Photos (for Impose): Blank Dogs, Wetdog, and Wild Nothing at Glasslands

Never have I ever been so tired at a show before.  I had been a little sick the night before and didn’t sleep much.  As a result I literally could not keep my eyes open for Blank Dogs, so I unfortunately have absolutely no review of his set.  However, you can go check out a whole bunch of photos at the most excellent Impose magazine right here!  There were a whole bunch of sound problems and the first band didn’t even get to play.  Wild Nothing seemed sort of nervous and freaked out and were a little boring to watch, but the songs sounded good.

The surprise of the night were the UK’s Wetdog.  They sound like a slightly less musically intelligent, slightly more punk Micachu & The Shapes.  Obviously, I totally dug them.  Their songs rely on bass riffs, which gives them a heavy, unique sound, while their voices carry them in occasionally shrieky blips and swells.  I can see how some people would find this band annoying, but I thought they were refreshing and absolutely loved them.  They also seemed like totally weird, charming people, which made me like them even more.  Please check out the song below.

MP3: “Lower Legs” – Wetdog

Recommended Saturday Show: Blank Dogs, So Cow, Frankie & The Outs, Sisters, and Wild Nothing at Monster Island Basement

This show is ridiculous.  It’s like a little mini music festival just waiting there for you to have a fantastic night out.  Monster Island basement is a pretty small venue for this show, so it should be really high-energy, packed, and tons of fun.  You can pretty much vaguely describe every single one of these bands as some sort of lo-fi garage rock project, but really, this night isn’t about what each band sounds like.  It’s about an amazing and diverse sample of upcoming new talent, and will make a great destination for Saturday night.  Blank Dogs are a noisy/rocky one-man project turned band.  So Cow is from the UK and plays absolutely adorable, heartbreaking muddled pop songs.  Frankie Rose (who’s in about a million bands, it seems) definitely plays lo-fi garage rock, and so does the duo Sisters for that matter (these guys totally rock).  I know the least about Wild Nothing, but their single, “Summer Holiday,” sounds like an edgier Pains.  I like it.  Listen to that below.  If you’re not getting dragged around on some Valentine’s thing GO TO THIS SHOW.  Even if you are, convince your date that you know what’s up and DRAG THEM WITH YOU!  Don’t miss it, seriously.

MP3: “Summer Holiday” – Wild Nothing

MP3: “Tin Birds” – Blank Dogs

Recommended Sunday Show: Times New Viking, Woods, and Blank Dogs at Market Hotel

If this isn’t one of the most stacked Sunday shows I’ve seen in awhile then, well, I’ll eat my foot.  But it is, so I won’t have to.  You’ve got one very established lo-fi band and two of the buzziest bands on the scene.  I saw Times New Viking open for Deerhunter last year, and they just put on a great live show.  They play rock music for people who love rock music, full of interesting twists and turns and exciting instrumentation.  Woods just got Best New Music on Pitchfork and it’s true- their new album indicates that they’ll be around on the scene for awhile.  Check out the track below.  And Blank Dogs are definitely riding on the whole new lo-fi wave.  It kind of reminds of that Hold Steady lyric, “At least in dying you don’t have to deal with New Wave for a second time.”  True Craig Finn, very true.  But in the case of this show tonight, you might as well just go and embrace it all.

MP3: “Rain On” – Woods

Recommended Sunday Show: This Is Getting Repetitive…

I know I just recommended this show for Friday, but the Wavves, Nodzzz, Blank Dogs, and Woods tour is playing again in New York.  This time they’re at Barnard College’s radio station.  Tickets are $5 and doors open at 1PM.  If you haven’t seen them yet, then go, go, go!!

Recommended Friday Show: WAVVES, Woods, Blank Dogs, Nodzzz, and Gary War at Market Hotel

This is one of those “but all the cool kids are going to be there” kind of shows.  WAVVES is the type of band that would probably get made fun of on Hipster Runoff, but despite the (over) hype, he’s pretty darn good.  WAVVES is from California and plays incredibly lo-fi, buzzy surf rock that lolls along in the catchiest of ways.  Since WAVVES is from the West Coast, all of the hipsters will probably put on their finest to come check out this blog boy wonder tomorrow night.

There’s several other great bands playing at the Market Hotel, as well.  Woods is another lo-fi band, more on the folksy end of the spectrum.  Their music reminds me a bit of 60s garage rock mashed together with 60s folk.  I definitely dig this band.

The rest of the bands are also lo-fi gems. After just a few listen to their myspace, I’ve already fallen in love with Nodzzz. They remind me of a few 70s punk bands that I really like, and I feel like I’m discovering an old gem.  These tunes are very catchy and will undoubtedly be danceable.

Gary War is a psychedlic, New Weird America-ish outfit, and Blank Dogs play more synth-based rock than the rest of these bands, but also have the lo-fi vocals very much in the style of the day.

This line-up is at the Market Hotel tomorrow, and again on Saturday at Less Artists More Condos.

MP3: Wavves – Wavves

Recommended Friday Show: BROOKLYN VS. BALTIMORE!!!!!!!!

These days, everyone is saying that Baltimore is the new old Williamsburg: broken down, not-yet-gentrified, and chock-full of bands and artists.  Dan Deacon decided to put that to the test and rounded up his merry band of Baltimorians (is that right?) to have an all-out indie rock smackdown with Brooklyn.  For Baltimore, the line-up is Dan Deacon, Thank You, and Future Islands.  As of now, Brooklyn is These Are Powers and the always entertaining USAISAMONSTER, plus two special guests.  Rumors are going around that the special guests are YEASAYER! Woods and Blank Dogs.  Holy cannoli GO TO THIS SHOW!  GO TO THIS SHOW!  It should just be a straight up fun night out.  I can’t imagine anything I’d rather be doing.  It starts at 8PM at Danbro Brewery Warehouse.

Who do you think will win?  Brooklyn or Baltimore?