2:54, Widowspeak Played Mercury Lounge [photos]

Photo credit: Karp

Mercury Lounge had a busy Monday night this week with Indian Rebound, The Denzels, Widowspeak and 2:54 all talking the stage. With rare, if not unheard of, punctuality, each band played a good 45-minute set without much fuss, but with more than a little fan fare.

Indian Rebound (@indianrebound), the rock group made of native teen New Yorkers, started the night with their own brand of indie rock. While their stage presence betrays their age (they aren’t quite sure what to do up there yet), the solid pop rock they produce sounds much older. It will be fun watch this young band as they progress from upstarts to mainstays.

The Denzels were next, bringing with them a different, more beachy and upbeat sound. While they may simply be playing what’s popular now, they do it with a flare and style all their own. They put on a great show with their danceable music and affable stage presence. They bounced off each other and the audience lightly, while their perfect summer music kept the full room bopping around.

The room got much more crowded and dour for the effortlessly cool Widowspeak (@widowspeaking). With their layered, ambling music and a lead singer straight out of a futuristic Jane Austin novel, they kept the ample audience enraptured. The best part of their set came when they played their two newest songs, one only several days old. Both demonstrated exciting growth in their music and sensibilities — complete with complex layering and wildly interesting guitar sounds.

The headliner for the night, 2:54 (@twofiftyfour), continued the trend of amazingly cool chicks making dour, room-spanning music. With hazy and seductive vocals and fuzzy guitars, they make a strong argument for the return of shoegaze to pop culture. The sisters put on a fantastic show, both subtle and aggressive. Not only are they a band to watch, they’re a band to make sure to see as much as possible.