I want to sound cool and say that Blank Dogs performance at the Good Style Shop on East Washington yesterday was some what of a secret show…but it was publicized via the Good Style Shop’s Myspace. I saw a bulletin from the Good Style Shop late Tuesday night, reaffirming why I still have a Myspace account (my name is “For the Workforce, Drowning“). I put out a call to the Music Committee and newly selected Summer Coordinator Ryan “Beligeront” Vergeront heeded it. We ventured from the Union at 5:30pm down to the Good Style Shop. When we showed up the band was just setting up and no one was around yet. When things finally got going at 6:30pm, the alts and punks hanging on the street corner sneaking swigs of Pabst crammed into the very tiny vintage clothing store for the Blank Dogs mid-evening set. From the first few chords and grumbles into the reverb-soaked mic I knew the performance would be anti-climactic. Ryan remarked to me as we walked away from the shop about a song and a half in that he was skeptical of too many indie bands washing their vocals in reverb. It’s a valid remark. I think it comes down to how well it is used. Many Slumberland recording artists use it to their advantage. Some bands abuse it to make up for their lack of singing ability. I know I would too. Don’t write them off too soon as Blank Dogs are at least worth a cursory listen. Maybe a fitting soundtrack to a drunken binge or an overdose (not that I’d reccommend it).

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Here’s some bands I’ve been enjoying:

Teenage Cool Kids: Kind of sound like Pavement or Oxford Collapse (at times). Denton, TX knows how to rock.

Bad Sports: Sound like No Age without the pretense. Found them via Teenage Cook Kids’ myspace. Church.

-Patrick