Wild Nothing Poised for Breakout at CMJ

Should a remake of 'Pretty in Pink' ever happen, Wild Nothing could certainly anchor down the soundtrack. What originally started as a solo project of Virginia Tech student Jack Tatum, his touring band ranks as one of the groups receiving a decent amount of buzz heading into CMJ 2010. His debut album 'Gemini,' was released this past May and has gone on to garner a heap of praise, as well as landing them opening slots for Stars and Superchunk.

But what's the fuss about? For their first of many CMJ shows, Wild Nothing served as the opener for Jenny and Johnny at Irving Plaza on Tuesday. They're certainly steeped in classic college radio bands like the Cure, Echo and the Bunnymen and the Joy Division/New Order/Smiths camp, and Tatum sounds more British than from the southwestern part of Virginia.

Songs like 'Summer Holiday' and 'Live in Dreams' benefit from Tatum's vocal's. He broods like a young Morrissey, with a washed-over mic effect that helps give off an ethereal, floating quality. It's not to say that recent acts haven't poached from these reference points; Interpol and Editors certainly come to mind in the context of Wild Nothing, but Tatum has put together a backing band that's concerned with a more mellow presentation of their music. In other words, there's nothing wild about Wild Nothing's stage presence, but the songs are tight and Tatum excels at making them sound poignant. His voice takes over any flashy stage antics that bands rely on at times.

Along with 'Gemini,' Wild Nothing have released two EP's this year: 'Evertide' and 'Golden Haze,' both available via Captured Tracks.