By: John Mabery
Rating:6/11

Somewhere between New York City garage and Miami surf is Lil’ Daggers, a band that's actually from Miami but sounds more like a New York group with a Miami-tinge.  The second song off their King Corpse 7” EP (2010), “Ya Tu Sabe,” is a nod to the city and the beach – garage rock infused with conga and organ.  This is a good starting point for this band, but they will have to push these boundaries further if they want to separate themselves from their peers.    

The distorted vocals, another physical trait typical of garage rock, is also the most notable pitfall for Lil’ Daggers.  This is a nuance of every song produced by this band and it would seem, because the videos of their live performances support this claim, that this is a choice by the band or perhaps a producer of some sort.  While Julian Casablancas and other garage rock singers employed a more subtle approach to evoke a raw sound, Daggers singer Johnny Saraiva basically sounds as if he’s swallowed his own tongue. It might seem cool in theory but less is more, and one needs to be able to understand the lyrics Saraiva is delivering in order to connect with his music.      

Lil’ Daggers is a band that should rock you more than they do, and one gets the sense they are holding back.  There may come a time when they are forced to chose between the funked-up rock of the city and the chilled-out groove of the beach in order to better define their sound, but if there is anything to be said about their sound, it is truly distinctive.