Look Out in ‘93: 11 Locals to Watch

E clecticism is the keyword among the top 1992 freshmen of Southern California, where rap and retro, grunge and industrial, escapism and confrontation all coexist in a happily active melting pot. Here’s a look at the 11 new area acts who have made the biggest splash this year:

Greta: With influences ranging from the Beatles to George Gershwin to Led Zeppelin, Greta’s music is passionately eclectic. The band fuses those diverse stimuli into a dynamic, melodic, hard-core attack that straddles the rock-alternative fence and has earned them a deal with Mercury Records. The group’s debut album is expected in the spring.

Wool: This quartet has an impressive pedigree: Bassist Al Bloch was in Concrete Blonde and singer-guitarists Peter and Franz Stahl were in a D.C. band with Nirvana drummer David Grohl. Wool’s Seattle-sounding, punk-influenced style earned a buzz via independent singles, and the group has just released an EP, “Budspawn,” with a full album to be recorded soon. (K.T.)