The Dimes have caught their stride among Northwest indie pop groups.

Joining the ranks of other Portland-based bands such as The Decemberists, The Shins and The Thermals, The Dimes explore classic rock and pop while keeping a sharp eye on their career.

"We've decided how we want to sound," says Johnny Clay, the band's front man.

The band is still riding the wave of its EPs, "The Long Arm Came Down" (2006) and "Atlanta" (2005), and has become a favorite at clubs and colleges up and down the West Coast.

The Dimes will perform at 1 p.m. Monday, April 16, in the Stevenson Union at Southern Oregon University in Ashland, and the group also will perform at 9 p.m. Sunday, April 15, at the Jefferson State Pub, 31B Water St., Ashland.

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The band has enjoyed the positive response to its new single, "Catch Me Jumping," which has received air play on Portland stations KINK and KNRK and KEXP in Seattle.

"The stations are supportive to us and a lot of indie bands," Clay says. "They're even playing the B side of the single called 'Comet.' "

"Now we've set our sites on college, indie and Internet radio," Clay says. "People look for new music there."

The Dimes' first full-length album, yet unnamed and to be released in July, is a collection of live on-air tracks, along with the song "The Long Arm Came Down," taped during the band's show on the Crowchow Radio Network on the Internet.

The group features Clay (vocals, keyboards and guitar), Pierre Kaiser (lead guitar), Ryan Johnston (bass) and Jake Rahner (drums).

" 'Catch Me Jumping' has an acoustic, Beatlesque, very 'White Album' sound to it," Clay says. "We decided that this is how we want to sound."

The Dimes emerged from basement band obscurity to rockers on the indie scene in about three years.

Clay is originally from Austin, Texas. He moved to Portland where he teamed up with Kaiser, Johnston and Rahner. The band's first recording, self-titled, was released in 2003.

The members cite the various classic rock artists as influences.

"We're influenced by everything that we hear," Clay says. "Pierre will tell you that he grew up listening to Zeppelin and Neil Young, and I've been hearing him play a lot of British invasion-style guitar lately."

"But we share the same vision, and that's the magic ingredient."

Call 482-7718 to reach the Jefferson State Pub.