The Silver Spring Penguin

Some people dislike dreary autumn days because, well, they’re dreary. Then there are nut jobs like me who live for dark days and even darker nights, when the raw cold finally matches my mood. That’s when I tune into brooding bands like The Hot Noodles, a Cheverly-based quartet that’s been grinding it out since 2005.

The bandmates — Kelly Fisher and Charles Andrews swinging guitars and vocals, Dan Atchison on bass, and Nathan Lorentz on skins — play songs they like, some original, others not. According to the band’s website, they play parties, clubs, pools, parks, whatever. And it’s that attitude — part care-free abandon, part apathy — that makes The Hot Noodles a good soundtrack for a rainy day.

The guitar work on “Waterfall” has a gritty, raspy crunch, like The Pixies at 4:00 a.m. after too many unfiltered cigarettes. But the vocals are reminiscent of Jefferson Starship (and not that “We Built This City” shit), with discordant vocals that snarl irreverently at listeners. It’s a mean, dirty, delicious song.

A slower beat on “Happy All the Time” gives the tune a Neil Young vibe, though not as whiny. It reveals The Hot Noodles’ connection with grunge precursors, before Kurt Cobain and Eddie Vedder made it angry. The Hot Noodles are a steaming bowl of ennui, perfect for slurping with a dirty spoon.

Sample The Hot Noodles on the band’s MySpace page, then get a full serving Saturday at the Mayorga Coffee Factory (8040 Georgia Ave). The gig rolls at 7:00 p.m.

Photo courtesy of The Hot Noodles.