The Subterranean Aviators are, from left: Michael Rote, Brandon Schorsch, Anders Elmgren and Jeff Wilke. Photo by Can Türkyilmaz

Singing songs about rebellious youth and teenage heartache, Subterranean Aviators definitely fits the rock-star profile. But these neighborhood guys have grown up a little since their first album, each coming to terms with the fact that it, well, wasn’t very good. “We were all just high-school kids messing around,” says bass player Brandon Schorsch. “Before, it was all about high-school angst and now, we explore more themes of the outside world.” The band has quite a local following — their fans raised $1,550 to help fund the next album, which has a more mature sound. Actually, it’s nothing like the previous one. The album drops late this month, plus the band landed a gig at the Dallas Music Festival Aug. 6. The group includes Hillcrest High School graduate Jeff Wilke on vocals and guitar along with former Park Cities-area residents Brandon Schorsch (bass), Michael Rote (vocals, guitar) and Anders Elmgren (drums). Wilke and Schorsch started the band in high school in 2006, later adding Rote and Elmgren. The guys started recording a few songs together in a friend’s home studio. The band made it onto a compilation CD by the local Zound Sounds School of Rock titled “Zound Sound Presents: Way Into Music, the Students Vol. 1”. They’ve kept the group going even as the members went their separate ways to college. They meet back in Dallas in the summer to perform around town. While they have a passion for their music, the guys aren’t interested in making a lot of money at it. “I just want to record stuff and give it to people,” Wilke says.

Subterranean Aviators performs Aug. 6 at the Prophet Bar as part of the Dallas Music Festival. To listen to the band, visit thesubterraneanaviators.com.