Take back your dreams, baby. I've got mine.

As a general rule, I have fairly low expectations when it comes to listening to a group that I've never heard of before. It's probably unfair of me to think this way because there's a lot of great music out there after all, but I can't help it. Overhyping over the past few years about groups like Animal Collective and Dirty Projectors by the likes of Pitchfork and other so-called "indie" tastemakers has left a pretty sour taste in my mouth. So when I go to a show where I've only listened to one of the groups on the bill, you can bet that I'll be listening closely, trying to punch holes in the the sound of whoever is new-to-me (especially if Ryan Schreiber seems to think they're the cat's pajamas).

Luckily, Monday night was far from disappointing. Why, you ask? Deer Tick played at the Conservatory to a packed, fun-loving crowd. While Deer Tick was fantastic and the local groups were not too shabby themselves, as is to be expected, I was delighted to be treated to this little group from Lubbock, Texas on tour with them called One Wolf. My first impression was something along the lines of Gin Blossoms cross-pollenated with Dinosaur Jr, but that quickly got pushed to the side. Sure, there was still that nagging sense in the back of my mind trying to box them in, but by the end of their set, they had completely buried the cynic in me. These cats are legit. 2legit2quit if you ask me.


One Wolf - Backyard

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I picked up their most recent record on CD which hasn't been officially released anywhere but on iTunes yet and on tour (FIRSTIES!!!). It's called "One Wolf II: Secret of the Wolf." Having listened to it a couple of times over since Monday night, I have to say my initial impression still remains somewhat intact, but I hear other influences creeping in too. Peppered throughout we get hints of the aforementioned groups, as well as a little evidence that these boys may be fans of Starflyer 59 and early Pedro the Lion (both of which score HUGE points with me personally by the way) and there's that inescapable folk/country tinge that we southerners can't seem to shake. Of course, these are just my frames of reference here, and any talk about influences  doesn't change the fact that they've managed to transcend them, but there you go.


One Wolf - Rick Nelson

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These guys are all super nice and I wish them the best. They seem to have amassed a fairly decent following in their home town and will only gain more momentum as they continue to play all over this beautiful country of ours. I really enjoyed their performance and the album most certainly does not disappoint. I hope they don't mind me ripping and embedding their tracks here because I haven't asked them for permission, so this could be a limited time offer. Just give these a listen, inevitably pick up their albums on iTunes and then pop over to their MySpace or facebook page and tell them how great they are. 


One Wolf - Please Don't Make a Mess

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Obligatory text after embedded audio. I can't be witty all the time. Cut me some slack.