It’s hard to resist the toe-tapping beach-pop hooks, rattling beat and lo-fi, Casablancas-esque hum of “Telephone,” the leadoff track from DOCKS brand-new three-song Forest EP.
And just try to keep from cracking a smile when viewing the song’s accompanying video. Directed by Johannes Heine, bassist for A Yawn Worth Yelling, the “Telephone” clip is minimalist but effective—showing the San Jose four-piece miming each other, as each member plays every instrument in the band. Shot in the forest (where else?), the video does a lot with a little and features a playfulness reminiscent of OK Go.
The EP then takes two sharp left turns. Moving from the bopping opener, Forest swings into “So Slow,” an indie rock ballad, recalling the more somber sounds of locals Picture Atlantic and A Yawn Worth Yelling. The final track, “Evergreens,” is the most surprising song on the release—a somber math-rock anthem, complete with nostalgic vocals and noodling guitars.
“Each of the three songs on the EP is pretty different, actually,” says frontman Ranier Zarras. And yet, while the EP varies stylistically between tracks, there is a connective tissue, according to drummer Joe Head. “All the songs are supposed to be like a story you’d tell by a campfire in the forest,” he says.
At their upcoming EP-release show, this Saturday at Art Boutiki, DOCKS is looking forward to the next evolutionary leap in their sound. They plan to be playing new material with its own set of influences.
“It’s gonna be a kind of slow, shoegaze-y sound with a bit of punk,” Zarras says, explaining that his band owes its eclectic ambitions to the diverse communities of musicians the members of DOCKS have made relationships with—ranging from hardcore to folk. “Some of my hardcore friends went to a show and tried to stagedive once, it was pretty crazy.”
DOCKS will be showcasing their relationships with the Bay Area music scene at the show. “Dan (Vado, owner of the SLG Art Boutiki) let us pick the acts on the lineup ourselves, it was pretty cool,” Zarras says. The bill includes Fremont twee-pop act Sweet Peaches, SF dream-pop band Future Shapes, and indie-pop set Summer Peaks.
DOCKS play April 11 at 7:30pm at the SLG Art Boutiki. More info.
