The Dirty Creeps

When the band's eponymous, six-song release opens with the track "Buttons For Eyes," the listener's figurative socks are effectively knocked off by the lead singer's forceful, fleshy, and emphatic delivery - somewhat reminiscent of the high, elastic rasp of Wolfmother's Andrew Stockdale.

Admittedly, I knew nothing about Lynxwail on first listen. I thought the lead singer was a man after hearing "Buttons." On finding that she is indeed a woman, a fact which became obvious to me by the second track, I had a moment of realization akin to what Austin Powers must have felt when he wrongly accused Basil's mother of being "a man, baby."

Lead singer Dayna Lynn sounds like none of her contemporaries and all of them at the same time. "Closer" finds her channeling Paramore's Hayley Williams, while "Get Your Gun" boasts the blues-inflected wails of The Dead Weather's Alison Mosshart. On "Who I Am," Lynn's voice is as gritty and unapologetic as a Jagged Little Pill-era Alanis Morissette.

Contrary to what this may imply, Lynn does not merely try to emulate her popular contemporaries. Rather, she attempts to cull the best from each of them, resulting in an artful blend of vocal personalities. She walks the thin line between erraticism and versatility with delicate ease. In the end, it's the singer's momentum, along with pounding, melodic guitar riffs, potent percussion, and lucid songwriting that carry the album and introduce Lynxwail as a band with loads of potential. (Self-released) - Performer Magazine

Young local bands The Split play Martyr's tonight along with Lynxwail. Reading the bands' bios on the Martyr's site you'd think you'd be headed into a coke-addled Tuesday night drug-fest, but in listening to both bands, they come off as light reincarnations of their chosen influences... Lynxwail, while coming across in their bio as an ex-girlfriend who would love to set your stuff on fire, have a lovely little harmony and guitar strum to their sound that would ease you into the evening without the harsh buzz of too much guitar rattle to keep up all night and make you miss that morning conference call. Doors 8pm, $7, 21+. Martyr's is located at 3855 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago. (773) 404-9494. - Gaper's Block