What indie-rock really needs right now is a good kick in the balls. Local three-piece Lure of the Animal is just the monster to deliver such a blow. I had the privilege of seeing them play Graceland on February 15th, and since that day I have been filled with a renewed sense of hope for the future of Seattle music.

Led by bassist/vocalist Jason Parker, Lure of the Animal represent an element that is sorely lacking in our community. I suspect that he writes a significant portion of the songs, as they are all founded on a solid rhythm, allowing the guitar to explore all of the space left in the room, which it does with a restrained genius that reminds the audience that this is not a typical club experience. If the music were to remind me of anyone, it would be the Toadies, most notably for Jason's vocals, which he manages to sing and shout at the same time, satisfying needs both guttural and euphonic at the same time.

My only hope is that Lure of the Animal has come at a time when the climate of the music ecosystem is stable enough to embrace them. I could try to explain in detail what it was they sounded like or why it sounded good, but doing so would only codify them and take away from what was the first of (hopefully) many subjugations to the Lure. In a town full of brooding, noodling-moptop-Sadsters, LOTA deliver a rock punch that is heavy without being harsh, melodic without meandering, and that delivers a clear cut message to other up and coming (and even the well-established) indie bands: Buy a distortion pedal and get a grip.

Stay tuned in the next few weeks for an interview with the band that will hopefully provide some insight into the lascivious world of Lure of the Animal.