Dig ‘in: Humdrum, Japandroids, Spiral XP
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
Humdrum - Every Heaven (Slumberland Records LP)
Perhaps Chicagoan Loren Vanderbilt was facing a crisis of confidence when searching for a new band name as a follow-up to his previous outfit, Star Tropics. Despite the implication, there’s nothing dull about Humdrum’s debut album. Vanderbilt’s insistent jangle pop sparkles, albeit in a low-key approach. There’s clear vestiges of UK ’80s-era pop; tuneful melancholy that strikes at matters of the heart. Though not gender-specific in origin, Vanderbilt’s lovelorn missives take on added impact in consideration of the marginalization he encounters as a queer artist. There’s a tug of war between impermanence (“Wave Goodbye”) and optimism (“Eternal Blue”) that provide an emotional ballast to the record. Like the star-crossed lovers Vanderbilt projects in “Ultraviolet,” bridging the gap between desire and reality is never easy, but always worth shooting for. -Bruce Novak
Japandroids - Fate & Alcohol (ANTI- Records LP)
As anyone who follows the No Wristbands crew can attest, we are serious Japandroids fans here. Celebration Rock was my second favorite album of last decade, and as far as I am concerned, it’s a perfect record. They toured for several years following its release in 2012, and then radio silence until 2017’s Near To The Wild Heart Of Life, a record with serious bangers but one that didn’t seek to replicate the formula from their first two records. Certain corners of the internet felt there were diminishing returns, but I loved the album. Once again, our friends seemingly disappeared, and I’d started giving up hope that we might get another album. Then, one glorious morning this summer, Japandroids were back, and not only were they back, but they released a song that couldn’t be more in my wheelhouse if they tried: “Chicago.” I’d be lying if I didn’t get misty-eyed as I played it on repeat on my ride to work on the L. I texted just about every bro I knew, and we were all equally pleased that our friends were back! What happened next was a bit of a mixed bag, they announced a new album —a final album—with no plans to tour.
Fate & Alcohol reflects a band that has matured; if Celebration Rock was about keeping the party going and living in the moment, Fate & Alcohol deals with the next day and life as you mature and stop partying as hard (like on “Upon Sober Reflection”). You have the triumphant “Chicago,” that focuses on two people the day after an epic night talking through their feelings for one another. “Positively 34th Street” picks up in the throws of a hangover—experiencing what we’ve all done when hungover—reviewing regrets and reflecting on missed opportunities. Fate & Alcohol is a band facing down past behavior, and attempting to find a way forward, dare I say maturing. It doesn’t always have to be about chasing an epic night or partying until the break of dawn, sometimes great moments can happen when you least suspect them. It took me a few spins to get into the album, I was looking at it through the prism of Celebration Rock, but this record still fucking delivers—it feels more reflective than past releases. I’m only sad that I won’t get to sing these songs with a couple hundred of my closest friends as the boys blast away on stage, but if I learned anything from this record, it’s that it is better to live in the present than what could be. Rest in Power to Japandroids—thank you for taking such care in your craft—you will be missed! -Mark Joyner
Spiral XP – I Wish I Was a Rat (Danger Collective Records LP)
In an ever escalating manner, capitalism has had a devaluing effect on the art of music. Streaming services and the increasing reach of Live Nation and Ticketmaster have squeezed the financial viability of independent-minded artists. Not wanting to get caught up in a numbers game, Max Keyes of Spiral XP has focused on the intrinsic satisfaction of the creative process. “Horse Money” bristles against the career path life approach and winner-take-all mentality. In the video of “Sinner,” the band is off to Las Vegas, ready to take a gamble on life even if the environment itself is illusionary. The mellifluous voices of Keyes and bassist Lena Farr-Morrissey often intertwine to compliment the hazy instrumentation, particularly on tracks like “Luna” and “Tonight.” The slacker vibe receives a jolt of stimulant from the elastic guitar jousting during “Awake.” I Wish I Was a Rat has a nocturnal feel; an escape from the daily grind and an exploration of what else may be worth discovering in our vast universe. -Bruce Novak
UPCOMING
Swirlies
Where: Sleeping Village / Directions
When: November 2, 9:00 PM
Boston-based Swirlies were one of the more influential and idiosyncratic U.S. shoegaze/noise pop bands of the ’90s. Their 1993 debut full-length LP, Blonder Tongue Audio Baton, registers at #11 on Pitchfork’s 50 Best Shoegaze Albums of All Time and at #21 on UK’s Far Out Magazine’s equivalent. Swirlies operate on the lower end of the genre’s spectrum, displaying a penchant for throwing an occasional wrench into their works. Despite some interim line-up juggling that included the departure of key member Seana Carmody (vocals, guitar), the 1995 follow-up LP, They Spent Their Wild Youthful Days in the Glittering World of the Salons, was another choice offering, leaning into an expanded electronica direction. Thereafter, Swirlies output veered more experimental with increased sound manipulations and remix sessions with a cadre of East Coast DJs. Their last substantial studio recording, Cats of the Wild: Volume Two, is now more than 20 years aged, but holds its own fascination for an outfit that was always committed to expanding their boundaries. Guitarist/vocalist Damon Tutunjian and bassist Andy Bernick remain the mainstays of the group, but with Tutunjian’s relocation to Malmö, Sweden years back, recording logistics has proven difficult to sort through. That’s why the band’s sporadic live appearances throughout this 21st century are such celebrated occurrences. This Sleeping Village gig marks Swirlies first appearance in Chicago since taking the stage at West Fest back in 2015. -Bruce Novak
This Will Destroy You
Where: Reggies Chicago / Directions
When: November 7, 8:00 PM
In August, Jeremy Galindo and Christopher King issued an unexpected statement that they were ending their collaboration in This Will Destroy You to pursue new musical paths going forward under different project names. They also made a decision to tour with two separate lineups of This Will Destroy You with each performing different material to close out this chapter in their lives. Galindo will be bringing his outfit to Reggies that will consist of Austinites Nicholas Huft (guitar), Johnnie McBryde (drums) and Ethan Billips (electronics). In celebration of the group’s 20th anniversary, they’ll be performing their 2007 S/T album live. When This Will Destroy You originally formed, Galindo was their vocalist but after they crafted the instrumental track “The World Is Our____“, they abandoned the singing altogether. Listening back to that track it’s apparent that they were on to something dynamic; blissful textures that give way to majestic, enveloping power sonics. There’s a noticeable cinematic quality to their work, which found them favor on a number of film soundtracks. Consider this show as a demarcation point and then buckle in for journeys that Galindo and King will soon set out to explore. -Bruce Novak
Gladie
Where: Empty Bottle / Directions
When: November 9, 9:00 PM
When beloved Philly trio Cayetana announced they were going on indefinite hiatus in 2019, frontperson Augusta Koch was welcoming the break but couldn’t have envisioned the challenges that would soon follow. She had previously partnered up with multi-instrumentalist Matt Schimelfenig (Three Man Cannon) in 2018 to produce the four song Gladie EP, Everyone Is Talking but You,” and they decided to revive the project and expand the personnel to produce their first LP, Safe Sins. Then the pandemic forced her out of her bartender gig and an autoimmune disease diagnosis put her in a precarious position. To prioritize her health, Koch gave up drinking and smoking and committed herself to a mental reset. The move has led Koch from her punk-pop origins to an alt-rock direction with tinges of Americana. Gladie’s songs still confront the complexities and challenges of fractured 21st century living, but Koch’s healthier sense of self has her meeting things head on nowadays rather than numbing the hurt. -Bruce Novak
UNCOVERED
Kittyhawk - Hello, Again (Count Your Lucky Stars LP)
Any anniversary piece tends to work backward in giving importance to something that was mostly just friends coming together to make music. Kittyhawk sounds like that to me. It has been well-documented through a million blogs and conversations that it was a special time for Chicago. The work of bands like Cloud Mouth, CSTVT, Into it Over It, and a thriving DIY scene made the city a hub for emo revival. What some of those mentioned, it’s very easy to place some greater impact on it. Some are still active, and occasionally, I will see someone talk about CSTVT’s Summer Fences. But something about Hello, Again has been speaking to me lately ten years after its initial release. It feels unburdened by some of the tropes that make it hard to listen to tappy Midwest emo nowadays. The reference points are all familiar to some, with The Anniversary at the top of every person’s lips. It sounds distinctly 1998, just as scales for the genre would lean too hard on pop to the point where it became too cutesy in the mid-2000s.
There must be some mention of emo as it stands right now. I’m not going to trendwatch or anything like that, but have seen more and more artists make a turn towards what people would describe as power pop or just more pop-forward songwriting. Fountains of Wayne is equally revered as American Football. It does bring back the key point that if you can’t write memorable songs, it does not matter how much of a virtuoso you are. And for me I think that’s the legacy of Kittyhawk. These are just good songs. You do not need any context or deep Chicago lore to find some appreciation. “Sunny Day Renter’s Insurance” and “The Petravicz Estate” are catchy enough on their own. Not every record needs to be deemed as this important tome. Sometimes, a record is just good and a fun listen. It exists in the legacy of Rockford’s God’s Reflex, a band that people adore but isn’t on the top of everyone’s mind when they talk about late ’90s emo. Give it a listen for yourself; maybe you’ll love it or shrug it off as dated. -Hugo Reyes
We recommend listening along over at our Spotify page. Here’s this week’s content: