I’m not typically one to enjoy your run-of-the-mill music video that merely shows the band performing, but it’s hard to not like this video. Warpaint consists of three quite attractive ladies who like to perform in the most seductive of ways, and who are supported by an outstanding percussionist. Put that theme to excellent shoegaze mixed by the one and only John Frusciante, and that’s a mix anyone should be able to get into.

Not surprisingly, this list is filled with EPs by quite a few bands you know and quite a few you probably don’t. Of the ones you don’t know, many are likely from Washington; a quick count leaves me with five bands, or 1/4 of this list. Many of these bands I consider among the most promising artists to surface in 2009. All are worth checking out, and you’ll want to keep an eye on them as we head into 2010.

Warpaint combines hypnotic, surreal vocals with a backing sound somewhere between psychedelic and shoegaze. It would be calming were it not for the anxious tension in the instrumentation, continually pressing forward. They use it well, beginning “Stars” with a simple minimalistic guitar. Warpaint pairs this dreamy sound with a video muddled in darkness, yet at the same time lucid. Not until two minutes in do we hear percussion, which leads the song into a lengthy, swirling instrumental bout of shoegaze before ever so slowly building, but never …