I saw don't-give-a-fuck retro-punk band Wavves (aka Nathan Williams and drummer Ryan Ulsh) at the University of Washington HUB basement on Friday. I was really expecting to hate the whole thing, due in part to some over-buzz/backlash surrounding recent lives gigs seen by certain bloggers and Stranger music editors from Seattle.
However, the show was mesmerizing, even refreshing, for it's complete lack of substance. There was one memorable line of strange banter which had to do with prescription cough syrup. Other than that, it was pure thrashing. When he did speak, Williams sported the kind of nasty attitude that will probably get him signed to major label, if he wants, though he is now on reputable indie Fat Possum.
The music was as bad-ass and heavy as I could possibly expect from a San Diego surf/punk stoner act. Contradicting much of what I have heard and read, Wavves are more than a GarageBand recording project for lazy music kids/burn-outs because they sound amazing. They fucking shred. The equation, as it stands now, in my somewhat ripped mind is: Brian Wilson + Ramones + Metallica (with an artistic awareness of Sonic Youth, if not an actual comprehension) = Wavves. Not a terrible combination.
The thing I like most about Wavves, is imagining myself listening to their music this summer on sunny afternoons. I'm pretty sure it's a good sign for everyone involved.
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