For the Beat Blog’s favorite CMJ bands: Hooray for Earth, Dominant Legs, Cloud Nothings, Wise Blood

We asked our friends writing for NYC music blogs their opinion about the best NYC based artists they saw at CMJ 2010, here’s what the guys at ForTheBeat.com think:

Dominant Legs is one of the best bands we saw all week. First, at the forthebeat/Transparent show at Public Assembly with Ryan Lynch (guitarist of Girls) performing solo and then with the rest of his band at Glasslands on Saturday. The four song EP is on constant repeat for us and Lynch’s voice is mesmerizingly intriguing, to say the least.

Wise Blood was another stand-out.  Pittsburgh native Chris Laufman [a man/band with no decent pics online] seems to have exploded onto the scene since his EP release in May with one of the best we’ve heard all year. His samples and vocals translated surprisingly well at his live performances, backed with his full (and very fun to watch live) band.

Cloud Nothings played some of the best shows all week and rightfully so, fronted by Dylan Baldi, who is just 19, its amazing to see someone accomplish so much at such a young age.

"Hooray For Earth was also a big standout from this year’s CMJ, a band we have seen again and again. Noel has always been an artist to watch, but in just this past year, he has gained everyone’s attention. "True Loves," their new single was one of our favorite songs performed live during CMJ." – Steph and Kristin