Artist Sat. Nite Duets

There are plenty of words to describe Milwaukee’s Sat. Nite Duets—shambling, scrappy, Pavement-worshipping—though one word that’s often overlooked is “hardworking.” The likeably shaggy lo-fi guitar-pop band charmed blogs and GQ alike back in 2010 with its One Nite Only EP, which GQ giddily compared to Pavement’s Slanted And Enchanted. The group followed up with another EP, Wilder Dreams, in 2011, as well as a slew of oddball music videos stuffed with skateboards, chain saws, and lousy green-screen effects. The excellent new Summer Of Punishment finds the band letting its guard down and grappling with some genuine concerns, if only for a moment. Sure, there are still plenty of lyrics about getting shit-faced and carpooling with AC/DC, but scratch the shambling surface and you’ll find a wistful, winning tribute to gauzy nostalgia and misspent summer youth.

Updated 03/28/2012