Band To Watch: The Dodos - "Fools"

Download: The Dodos - "Trades & Tariffs"
Download: The Dodos - "Horny Hippies"
Download: The Dodos - "Nerds"

Yesterday, Pitchfork posted a video (via We Are The Masses) for a new track by San Francisco-based duo The Dodos. For those of you who are unfamiliar with The Dodos, they deftly combine bluegrass and Beatles-esque pop with the kind of dancing melodies you would find in Eastern-tinged music. Most of their songs begin in an upbeat, but at the same time, utterly relaxed way, with drummer Logan Kroeber laying down a rolling, juggernaut of a beat on toms. This foundation allows singer-songwriter Meric Long to slowly start with a finger-picked (usually) guitar riff and then assuredly add distinctive elements such as electronic loops and echoed vocals. By the end of their tracks, the listener is utterly enrapt with the bouncing, waltzing quality that The Dodos inject into their music.

I first saw the band live a little over a year ago, when they opened up for Annuals. They were called Dodo Bird backed then, but they still put on a greatly impressive live show. I initially gave their self-released album Beware Of The Maniacs a B+. However, upon dozens of listens, the album's stature grew and it became one of my favorite albums of 2006. In 2007, kept seeing them popping up in more and more places (this time as The Dodos), whether it was opening up for Jennifer Gentle or doing Daytrotter sessions. Judging by the video for new track "Fools" (off the album Visiter due early next year via Frenchkiss), which expertly continues the trance-like art-folk of their previous record, I'd say it's time for the the rest of the world to catch on to The Dodos.

Watch the video for "Fools" here and listen to MP3s from Beware Of The Maniacs at the top of the post.

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(Jonathan Graef)