Times are tough for local rock acts. Too few venues inside the city limits can make gigs close to home a little scarce and the high demand for covers by familiar artists over original material can be frustrating for some. Nevertheless, bands like Spilled Milk are still out there playing, and even sneaking a few original songs into sets of otherwise road-weary rock.

The Bangor-based quartet has been around in its current form – drummer Mike Arnold, bassist Nate Hall, vocalist-guitarist Doug Hoyt, keyboardist Michael Rancourt – for the past two years.

Spilled Milk recently released its second independent, full-length album, “Two,” which was recorded during the fall and winter of last year at Husson’s NESCOM Studios in Bangor.

The 10-track album showcases Spilled Milk’s original, pop-tinged rock, which draws from the sound of classic groups like The Who and The Kinks, more fringy rock artists like Ben Harper, and from current alt-country crossovers like Wilco and Ryan Adams.

For now, “Two” is available at the band’s live shows and through the Web site www.olympianshadowfarm.

com. You can catch Spilled Milk playing live tonight in Bangor at 9:30 at the Waterfront Bar & Grill, 16 Union St.

And even though the band has a cache of solid originals, Spilled Milk, like most other local bands, plays its requisite share of ubiquitous covers from acts like the Doobie Brothers and Van “Brown Eyed Girl” Morrison – a fact that the band doesn’t mind so much. Just don’t expect to hear “Mustang Sally.”

George Bragdon can be reached at gbragdon@bangordailynews.net.