America’s Most Underrated features local bands from across the country that deserve widespread recognition. Each band is handpicked by the previous column’s highlighted artist to create a collective of underrated bands chosen by underrated bands.

Miami, case FL: Home of luscious sands, ampoule Ultra Music Festival, cialis Pitbull and, little known to the rest of the world, an exploding underground music and art scene. Take it from Miami’s own grunge rockers The Jellyfish Brothers, who have been working through the band and their personal video blog, Audio Junkie, to help the DIY scene in the city flourish with the recognition it deserves.

The Jellyfish Brothers blend all sorts of grunge, sludge and surf, with a hint of eeriness. The group draws its inspiration heavily from low-budget horror films to create a lo-fi, fuzz-drenched sound that’s almost familiar but still leaves you craving more. Think Black Sabbath if they got their start in an Allston basement.

The music industry is a small world just like anything else. You might know of Boston-based BUFU Records, but what you probably didn’t know is that founder Ben Katzman comes straight from the Sunshine State, along with other Boston greats like Free Pizza. We learned about The Jellyfish Brothers while covering Free Pizza after their recent move back to Miami, but the Jellyfish also released 12” Sentinels of the Space Age via none other than BUFU Records last year.

With their close ties to Boston and ambition in their local scene, it’s only natural we’d connect with the Jellyfish for the first edition of America’s Most Underrated. There couldn’t be a group more deserving of national recognition than this trio, comprised of brothers Greg and Eduardo Alvarez along with KC Toimil. We learned all about how they started, where they draw inspiration, and what makes the Miami scene tick.

Allston Pudding: Tell me about The Jellyfish Brothers. How did you get started?

Greg Alvarez: My grandfather took my brother and I to see horror movies and B movies. We fell in love with them and going to the theater. We fell in love with the soundtracks and we started making movies, so the music came as part of it. We started making scary music or film music. Then we just developed it into a band.

AP: That’s really cool. So last Spring you released Sentinels of the Space Age. How was the reception to that?

GA: It was awesome! It was different material than what we’re doing now. It was more guitar-oriented. Right now we’re creating more synth music. We toured with it a little bit. It was really exciting for us to put an album on BUFU Records. It was a space-age concept album, so it was really fun to do. We really like all those B movies.

AP: So are you planning anything big for 2015?

GA: Yeah, we’re planning on releasing our new material and we’re planning a tour that we have coming up. We want to get more involved with putting on our own festivals. I run this blog called Audio Junkie and it puts on a couple of festivals throughout the year. We bring bands from out of town to Miami – bands from Boston like Free Pizza and [Ben Katzman’s] Degreaser, stuff like that. We just want to keep going.

AP: Tell me more about this blog that you run – Audio Junkie?

GA: It’s a video blog, and we record bands in front of a green screen. We record everything live – all of the music and stuff. Then we just mess with the background and create a live blog that’s totally different. It’s a whole collective of artists from Miami, Boston, and New York. We all get together from different scenes for concerts and videos. I shot a band called the ZZZ’s. They’re a Japanese trio and they’re playing in Austin Psych Fest. I’m so psyched to see them go from playing my warehouse to them playing such a big venue. It’s about showcasing underground acts in a trippy, psychedelic way.

AP: So how would you describe the music scene in Miami?

GA: The music scene in Miami is very diverse. You’ll find a lot of noise acts. In other cities you’re kind of segregated, so it’ll be the punk people, the metal people and the local rock people. In Miami, everyone likes to push each other. It’s just bubbling. It’s really just starting. Bigger touring acts are coming down to Miami, too. One band that’s coming down that we’re playing with this week is Mannequin Pussy. They’re from Philly.

We’re trying to create a community on the East Coast with Miami as the final destination. We just want to make sure that touring bands can party and make it worthwhile to drive all the way down Florida. That’s what we’ve been doing. Nobody parties like Miami, that’s for sure.

AP: How do you feel about the outside perception that it’s mostly DJs coming out of Miami?

GA: There are no media outlets that can showcase Miami, but there’s so much going on. Little media outlets showcase it. We have a couple of blogs, but they can only do so much. [Chicago] has Pitchfork; Boston has Allston Pudding. Miami doesn’t really have one blog to showcase it. People see what’s going on from the Internet, so they think that’s what’s coming out of Miami – DJs. There’s just such a big underground world that’s bubbling up in Miami. It’s been amazing. We hope that bands and touring bands can come down, even just to see how cool of a city we are. Most of these bands come down and think it’s a vacation. You have the beach, the sun, a crazy party and a show. It’s been working out really well.

I just hope that people see the other side of Miami. That’s what we’re trying to do with Audio Junkie and The Jellyfish Brothers. That’s what we try to do with our band – showcase the underground scene, because nobody documents it.

AP: What are some of your favorite local bands from Miami?

GA: Gun Hoes are really good. There are so many good bands in Miami. I can’t leave one out. Do you know Pari?h? They were in Boston for a while as well. Pari?h, Free Pizza, The Gun Hoes, Snakehole – they’re all amazing. Some of them are punk, some of them are noise, some are really heavy doom metal. That’s how diverse they are – from garage rock to the grittiest sludge rock you could hear.

AP: I’m excited to check out some of those bands.

GA: You can check them out on Audio Junkie, too! Go to YouTube and check them out.

AP: I will. So if someone were to visit Miami, what’s the one thing you’d recommend they do there?

GA: Well, of course, you gotta try the coladas, which is Cuban coffee. The other thing you have to check out are venues like Gramps and Churchill’s. They’re always hosting so many live shows and so much cool music. Of course, we have our natural beauties like the beach, and we have our local art scene like Wynwood.

Wynwood in Miami is really happening. I have a warehouse. That’s where I live – in Wynwood. We have shows in my warehouse, as well. We do art shows and music shows. The underground art scene is exploding in Miami, and Wynwood is the center of it. Everyone in Miami is so friendly. It’s amazing.

AP: I noticed that. I was recently there covering Free Pizza and everyone in the city was so nice.

GA: People from out of town come here and I hug them and I kiss them. They think, “AH! That’s my personal space!” That’s just the way it is in Miami. We hug and kiss and are so friendly. Everyone is willing to show you around and find a place for you to stay. There’s a really good community in Miami when it comes to local artists and musicians.

AP: It sounds really incredible. What are a few of your favorite underrated local bands from outside of the Miami region?

GA: Man, Mannequin Pussy. They just do so much. They travel so much. They’re so good. There are so many awesome bands! The Lemons, as well. They’re doing a lot with BUFU Records. There are bands you know already, too, like Degreaser. Ben Katzman’s Degreaser – he’s just nonstop. He’s like the spirit guide of the rock and roll scene.

This interview was edited for length and clarity.