May 19, 2009

Album review: Blank Dogs - 'Under And Under'

Spooky post-punk with secrets

8 / 10 Blank Dogs is the brainchild of one prolific, mysterious Brooklynite named Mike Sniper. That’s probably more info than he’d appreciate us giving out, seeing as he’s most often spotted with a tea-towel around his face, but ‘Under And Under’ is an album deserving of recognition.

A spooky mash-up of Sonic Youth, Public Image and Joy Division (among others), this is post-punk at its most eerie and disconcerting, but still – as ‘Setting Fire To Your House’ proves – defiantly danceable. From the robotic churn of ‘Blue Lights’ to the wiry rock’n’roll of ‘Tin Birds’, there’s little cohesion – perhaps understandably, given Sniper’s penchant for releasing new material every couple of days – but that simply makes it feel of a lovingly-crafted mixtape.

Barry Nicolson

More on this artist:
Blank Dogs NME Artist Page
Blank Dogs MySpace