Dig ‘in: Cloakroom, Yard Act, Honey Radar
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
Cloakroom - Dissolution Wave (Relapse Records LP)
It’s fitting that the esteemed and increasingly broad metal label Relapse hooked up with Indiana’s Cloakroom for their second and widely admired 2017 LP Time Well. With Dissolution Wave this versatile power trio have further deepened their unique blend of heavy rock, leavened with an ever increasing pop sensibility, that fans of grunge, shoe gaze, doom metal, and indie rock will appreciate. Imagine a heavier version of the late great Acetone, or Chicago’s own Seam, and you start to get the idea. Guitarist and singer Doyle Martin’s guitar work is both sophisticated and economical with lots of color, supported melodically and nimbly by bassist Bobby Markos, who has a wicked low end sound, and now joined by new drummer Tim Remis, who possesses an admirable feel and can step down on the snare at will. Amongst this eight song collection, “Lost Meaning,” “Lambspring,” and “Doubts” are three stand outs, but there’s not a weak offering in the bunch. Ten years on as a band, Cloakroom is evolving and distinguishing themselves as something special. At the recent sold out record release show at Empty Bottle, they were truly appreciative of the enthusiastic reception, and damn, do they rock. -Wade Iverson
Yard Act - The Overload (Island Records LP)
Vocalist James Smith has a fascination with human nature and a cast of characters permeate his songs with questionable intentions. Tragedy seems to be lurking around every corner abetted by grifters, bigots, narcissists and the like. “Dead Horse” paints a grave picture for post-Brexit Britain: “So bold it is in its idiocy / So bound by its own stupidity / It does not realize it has already sentenced / Itself completely to death.” The band comprised of fellow Leeds mates, Ryan Needham (bass), Sam Shjipstone (guitar) and Jay Russell (drums), is agile and able to seamlessly transition from funk, punk and jazz stylings. Smith largely sticks to song narration, relying on the rest of the band members to provide the singing via intermittent choruses. He has an uncanny ability to twist and shoehorn his profuse lyrics into shifting song structures. The Overload plays out like a satirical piss-take of a divided society from a band that doesn’t have all the answers, but is willing to put out the questions. -Bruce Novak
Honey Radar - Play-Box Relay (self-released EP)
Jason Henn, the driving force behind Philly’s Honey Radar, prefers the sub-underground descriptive for his music, occupying a space out of the public eye and paying homage to the unheralded but influential artists that have defined the movement. The band’s latest offering, Play-Box Relay, is worthy of such company with a suite of eight songs whose urgency matches the brevity of the compositions. There’s an abundance of pop melodies underpinned by raw fretwork that’s by equal measure jangly and grimy. In a world where upward mobility is viewed as aspirational, I’ll gladly follow the path of those who chose to remain underground. -Bruce Novak
UPCOMING
Discus
Where: Sleeping Village / Directions
When: February 10, 7:30 PM
Jake and Paul Stolz have been pretty ubiquitous in these parts, turning up in such outfits as Varsity, Pool Holograph and Central Heat Exchange. And while they’ve made a meaningful mark with all those bands, Discus is where they able to perform front and center. Jake steps out from his usual drum duties to handle vocals, and along with brother Paul, provides shimmering guitar work. The band’s compositions maintain a loping, leisurely pace with wistful recollections scattered throughout. Discus’ set is sandwiched between those of fellow Chicagoan’s Owney and Modern Nun—deserving outfits in their own right and reason plenty to settle in for a full night of musical entertainment. -Bruce Novak
Cate Le Bon
Where: Thalia Hall / Directions
When: February 14, 7:30 PM
Cate Le Bon notes that playing material live provides her with the opportunity to reclaim ownership of her songs, which sounds a bit odd in that her catalog is so uniquely stylistic that it would never bear an imprint other than her own. Her reasoning though is that her songwriting process is intensely cathartic to the point that she’s ready to purge everything upon the culmination of that process. For her new release, Pompeii, Le Bon retreated from her Joshua Tree residence to her native Wales during lockdown to craft a record in which she supplies the majority of the instrumentation with the exception of drums and saxophone. Her evocative and introspective lyricism is once again bolstered by her idiosyncratic arrangements and versatile singing. Le Bon revels at the opportunity to perform and sing on stage and having her back is a just reward for her passionate creative pursuit. -Bruce Novak
Lucy Dacus
Where: Thalia Hall / Directions
When: February 15, 7:00 PM
On “History Lesson - Part II,” the Minutemen’s D. Boon reminisces about he and Mike Watt coming of age in the midst of punk rock. The song opens with Boon noting that “Our band could be your life.” With her deeply personal and confessional songwriting, I can’t help but think that Lucy Dacus’ fans share the same experience. Her intensity is palatable as she details everyday encounters that often put her through an emotional wringer. But mixed with her melancholy is a steely resolve that enables her to emerge triumphant from the depths of despair. Dacus gives voice to the interpersonal struggles that her audience knows all too well—a voice from the darkness delivering a message of hope. -Bruce Novak
UNCOVERED
Lotus Plaza - Spooky Action at a Distance (Kranky LP)
As the band’s principal guitarist, Lockett Pundt’s presence in Deerhunter has been essential to shaping their distinctive sound. After developing a friendship in high school, Bradford Cox brought Pundt permanently into the fold for Cryptograms, the band’s indie breakthrough. In between the recordings of Microcastle and Halcyon Digest, Pundt made his first solo foray with The Floodlight Collective, which served as a sounding board for his elliptical, plangent compositions. He would revisit the Lotus Plaza moniker three year later with Spooky Action at a Distance, based on the themes of connection and separation. The sound is immersive; wrapped with warm textures and lush melodies. The record reflects Pundt’s daydream persona, and when his character remarks that he hasn’t slept for days on “Jet Out of the Tundra,” it’s because he’s looking forward with eager anticipation and not due to lingering insomnia. If this record has managed to escape your notice, do yourself a favor and get woke to its existence! -Bruce Novak
We recommend listening along over at our Spotify page. Here’s this week’s content: