The last thing I want the reader to think is that I'm complaining about my job, but I have to say that doing One-Night Stand every week can get a bit tedious. Seattle is a fairly large town, with lots of talent in it, but the reality of going to see opening bands at random, week after week, is grim. Talented or not, most people lack vision, and most people don't know what to do with their talent even when they've got it. There are lots of boring songs being written right now, all over the world. And no matter what night of the week it is in Seattle, there are always lots of shitty shows upon which you could potentially stumble, were you so obliged.

But like I said, I'm not complaining. What I'm really trying to do is shed light on why I was so happy to see Hypatia Lake this past Thursday night at Graceland. On why I'm so ecstatic to report that Hypatia Lake is a smart, driven group of guys with lots of good material in them. Artistic, and even a bit haunted, this band truly engaged me and the 25 to 30 others in the showroom, most of whom stood rapt through the entire set of well-crafted material.

Hypatia Lake is a local four-piece composed of singer/guitarist Lance Watkins, guitarist Jared Hill, bassist Shane Browning, and drummer/keyboardist Randy Skrasek. The show starts out spare and dramatic, recalling the vaudevillian sort of indie rock that bands like the Black Heart Procession are making. Watkins' frontman chops are gentle, and not particularly moving. But he's an inventive singer (and guitarist), half-speaking most of his dark lyrics with artful restraint. He stands still onstage, as all the players do, his demeanor kept chilly and even, complementing the band's melancholy sound.

But if Hypatia Lake is melancholic, it is not sluggish. The band cuts out partway through the first song, and Watkins counts, quietly: "1-2-3-4." The sound crashes back in with a swirling, climactic ending that moves into a dramatic, satisfying conclusion. Hill's lead-guitar parts are intensely effected, his love of psychedelic and shoegazer bands apparent. It's amusing how little he has to move his hands to produce such an enormous amount of sound.

Drummer/keyboardist Skrasek is totally engaged throughout the set, and impressive to watch. He is a focused, aggressive drummer, pounding on his kit when the songs go dramatic, as almost all do. Most of the songs, in fact, start off restrained and sad, and end up a giant wash of delay and feedback. Skrasek maintains this soft-hard dynamic nicely by playing both keyboards and drums. He is crafty with both, obviously a creative member of Hypatia Lake as opposed to just being a rhythm-keeper.

That the songs often begin quietly and then become loud, and that many effects are used on each composition, are the only two things I can say are truly predictable about Hypatia Lake. At various points the band, in its deliberate artistry, reminded me of Spiritualized, Grandaddy, Galaxie 500, Neutral Milk Hotel, and Slowdive. This is an impressive list, to be certain, and I'm not saying I would rank Hypatia Lake alongside any of these bands if I were to make a Top 100-or-so list of bands I like. However, I will say that if I were to make a Top 10 list for opening bands I've seen while doing this column, I would definitely rank Hypatia Lake number one. In fact, I would be thrilled if more bands in Seattle seemed so promising.