When you think of Washington, DC, several things come to mind: the heralded monuments, the historical locations, frustrating politicians abound, and, of course, classic bands such as Bad Brains, Minor Threat, Fugazi, and The Dismemberment Plan. Following in the footsteps of these DIY musicians are four dudes known as Dot Dash. Biting guitars from Bill Crandall and Tony Banks give their music the post-punk sound of the early ’80s, with Banks’s smooth vocals falling somewhere between Ian McCulloch (Echo & the Bunnymen) and John Penny (Ned’s Atomic Dustbin). Hunter Bennett (bass) and Danny Ingram (drums) quietly deliver the undercurrent of rhythms that gives the music depth.

After a stellar debut, the DC quartet is back with Winter Garden Light, 10 songs that pick up right where they left off with the previous album. Kicking things off is the track “Faraway.” Crandall and Banks assault the listener’s ears with fuzz infused guitars that proceed to walk a thin line between harmonic bliss and chaotic distortion throughout the tune — this tends to be a theme throughout the album. Songs like “Two Octobers” and “La-La-Land” shine with pop hooks and mellow vocals, while “Shouting In The Rain” and “Lateral/Vertical” beef things up with blistering guitars bordering on punk rock territory. The song “Countdown” merges the best of both, taking listeners to the brink before talking them down from the edge, and then doing it all over again. While each tune brings something to the album, it is the final track that is the most intriguing.

“The Devil’s Road” steps out of the mold of the previous tunes offering up brooding dark guitars and sludgy rhythms. The listener keeps waiting for the pop hooks and melodies to kick in, yet they never come, which is what makes this track so powerful and maybe the best on the record.

On Winter Garden Light, the band has once again delivered music that successfully merges all that is good about pop and punk, writing songs that avoid being syrupy sweet and lack the anger and violence. With their jangly guitars and Banks’s vocals, Dot Dash produces songs that are comfortable and familiar without being stale or sounding like a replication of any other band. Explore the world of Dot Dash — your ears will thank you.

(The Beautiful Music, 207 Bank Street #129, Ottawa, ON  Canada)