Dig ‘in: Gaadge, Oxbow, Famous Mammals
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
Gaadge - Somewhere Down Below (Crafted Sounds LP)
Gaadge slot nicely between the garage punk of The Gotobeds and the shifting shoegaze pop of Feeble Little Horse among their DIY Pittsburgh contemporaries. Yeah?, their 2021 debut album for Crafted Sounds, found them in slack attack, whereas Something Down Below applies more finesse and production values. There’s a pleasing balance between blister pop and atmospheric exploration. The warped groove of “Candy Colored” delivers carnival ride exhilaration; twisting and turning on the edge of disorientation. The shoegaze guitar jousting of Mitch Delong and Andy Yadeski never overstays its welcome, as evident on the taut tracks of “Komarov” and “Mundy’s Corner.” The closer, “Turning,” starts out with Delong in a moment of reflection and feels headed towards decompression before the whole band explodes in a fury of combustible sound. Somewhere Down Below rings the bell, signaling a five alarm fire—the rubbernecking is warranted because this is one record that you’ll want to stay glued to. -Bruce Novak
Oxbow - Love’s Holiday (Ipecac Recordings LP)
“We love and move together / But what does he say when the monster comes to stay?” Think on that line for a moment, and feel what arises… This is from “Lovely Murk,” a song from superlative avant noise rock band Oxbow, who have now released 8 records since forming way back in 1988 out of the ashes of post-hardcore band Whipping Boy out of Stanford University. Oxbow?…I’ve heard the name… Singer Eugene Robinson and guitarist Nikko Wenner—the core and writing duo of Oxbow—released their debut album Fuckfest in 1989 to rightful acclaim, and have never looked back.
To these ears the most striking thing about their latest, Love’s Holiday, is the lovely, highly nuanced, and effective use of orchestral strings and voices—what? Oxbow?—check “All Gone” and “1000 Hours.” 35 years in, and Oxbow continue to expand their palate, and continue to rock heavy balls. “Icy White & Crystalline” is a high-five down the years from Jesus Lizard or Fugazi…but Oxbow is clearly their own proposition, and one of the most fascinating art rock and roll bands going, if not ever. Robinson—onstage and acting from the age of 2, and professional writer at 14—is that rare artist whose artistic expressions all seem to be of a piece, coming from a deeply felt, life-living place. Perhaps Nick Cave is a close peer; and like Cave the writer Robinson has a forthcoming memoir A Walk Across Dirty Water and Straight Into Murderer’s Row. Lyrically sophisticated and with a poet’s pen, Robinson’s voice easily moves between whisper in your ear intimacy, to a full on roar and howl, as heard on “The Second Talk.” In the wonderful recent cover story from the July issue of The Wire, a candid and clear eyed Robinson mused “When people expect very little of you, you feel a sense of freedom.” Amen. Let freedom ring and long live Oxbow. -Wade Iverson
Famous Mammals - Instant Pop Expressionism Now! (Siltbreeze Records LP)
It’s not difficult to imagine a Famous Mammals track turning up on the 1980 Rough Trade sampler compilation Wanna Buy a Bridge? were they transported to the UK some five decades ago. Their self-titled debut release after all included the track “Ode To Nikki,” in acknowledgment to Monsieur Sudden of Swell Maps. The members of Famous Mammals reside in Oakland and also appear in other bay-area groups (Non Plus Temps, Naked Roommate, Children Maybe Later), which showcase their pursuit of various music styles.
Instant Pop Expressionism Now! is rooted in the arty post-punk movement and comprises 18 tracks, which makes it somewhat cumbersome to parse, although its lengthiest titles are barely over 3 minutes. Stanley Martinez delivers most of the vocals in a dry, sing-speak manner against an intentional rudimentary instrumentation backing, although a few oddball embellishments appear by the way of melodica, harmonium and vacuum! Sometimes the material fails to develop enough inertia to push it past passing interest level, but the sheer volume of work ensures that there’s more than enough to capture one’s interest. Famous Mammals most often hit their stride when they ratchet up the tempo on numbers like “Private Anchor” and “Like a Shadow.” Instant Pop Expressionism Now! comes out of left field and is captivating when viewed as one of life’s little surprises. -Bruce Novak
UPCOMING
The March Violets
Where: Empty Bottle / Directions
When: August 22, 9:00 PM
Leeds University in the late ’70s and early ’80s was an incubator for aspiring art students who parlayed their cultural and political interests into bands such as Gang of Four, The Mekons and Delta 5. The March Violets took shape in 1981 and were linked to fellow Leeds acts The Sisters of Mercy, Red Lorry Yellow Lorry and The Three Johns through their common use of a drum machine. Their fusion of goth and post-punk was highlighted on a serious of singles before they split in 1987. A one-off performance in 2007 promised a potential return, but was thwarted by throat cancer treatment that singer Rosie Garland soon needed to undergo. 2010 marked their delayed return and led to their first proper album, 2013’s Made Glorious, a fan-funded self-release. Misfortune struck again in 2015 with co-founder/vocalist Simon Denbigh’s stroke that seemingly shut things down for good. The unexpected demand for a BBC Sessions compilation, Big Soul Kiss, released by Jungle Records for the 2021 UK Record Store Day convinced the band to reform in tribute to Denbigh. Now performing as a trio with Garland, original guitarist Tom Ashton and the new addition of William Faith on bass, this will be the Violets first Chicago show since an appearance at Abbey Pub in 2015. -Bruce Novak
Stalled
Where: Cole’s Bar / Directions
When: August 25, 9:00 PM
Stalled operate in an expanded stylistic range that distinguishes them for most other indie guitar-based outfits chasing sonic heights. When they were recording their Blank Conduct EP a couple of years ago, they included Chicago contemporaries Lifeguard and OK Cool on their Spotify Radio playlist of music that they were referencing at the time to give you an idea of the nature of their work. At the beginning of this year they added another four song EP, Contentment, that was released through Boston-based Candlepin Records. The trio of Jack Curtin (guitar/vocals/organ), Dylan Flynn (bass) and Nate Whitcome (percussion) are capable of bringing the sturm and drang on “A Feeling of Accomplishment” and “A Conduit For This Contentment.” Conversely, they’re able to downshift for the more meditative “Enid” and “Governor’s Dodge.” Stalled’s versatility serves them well and offers a hopeful indication that further exploration is in the offing. -Bruce Novak
Precocious Neophyte
Where: Sleeping Village / Directions
When: September 1, 9:00 PM
Jeehye Ham departed her native Seoul in 2018 with her husband Ethan Waddell when he was accepted into University of Chicago’s PhD program for modern and contemporary Korean literature. The couple had met when Waddell first saw her perform with the noise rock outfit Juck Juck Grunzie and came away impressed and also intimidated by their aggressive sound and stage presence. Feeling somewhat displaced following the relocation, Ham committed herself to reviving her musical pursuits by composing songs alone in their small apartment bedroom. That material eventually led to the formation of the four-piece Precocious Neophyte with Waddell joining in on bass. The band more closely resembles Vidulgi OoyoO, a shoegaze and dream pop outfit that Ham also was a part of back in Seoul. As a self-professed introvert who was emotionally distant from her parents growing up, it makes sense that her songwriting maintains a wistful air—atmospheric and emotionally engaging. Last year Precocious Neophyte released their first record, Home In The Dessert, and is presently adding songs to their Bandcamp site for a future EP. They performed a well-received opening set for fellow South Koreans Say Sue Me last month at Empty Bottle and appear poised for increased recognition. -Bruce Novak
UNCOVERED
The Three Johns - Volume (Buried Treasure Records 3-CD compilation)
It may strike you as absurd, but there was a period of time that I felt the Three Johns were the most relevant group that Jon Langford was involved in. Following a string of wicked singles in the early ’80s, the group delivered the stellar Atom Drum Bop album in 1984. The Mekons, in my estimation, didn’t start hitting their stride until 1985 when Fear And Whiskey started an incredible string of releases that soon eclipsed the the 3J’s output. Anyone who caught the Johnnies’ performances back then can attest that they possessed the power to move your mind and body involuntarily, much like their fellow Leeds cohorts Gang of Four.
Volume doesn’t quite cover the band’s entire recorded output—bypassing their last two releases, The Death Of Everything and Eat Your Sons, but captures them in their prime. It’s been noted that despite all three members being competent percussionists, they opted to use a drum machine that they affectionally named Hugo. That element added a frenzied, manic edge that seemingly drove the trio to the precipice at times. Langford (guitar) and John Brennan (bass) were masters of clipped efficiency, allowing John Hyatt (vocals) to pepper their provocative tunes with his iconic warbling pipes. Shades of Captain Beefheart vocal lunacy emerge, intermixed with Andy Gill-styled string torture to provide a unique take on post-punk music. Family obligations brought an end to the group in 1990, although there have been a number of UK stage reunions over the years that Langford relishes for the pure joy of wigging out on guitar. American audiences though still get treated with renditions of “Death of the European,” which has become a semi-staple of some of Langford’s other musical endeavors. -Bruce Novak
We recommend listening along over at our Spotify page. Here’s this week’s content: