Matthew James Chamberlain has one priority for his band, This Is My Suitcase: “To be sweet.”

He paused and re-examined his last statement before correcting himself: “That came off kind of bigheaded. (This Is My Suitcase) just tries not to have any negatives.”

This Columbus-based indie band has a full length album, an EP and a rabid fan base. Not bad for just under 18 months of work.

TIMS started as the brainchild of singer, songwriter and guitarist Joe Camerlengo.

“I just got very frustrated with the punk band I was in at time,” Camerlengo said. “Then someone mentioned the band name, This Is My Suitcase, and I decided that name was way too sick to go unused.”

When his old band broke up, Camerlengo took five songs he had recorded and started a new group under that name.

Since then, This Is My Suitcase, which consists of Camerlengo, Chamberlain and four other local musicians, has played shows throughout Columbus at venues such as The Basement, Bernie’s and Oldfield’s.

With music that Camerlengo describes as “Ben Folds being hugged by Sufjan Stevens at 100 miles per hour,” TIMS creates a colorful musical tapestry while still being transparent and intimate. This is quite a feat when there are six musicians on stage, and is one thing the band is proud of.

“We just want to have a good CD, be a fun band live and be nice guys,” Chamberlain said.

They have certainly won over some Ohio State students.

“Their live show is very exciting,” said Mary Elliott, a junior in political science. “Joe is always very animated.”

Armed with catchy hooks, intriguing lyrics and brimming with musical style and vision, Chamberlain and TIMS are aiming high, but are keeping their feet on the ground.

“Well, the goal is obviously to get signed to some sweet label like Epitaph or Vagrant or Drive-Thru, but we try to keep our heads on straight,” Chamberlain said. Both he and Camerlengo are very busy OSU students Chamberlain just applied to the College of Pharmacy and Camerlengo is “knee deep” in the College of Nursing.

Although it is hard training to become a nurse, Camerlengo has much more on his plate than the average student.

“I am responsible for writing the songs, recording the songs, running our MySpace, booking the shows and teaching each of the five other members their parts to the songs individually,” Camerlengo said. “It’s not like I live this unbearable life that I hate. It’s just real busy around here most of the time.”

Most of the songs Camerlengo writes are stories, so he said each is different. They are mostly about the idea of being completely head-over-heels in love.

“I’ve been with the same lovely lady for over six-and-a-half years,” Camerlengo said. “So it is hard to make myself write about much else these days.”

This “lovely lady,” Maggie Barnes, loves that she has been the muse for much of TIMS’s songs.

“It makes me feel like I am truly loved,” Barnes said. “It is really sweet.”

But she is not the only one in TIMS’s corner. Motion City Soundtrack’s lead vocalist, Justin Pierre has become a supporter of the band since he heard the songs posted on the band’s MySpace page last year.

“This kid is the real deal and I am into his recordings,” Pierre said in a MySpace posting. “I can not compare it to anything … it is sloppy and beautiful and there is nothing fake about his voice.”

The most interesting thing about this band, outside of the music, is that they charge so little for it. They only charge $5 at shows for their full length LP, “Missent to Thailand,” which has 13 tracks, videos and pictures for the purchaser to enjoy. But recently, Camerlengo has posted the “C” EP available for free download on MySpace.

“I always want to make certain that anyone who enjoys this music should be able to access it,” Camerlengo said. “And, should they choose to pay for this music, they get more bang for their buck.”

The band’s future, like every other band trying to make it, is uncertain. But Camerlengo is optimistic and pessimistic at the same time.

“If I am super lucky, then we will be in some arena opening for Regina Spektor,” Camerlengo said. “If I am totally unlucky, I will be dead. Most likely, I will end up somewhere in between those two.”

Alex Drumm can be reached at [email protected].