In our never-ending quest to dig up some great bands that cost less than a corned beef sandwich at Katz’s Deli, we bring you another round of Blips. Blips highlights some great bands that are largely still in their larvae stage, but will soon morph into their beautiful butterfly. In this edition, we have some really cool new music, so take a sec, poke around their various websites, and see what you think of these two under the radar musical groups…

Dawes

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MySpace / Website

If you’re looking for that next band to fit comfortably in your record collection next to My Morning Jacket, Band Of Horses and Fleet Foxes than look no further than the California act Dawes. Drenched in exquisite harmonies, pedal steel flourishes, acoustic guitar strumming and aching lyrics about heartbreak the band makes quintessential West Coast country-rock drawing influences from the likes of Neil Young, Jackson Browne, Crazy Horse and The Eagles.

Dawes’ ATO debut, North Hills,which hits stores next month (though currently available now as a digital download), is loaded with their hazy laments providing quite possibly the perfect sunrise soundtrack as you throw back that last night cap. The band recently wrapped up a cross-country run opening for Deer Tick and have a handful of dates currently on deck with weekly residency shows at the Echo and Detroit Bar.

READ ON for a look at another under the radar band…

These United States

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MySpace / Website

Typically, when you think of bands hailing from our nation’s capital, it’s punk and hardcore acts that immediately come to mind and not bawdy roots-rocks bands. These United States are looking to change all of that. The band filters wordy Highway 61-era Bob Dylan through the psychedelic country-rock swaths of the New Riders Of The Purple Sage and Ryan Adams work with The Cardinals.

I may be a little late to the party on these guys, with their most recent album Crimes coming out in the fall of last year, but it’s one that has been in constant rotation on my iPod all summer long. The album is chock full of rowdy barroom rock that features everything from rollicking pedal steel work to funky clavinet fills. These United States will release their third full length – Everything Touches Everything on September 1, and are currently in the midst of a lengthy cross-country run that is sure to stop in a town near you.

Jeffrey Greenblatt

Jeff joined the Hidden Track team full-time in 2008 and helps guide the site in his role as Managing Editor and Social Media Coordinator. Each week Jeff pens Pullin' 'Tubes, Tour Dates and Bloggy Goodness in addition to features, video posts and more. Jeff is a graduate of The George Washington University ('98), with a degree in Journalism, and has worked in the media and technology industry for the likes of MTV, VH1, A&E and Joost.

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