band started playing during their senior year of college in 2009.

“As we got closer to graduation we realized that June was a pretty significant month,” notes Kissel. “It marked the end of college life as we knew it and the beginning of the ‘real world.’ It was as if June was divided into these two very different chapters of our lives—hence the name, June Divided.”

Having already been deemed one of NBC’s “Top Unsigned Acts,” after entering a contest during which they got to play a concert at Six Flags (and repeatedly ride the Nitro rollercoaster), June Divided was excited to release their melodic, rhythm-driven 6-song debut, “The Other Side of You.”

“Even though we all draw from personal experiences and influences, we try to write songs that most people can relate to,” reveals Menago. “I think that’s what makes a good song stick.”

You can check out June Divided when they play NYC’s Alphabet Lounge on Thursday, April 14th at 8pm.

“We’ll play our EP and new song, with an occasional cover,” says Menago. “We did a live cover of Jimmy Eat World’s ‘Bleed American’ on Philly’s Radio 104.5 which was really fun. And word on the street is that Rich can do a pretty respectable Cee-Lo Green imitation.”

For more info check out: www.junedivided.com and www.myspace.com/junedivided