Dig ‘in: Delivery, Ex-Vöid, Prism Shores
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
Delivery - Force Majeure (Heavenly Recordings LP)
Melbourne’s Delivery bring a sense of whimsy and exuberance to their songs while surveying a music landscape that’s populated by garage thump and punk fervor. “Operating At a Loss” opens will a tribal beat soon met by a trio of guitars slinging riffs with reckless abandon. Vocalist James Lynch spews out corporate jargon with a caffeinated delivery to satisfy his fix for espresso shots. “Focus, Right,” on the other hand, slows down the process to concentrate on the task on hand and is buoyed by a soaring chorus between Lynch and Bec Allan. With its galloping pace, “The New Alphabet” calls out for reinvention to produce something otherworldly, devoid of rote analysis. The rousing “Put Your Back Into It” sums up the band’s approach as Lynch chastises: “Sticks and stones / and a couple of bruises / That’s the best / of your excuses.” Force Majeure shows out Delivery’s relentless pursuit of bringing the rawk with minimal fuss and max effort. -Bruce Novak
Ex-Vöid - In Love Again (Tapete Records LP)
Having initially cut their teeth in the edgy Joanna Gruesome, it took some time for Lan McArdle and Owen Williams to fully embrace their pop potential. Their contrasting voices, though, were tailor made for singing harmony duets, something both of them embraced in their love for Glasgow’s Teenage Fanclub. Ex-Vöid smooth out some of the scrappier elements from 2022’s Bigger Than Before album for more robust hooks and addictive ear candy on In Love Again. The spirited title track captures their resilience from the personal break-ups that had befallen each of McArdle and Williams and inspired some of the songwriting on the album. Strains of those dysfunctional relationships can be found in “Nightmare,” which embraces the alt-country genre that has caught the band’s ear in recent times. The inclusion of their sped-up cover version of Lucinda Williams’ “Lonely Girls” has its origins from when Katie Crutchfield introduced Ex-Vöid to the song on a shared 2018 UK tour with Waxahatchee. The reflective “Down The Drain” is Williams’ lost love lament with bittersweet tones that resonate for the jilted. The song title “Pinhead” might suggest a Ramones connection, but McArdle’s number is a gilded shoegaze treasure—sweet yet combustible. In Love Again captures the pain and pleasure of human relationships, reinforcing that what doesn’t kill us will only make us stronger in the end. -Bruce Novak
Prism Shores – Out From Underneath (Meritorio Records LP)
Prism Shores got their start in the capital city of Charlottetown of the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island before relocating to Montreal. There they befriended the members on the band Laughing, whose debut LP, Because It’s True, was on tap to come out on Meritorio Records in the summer of 2024. Sensing that the indie pop connections that the two bands shared would appeal to Meritorio head Álvaro Lissón, Prism Shores sent him the tracks they had recorded early last year for what would become their second LP, Out From Underneath.
The record captures the unsettledness of adjusting to a new city at a stage of life that’s filled with opportunity, but also great unknowns. On “Holding Pattern,” guitarist Jack MacKenzie sings about “finding my footing,” only to fall into one trap door after another. “Tourniquet” attempts to stop the bleeding and get things under control as time wastes away. The band goes into overdrive on the spirited “Weightless” with guitars that buzz like an agitated beehive. “Sudden Sting” pairs jangly guitars with synth squalls and is buoyed by MacKenzie’s soaring vocal declarations. Out From Underneath chronicles Prism Shores efforts to pull through challenging times, but also heralds an emerging band that’s cracked the surface and hopefully on their way to bigger things. -Bruce Novak
UPCOMING
Sprite
Where: Empty Bottle / Directions
When: February 3, 9:00 PM
Flesh Panthers’ Sam Brown swapped out his drum kit to front the Chicago quartet Sprite on vocals and guitar. In another reverse pivot, Cel Ray’s guitarist Josh Rodin joins on skins, while bassist Kinsey Ring (Lollygagger) and guitarist Donny Walsh (Stuck, wallplant) complete the line-up. As might be expected based on that pedigree, Sprite dish out some aggro rock, albeit with more nuance and variance than one might anticipate. Their self-described “Slacker Gaze” meets up at the intersection of Dinosaur Jr. and Dogleg. Ben Grigg engineered and mixed Sprite’s self-titled EP that they released on cassette at the tail-end of 2023. He’s also currently at work on a follow-up EP with the Sprite and will share the bill on this free Monday night show as a member of the estimable Babe Report. -Bruce Novak
Panda Bear
Where: Salt Shed / Directions
When: February 7, 7:00 PM
Panda Bear gets a lifetime pass in my book. Animal Collective and their music have meant so much to me over the past nearly 20 years. I remember starting to listen to them during my senior year of college at a time when everything you heard was mind-blowing. Their music stood out even more than their peers because it was just so unlike anything I’d heard. You had crazily dissonant music and vocals of Avey Tare paired with the angelic voice of Panda Bear—a perfect storm. I read about them before I ever listened to them, and you’d read about these comparisons to Beach Boys harmonies, and I have to admit I didn’t get it right away. AnCo was this mysterious group you didn’t know much about, but you knew they’d deliver challenging music every other year. 2007 was a career-altering year for the band with the one-two punch of Strawberry Jam and Panda Bear’s reverently reviewed solo outing, Person Pitch.
Panda Bear’s solo albums have tended to be more focused, that isn’t to say you get the same album over and over again, but it makes it easier to understand where he fits in the AnCo mix—high harmonies, the use of samplers, layering dissonant sounds on top of one another, and rhythmic drumming. All of this is to say that any chance to see Panda Bear or AnCo live is absolutely worth taking. They create a hypnotic show with almost jammy-like takes on their songs, and they have a tendency to reward their fans by playing new material that has yet to be released. Seeing as Panda Bear has a new album Sinister Grift coming out at the end of February, one should expect to hear lots of new songs. If the two lead singles (“Ferry Lady” and “Defense”) are any indication, this is yet another strong outing for Panda Bear. Having seen him several times solo, I’d expect him to be behind a synth versus playing the drums as he often does at AnCO shows, but again, the music will wash over you (example: “Drone”). You will be swept up in the song’s rhythmic tendencies (a perfect example is the song “Alsatian Darn” from my favorite Panda Bear album, Tomboy). The Salt Shed is a perfect space to let the harmonies waft over the crowd, especially on a cold February night. -Mark Joyner
Sharp Pins / Pleasant Mob
Where: Epiphany Center For The Arts: The Sanctuary / Directions
When: February 7, 7:30 PM
Chicagoans could use some Summer of Love vibes during another protracted winter season (the projected temperature is barely forecasted to crack sub-zero as I write this). In Sharp Pins, Kai Slater (Lifeguard, Dwaal Troupe) unleashes his inner pop savant persona as he traverses the stratosphere of ‘60s West Coast psychedelia and British Invasion pop. Advance streaming of Sharp Pins’ upcoming Radio DDR LP points towards Slater doubling down on the pleasure factor following his initial Turtle Rock offering in 2023.
Chicago quintet Pleasant Mob also delve into neo-psychedelia on their self-titled Inscrutable Records debut from last spring. Like Slater’s post-punk guitar slinging for Lifeguard, Pleasant Mob’s frontman Raidy Hodges provides a similar skill set for the wacko combo Spread Joy. In his own realm, Hodges opts for kaleidoscope-like compositions that percolate with bouncy rhythms and spirited harmonies. All band members (pulling in part from the ranks of Bnny and the Lipshitz) contribute on vocals, with Hodges and drummer Hana Chew teaming up for some especially delectable melodies. The stain-glassed glow and baroque setting of The Sanctuary offers an ideal backdrop for the comfy embrace that both outfits bring to the table. -Bruce Novak
UNCOVERED
Davy Graham - He Moved Through The Fair - The Complete 1960s Recordings (Cherry Tree 8-CD box set compilation)
Davy Graham was a British, finger-picking acoustic guitar virtuoso who quickly became one of the most widely admired figures in the British folk boom of the early-to-mid 1960s. He was also among the most elusive and mercurial figures of that time due to his penchant for travel and occasional drug habit. Graham readily absorbed and channeled elements of Turkish, Arabic, Indian, Balkan and other music into his compositions and playing, and this fantastic 8-CD box set covers all of his 1960s releases, the material on which his reputation primarily rests. The music vividly captures Graham’s unique brilliance and wayward vision.
Graham’s oeuvre included old American blues, jazz classics, traditional folk, contemporary pop songs and hard-to-pigeonhole originals. He was never a strong singer, and his occasional covers of songs by Paul Simon and the Beatles can sound a bit tepid. But the bulk of the music in this box showcases Graham’s dazzling technique and inspired adventurousness. Perhaps the most emblematic tune in the box (which includes multiple renditions) is his take on the beautiful, traditional Irish ballad “She Moved Through the Fair,” which Graham recasts as an Indian raga. He explores the raga form with stunning musicianship yet also keeps the lovely melody of the tune audibly intact despite the wild stylistic permutations. It’s a masterful demonstration of both genre-bending imagination and breath-taking musicality.
The box includes Graham’s most highly regarded solo releases, such as Folk, Blues & Beyond… and Large as Life and Twice as Natural, along with some rare after-hours live recordings. It also includes the wonderful duo record he made with the great folk singer Shirley Collins, Folk Roots, New Routes, with boasts a singular blend of traditional and visionary music making. If you’re a fan of idiosyncratic American finger-pickers like John Fahey and Robbie Basho, you should definitely check out the music of their British contemporary and unequivocal peer! -Rick Reger
We recommend listening along over at our Spotify page. Here’s this week’s content: