Tour Dates
11/12 - Abbey Bar Harrisburg, PA
11/13 - Great Scott Allston, MA 11/15 - Johnny Brenda's Philadelphia, PA 11/16 - Bowery Ballroom New York, NY *w/ The Joy Formidable Read More So this new band, it would seem that they are based out of New York. It would also seem that all the more established music blogs have already been clued into them. Most of these sites states one or two things: that they are young & energetic and that they're intelligent and smart.
|
It’s easy to dismiss The Dig as another indie rock outfit amongst the swarm of indie rock outfits that populate New York City. In fact, I nearly did as much one brisk fall evening at the 7th Street Entry in downtown Minneapolis. The venue—historic First Avenue’s baby sister—caters to a certain brand of noisemaker that prefers their club cramped, littered with suspect electrical wiring and relics of a danger lovin’ time passed. On that particular night, the Dig—four hip kids with varying degrees of follicle fervor–shuffled around on stage like pros, dodging the suspect cables and maintaining a “look at me/don’t look at me” air. New York, eh? You don’t say.
Of course, once the music started, the mood changed, as it often does when out-of-town acts breeze through on autopilot. The Dig may not bring any startling revelations to the table, but they certainly have the musical chops to energize the masses. Unfortunately, on a Monday night in Minneapolis “mass” is more of a concept than a physical presence. Still, the band more than made up for the lack of crowd draw with plenty of hooks and a kind of impassioned authority missing from the Midwest urban sprawl.
The show opened with “Carry Me Home,” one of the strongest tracks on Electric Toys. Emile Mosseri’s voice recall a mix of prepubescent angst and the hot-squared “sound” that defines the current NYC club scene. As bassist, he shares vocal duties with David Baldwin, whose own voice just barely complements the former. It’s all a bit jarring, but more importantly, it works.
No question Electric Toys, the band’s 2009 release, commands your attention. It’s lingering and fierce and Mosseri unapologetically milks every trembling note. While the album mostly operates at high frequency, Baldwin’s meandering pace adds a needed respite when the tracks veer towards Shrillville (“He’s a Woman” raises the proverbial roof and then brings it crashing down on unsuspecting eardrums). “Sick Sad Morning” sounded impressive on the Entry’s tiny stage (and from a tiny person), even if the song’s wailing chorus was lost a bit to live technology. Lyrically, though, I’m vexed; “Two Sisters in Love” is odd and references an old murder ballad (“The Twa Sisters”) that tells of one sister killing the other in a fit of jealousy. Other tracks are less sinister but few read as simple romantic ruminations. How many bands can write a song called “Penitentiary” with a straight face, let alone sincerely articulate thoughts like “I hope that you still love me while I’m locked in a penitentiary?” I’d guess the cohort’s small and chiefly inhabited by Nick Cave.
The Dig are currently on tour with the Joy Formidable. For a complete list of tour dates or to purchase Electric Toys visit their Myspace / Facebook.
)
