Welcome to the December edition of Three Stars. Tomorrow, we’ll be reviewing the Lucky Bastards, and on Friday, we’ll bring you coverage of LeJeune. Today, we talk to The Bonapartes, and discuss their new EP.

The Bonapartes

So, DCist last saw The Bonapartes at an under-the-radar benefit gig in the front room of a Florida Avenue townhouse, where the lo-fi sound setup had our ears ringing and the advertised open bar was a couple of kegs. We’d seen the band before, months ago and not long after their inception, at a DC9 show where we loved the songs but found the group tight and restrained, and still growing into their music. Time has been good to them, though, and their recent performance radiated a deserved confidence. The well-dressed ethic had lapsed, with only guitarist Ben still rocking the neck-tie, and restraint was gone, as the band threw themselves into their set, animating the crowd in the process.

Next week, the band takes the mainstage at Black Cat at a release party for their first real disc, a five-song EP that very accurately captures the live sound of the band. The disc is short, clocking in at a little over fifteen minutes, but it powerfully displays the band’s songwriting capabilities. The Bonapartes have a knack for crafting guitar hooks; they pepper their track intros with themes that repeat throughout the songs, bringing to mind the guitar driven rock of Queens of the Stone Age, but with the indie sensibility of a Husker Dü. The rhythm section drives much of the band’s work, differentiating the songs and preventing the hooks from becoming repetitive, navigating the group between punk and dance-rock. Lead-singer Scott’s vocal work is bright and distinct, with ambitious vocal melodies that call to mind Yan of British Sea Power or Bono when, as on the EP’s highlight track “Concentric,” his notes rise and fall in chill inducing cadences.

“Concentric” is the hit of the album, combining unforgettable guitar harmonics with a subtle synthesizer and Bloc Party drumming, but all the tracks demand repeat play. This is a release that is likely to stir wider attention for the band, and The Bonapartes seem ready for the spotlight. See them fill it on the mainstage next week, before the buzz LP that’s sure to come lifts the band beyond DC’s cozy local venues.