Dig ‘in: Jetstream Pony, Modern Nun
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
Jetstream Pony - Misplaced Words (Spinout Nuggets/Shelflife Records LP)
The members of Jetstream Pony come from a strong lineage of groups (Wedding Present, Aberdeen, Luxembourg Signal, Turbocat, among others). Misplaced Words is the follow-up to their impressive self-titled 2020 debut. Beth Arzy leads the vocal charge with a lovely lilt that’s sometimes balanced by guitarist Shaun Charman’s and bassist Kerry Boettcher’s additional melodies. Jetstream Pony’s songs drift pleasantly above the atmosphere, but are anchored by a propulsive rhythmic drive that provides for a wonderful push/pull dynamic. Misplaced Words provides the feeling of waking from a pleasant dream; things appear slightly hazy in recall but there’s no denying the euphoria you’ve just experienced. -Bruce Novak
Modern Nun - Name (self-released EP)
The members of Modern Nun (Edie McKenna, Lee Simmons & Haley Webster) experienced similar religious upbringings around the Chicagoland area while yearning to redefine their identities as young lesbians. Their chosen band name is reflective of a desire to preserve their own spirituality while liberating themselves from the institutional dogma that previously surrounded them. The songwriting of McKenna utilizes a host of metaphors in both coy and earnest fashion. Their music remains largely unadorned, befitting of the emotional directness they wish to convey. Name makes for a good opening calling card for a band that I’d expect to hear plenty more from in the future. -Bruce Novak
UPCOMING
Lomelda
Where: Lincoln Hall / Directions
When: January 20, 7:00 PM
Compared to modern day disconnection driven by the impersonalization of technology, Lomelda’s Hannah Read experienced a more traditional alienation associated with a small town, sheltered upbringing. Her religious rearing factors in her admiration for artists such as Sufjan Stevens and Low, and certainly each of them share a very personalized and stark portrayal of existence through their music. In Read’s case, no more so then on Lomelda’s last record, Hannah, which strives for self-discovery and a reconciliation of how her life has been shaped in relation to how she desires to be fully formed. All of which points to continued growth for this band that isn’t content just to be satisfied. -Bruce Novak
Courtney Barnett
Where: Chicago Theater / Directions
When: January 23, 7:30 PM
Courtney Barnett took a reverse route to the Chicago festival circuit—debuting at Lollapalooza in 2014 in an early afternoon slot before an enthusiastic but compact audience before capturing a headlining gig at Pitchfork in 2018 where she and her band tore through an adrenaline-fueled set befitting of such an elevated status. True to its title, last year’s Things Take Time, Take Time is a more leisurely and meditative musical approach for her that captures her interpersonal musings during a period where she had ample time to sit and think (or maybe sometimes just sit as she’s previously confessed). With stasis giving way to inertia in a renewed manner, expect Courtney and crew to pull out all stops for this tour as I’ve yet to see them on a stage that they didn’t utterly command. In these times of uncertainty, that’s something that I’d surely take to the bank. -Bruce Novak
The Beths
Where: Metro / Directions
When: January 28, 8:00 PM
In my mind, I always perceived a sense of easiness to Elizabeth Stokes’ songwriting—with her proclivity for producing catchy riffs and buoyant melodies. Turns out that’s far from the case as Stokes describes needing to put herself in an agitated state of mind to write and having struggles over chord choices. She does seem to be in lockstep with her fellow Auckland bandmates, especially co-guitarist Jonathan Pearce, who’s produced and engineered all the band’s recordings thus far. She’s also noted that her initial introduction to creating music as a trumpet player provided her with a focus on rhythm and melody that readily surface in the group's songs. When I first saw the band perform live at Beat Kitchen in October of 2018, they were riding the wave of their debut long player, Future Me Hates Me, and increasing rotation play from the likes of Sirius XMU. In 2020 they followed up with Jump Rope Gazers that’s further solidified their following in the States and led to opportunities like this to perform on increasingly bigger stages. -Bruce Novak
UNCOVERED
Aberdeen - What Do I Wish For Now? (Singles & Extras 1994-2004) (Used Bin Pop Music compilation)
Beth Arzy first dipped her toes in the water with Aberdeen before later surfacing with such outfits as Trembling Blue Stars, The Luxembourg Signal and Jetstream Pony. Together with her partner, John Girgus, they started the band as a duo and released a couple of singles with Sarah Records right out of the gate. A personal split between the pair ended the group a couple years into their tenure, only to have them reconcile six years later to pick up where they left off with Aberdeen. What Do I Wish For Now chronicles most of the group’s highlights and suitably captures Arzy’s wistful songwriting and singing backed by shimmering guitars and punchy rhythms. Albeit somewhat ephemeral in terms of its day in the sun, Aberdeen’s music has stood the test of time and still shines brightly within the pop stratosphere. -Bruce Novak
We recommend listening along over at our Spotify page. Here’s this week’s content: