Dad Rock Hall of Fame Watch: Dawes

Although the Dad Rock series has focused on the legends of yesteryear, this installment profiles an up-and-coming band that appears to be on its way to becoming the contemporary standard-bearer for the genre.  Dad Rock has largely been cast off as a dead letter, but Dawes is breathing life into the genre with its vintage 70s laid-back sound, showing that all that was old is new again.  With its harmony-infused folk rock, Dawes' 2009 debut album, North Hills, has drawn comparisons to Crosby, Stills, and Nash, Buffalo Springfield, the Byrds, and the other L.A. bands of the era.  It's no wonder that the band has received the stamp of approval of two Gentlemen-trusted music resources: Philadelphia's own 88.5 WXPN, and Daytrotter, having done multiple sessions with each institution.  As the band's sophomore effort, Nothing Is Wrong, is coming out in early June, it's time to learn more about a band with a great summer sound who and is on the fast track to Dad Rock stardom.  Put on your Clubmasters, roll up the sleeves on your chambray shirt, and pour yourself a tall drink.  Summer's almost here.

A band that knows the value of a well-fitting button-down shirt.

1) "When My Time Comes"

With a driving beat like this, it's no surprise that Chevrolet tapped this jam to be their everyman's anthem in some recent TV spots.

2) "Love Is All I Am"

Just a really basic, pretty song that highlights the things that Dawes does exceedingly well: vulnerability, harmonies, and bass lines.

Dawes - Love Is All I Am (Official Music Video). Watch more top selected videos about: Dawes

3) "With A Little Help From My Friends"

Bands with only one album to their name usually need to sprinkle in a cover or two into their live sets in order to fill the time.  Dawes does a faithful rendition of Joe Cocker's legendary version of "With a Little Help from My Friends," better known as the theme song from "The Wonder Years."  Without getting too off topic, how ridiculous is it that reruns of that show are buried on The Hub?  At least "Arrested Development" and "Freaks and Geeks" (not to be confused with the other "Freaks and Geeks") reruns are on IFC.

4) "If I Wanted Someone"

The lead single from the new album has some teeth to it (a pretty solid guitar solo) while still sounding like a Dawes song.  This has me excited about the direction of the album, which I suspect will be getting a lot of play this summer alongside the new album from Booker T. Jones and the Roots, which is my clubhouse leader for Album of the Summer.

There you have it -- some well-dressed dudes making some laid-back jams to make those summer days move easy.

--J.J. Gittes