There are, at last count, too many damn bands in Austin, TX — self-proclaimed “Live Music Capital of the World” — to even bother counting. But sift through all the singer-songwriter types, hardcore honky-tonkers and rootsy, Willie-worshipping rabble rousers (god bless ‘em), and the actual number of bona fide rock ‘n’ roll bands that call the home of SXSW “home” is far more manageable. Still, when it gets right down to it, there’s just a few such rock band that really matter here and the Real Heroes lead the pack.

The band’s sophomore outing, Greetings From Russia, was recently hailed by Texas Music Magazine as a “single-serving rock ‘n’ roll multi-vitamin.” We have supreme confidence that The Real Heroes — by name, singer/guitarist/frontman extraordinaire Benjamin Hotchkiss, guitarist Paul English, guitarist/keyboardist Kyle Crusham, bassist Kenneth Dowling and drummer Joey Spivey — have the goods to hold their own.

Yeah yeah yeah … we know you think you’ve heard and seen it all before. We know you’re swimming in so much great rock ‘n’ roll, you probably take the stuff for granted. And we’re pretty sure you’ve heard plenty of bands that evoke the majesty of T-Rex, the artful swagger of Ian Hunter and prime Bowie, the thrill of Television, the pop-metal panache of Cheap Trick and even (of so they’ ve been told) the arena-sized, triple-guitar roar of vintage Blue Oyster Cult. But all at once? And all wrapped up in songs as good as Russia’s “Move That Strut,” “The French Song” and “Elise, Elise,” not to mention oldie-but-goodie (from the band’s self-titled 2000 debut), “Stop Breakin’”? And delivered by a five-piece band of seasoned (long story) but unspoiled veterans that truly knows the difference between putting on an honest-to-goodness rock ‘n’ roll show worth remembering and just “playing a gig” … and always goes the show road?

Didn’t think so.