Dig ‘in: bar italia, Display Homes, Guardian Singles
Check out what the No Wristbands team is listening to and what’s in our show calendars this month on our latest Dig ‘in.
INCOMING
bar italia - Tracey Denim (Matador Records LP)
London trio bar italia maintain a low profile in terms of self promotion, and are very much defined by the sum of their parts. Nina Cristante, Jezmi Tarik Fehmi and Sam Fenton possess distinct voices that provide the band with a beguiling brew of contrasts. Tracey Denim plays out like a record drenched in atmosphere; fully of sultry vocals, cool detachment and sinuous rhythms. Like fellow Londoners Asha Lorenz and Louis O’Bryen of Sorry, their unique pairing produces unexpected delights. Just when you think one member is taking a lead vocal turn, another voice emerges to take the song in a new direction. The effect is similar to film editing’s jump cut technique that was a staple of French New Wave directors to break up continuity. By not offering up interview explanations of their art, bar italia leave a lot open to interpretation and thankfully Tracey Denim provides an abundance of compelling twists and turns to sift through for those us willing to explore. -Bruce Novak
Display Homes - What If You’re Right & They’re Wrong (Erste Theke Tontrager LP)
The constantly impressive German label ETT releases another gem of a record with Australia’s Display Homes. Imagine a young (resurging!) Siouxsie fronting first album Cure, and marvel at how this all sounds so fresh again. A razor sharp bass-guitar-drums trio with singer Steph handling vocals and drums, opener “Nitty Picky” is a highlight, along with the Slits-esque “Neenish.” Funnily enough, I hear an “underlying space” (lyric) of Replacements in “Proofread,” along with “Shiver.” Clocking in at an economical 24 minutes, this is a punk shot of espresso, straight up. Which makes it even sadder reading on their bandcamp page that guitarist Darrell passed unexpectedly last June. I bet they were great live—condolences to the band family and here’s hoping they carry on in another form. -Wade Iverson
Guardian Singles - Feed Me To The Doves (Trouble In Mind LP)
When Perry Mahoney and Thom Burton met up at Whammy Bar in Auckland where Mahoney worked, they would end up dancing to Bailter Space and Wire after closing time and hatched talks about forming a shoegaze/post-punk band. Drummer Fiona Campbell (Vivian Girls, Coolies) just happened to be back in town from the US to visit family and friends and jumped aboard for the nascent project. Their self-titled debut was recorded in the summer of 2017 and later licensed for distribution by Bill and Lisa Roe of Trouble In Mind after they caught a remote livestream of the band’s performance for Gonerfest during 2020’s pandemic.
When Mahoney moved on to start Crash Material, he was replaced by Yolanda Fagan on bass. Filled out with additional guitarist Durham Fenwick, the foursome enjoyed some extended performance time together before returning to the studio to record their Feed Me To The Doves follow-up. Whereas the debut was assembled to capture their existing live repertoire, FMTTD represents a broadening of the band’s capabilities. There’s still traces of the raging post-punk in tracks like “Manic Attraction” and “Com Trans” that play off of Burton’s raspy delivery. “Pit Viper” and “Metal Fingers” venture into the shoegaze territory that was part of the original concept and introduce a new dimension that portends further exploration. Feed Me To The Doves scratches an itch for a comforting outcome, now as to whether Guardian Singles have only begun to scratch the surface of their potential, that’s another matter that I’ll look forward to revisiting in due time. -Bruce Novak
UPCOMING
Cloud Nothings / Wavves
Where: Metro / Directions
When: June 9, 6:00 PM
The last time Cloud Nothings and Wavves toured together was 2015 when they released the shared No Life for Me record. There’s been parallels running throughout their careers with both bands starting out at around the same time—roughly fifteen year ago. Principal songwriters Dylan Baldi and Nathan Williams both command a vocabulary of biting lyrics and grand hooks that adorn their songs of discontent. Each of their latest albums represent a return of sorts; The Shadow I Remember reunited Cloud Northings with Steve Albini, who engineered their 2012 Attack on Memory breakthrough, and Hideaway found Wavves returning to Fat Possum, the label that released their defining King of the Beach record in 2010. Their combined tour kicks off in Minneapolis, the night prior to the Metro appearance, so no word yet on setlists, but come prepared to hear some combined encores that’ll blow some minds, if not the roof off the venue. -Bruce Novak
The Black Angels
Where: Concord Music Hall / Directions
When: June 9, 6:00 PM
It doesn’t take long to be sucked into the vortex of The Black Angels’ dense and ominous music. Haling from Austin, Texas, home to psychedelic legends 13th Floor Elevators, The Black Angels even briefly served as Roky Erikson’s backing band in 2008. Wilderness of Mirrors, their sixth and latest album, was released last fall and the contentious political and environmental climate dovetails seamlessly with the band’s sinister and cynical inclinations. Maintaining relevance is no easy feat when your music is built upon drone and repetition, but The Black Angels consistently deliver head music that triggers a desired neurological state of mind. -Bruce Novak
The Poison Arrows
Where: Empty Bottle / Directions
When: June 10, 8:00 PM
This appearance marks the release party for The Poison Arrows’ fifth LP, Crime and Soda, their first with LA-based Solid Brass Records officially due out on June 16th. The present line-up of Justin Sinkovich (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Patrick Morris (bass) and Adam Reach (drums) began in Chicago in 2006 and performed regularly for five years before going on hiatus. They reformed in 2015 and have subsequently released a handful of recordings since that time. Their lockstep musicianship is tightly coiled, usually employing long-form song constructs that offer some breathing room amidst the intensity. Their shifting arrangements reveal a prog influence that mixes with an overarching punk ethos. There’s a duality at work here that offers up both a head trip and gut punch in equal measures. -Bruce Novak
UNCOVERED
Brutus - Unison Life (Sargent House LP)
The other night I soloed my way over to North Milwaukee Avenue to Concord Music Hall to witness—again—one of the heaviest bands of all, CONVERGE. Watching top flight hardcore can be a thrilling experience, and there was no sign of weakness anywhere on this particular night. 30+ years into their careers, it’s no hyperbole to note that Converge carry a torch not dissimilar to the late great Jesus Lizard (dang—why aren’t…?), and it’s a gift this kind of musical art still lives.
However, what I was really curious about was Brutus, a post-hardcore trio from Belgium, highlighting selections from their latest LP, Unison Life from 2022. Singer and drummer(!) Stefanie Mannaerts could be PJ Harvey’s little sister, with an often full-throated tenor voice that can send chills up the spine. Sample lyric: “For too long / I’ve been dying inside / For too long / could’ve been wrong / rather been right” from standout track “What Have We Done.” Meanwhile, her mates Stijn (g) and Peter (b) conjure a nimble and dynamic wall of sound specializing in dramatic shifts of volume and tone. Ace players all, Stefanie really drives “Dust” and by the end, her exhortation of “Are you ready? / Why are you running? / I am standing over here” socks me in the jaw. “Liar” has New Order bass, U2-like guitar chime, the drive of X, and so on. Certain traces may be noted, but Brutus make something truly original. Pitchfork festival take note; they would be a perfect edition next year. (PS: opener Frail Body was terrific, and kudos to staff and Concord Music Hall for great sound and service.) -Wade Iverson
We recommend listening along over at our Spotify page. Here’s this week’s content: