Dig ‘in: Kills Birds, Black Country, New Road, Mekons
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
Kills Birds - Crave (Lucky Number EP)
Upon hearing Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” at age 14, the trajectory of Nina Ljeti’s life was forever changed. In a full circle moment, Dave Grohl became a fan of Kills Birds when a mutual friend introduced him to the band’s music, which resulted in an invitation for them to record their second album, Married, at his Studio 66 and an opportunity to open for Foo Fighters on a number of dates. Crave is the follow-up to 2021’s Married, and represents a fresh start with Lucky Number after moving on from KRO Records and being largely inactive the last couple of years. The pause did little to temper Kills Birds combustible nature as the five new tracks explode with pent-up fury. Attempting to make up lost ground, Ljeti acknowledges being “late to the party and always a little behind” on the opening number, but demands to be heard. On “Pyre,” she’s too exhausted to make her own bed, let alone shouldering personal responsibility for choices that have been dealt to her. “Trace” offers a more hopeful outcome as the song picks up steam; pinballing between Griffin Kisner’s thunderous drumming and Jacob Loeb’s expansive synth and guitar textures. The closing track, “Hollow,” struggles against emptiness in pursuit of what Ljeti’s heart truly craves—she’ll risk bleeding out as long as there’s an opportunity to keep registering a pulse. -Bruce Novak
Black Country, New Road - Forever Howlong (Ninja Tune LP)
Black Country, New Road (BC,NR) are nothing if not ambitious. Their music is sprawling; many songs feature anthemic crescendos built up from angelic beginnings. I am always here for it. Since we’ve last heard from BC,NR, they’ve regrouped yet again and coalesced around the songwriting and vocal talents of Tyler Hyde, Georgia Ellery, and May Kershaw. This is a continued departure from their previous vocal lineup featured on 2023's Live at Bush Hall album, which was itself a new start from their previous lead singer Isaac Wood’s abrupt departure in the lead up to 2022's Ants From Up There. Moving from the howling, powerful vocals of Isaac Wood to the very democratic vocal approach of three female co-lead singers could potentially derail a lesser band, but BC,NR rise to the occasion.
As if there were any doubts following Live at Bush Hall, those concerns are further snuffed out on Forever Howlong. The group still revels in anthemic songs with soaring vocals layered atop intricate baroque instrumentation from the sextet. For me, it took a couple of listens for the album to settle in. I must admit I am a diehard BC,NR fan, and have thought their last two releases were easily some of the best works released in their respective years. The back half of the album is where things really take off—starting with “For the Cold Country” they rip through 4 equally spectacular songs. “Nancy Tries to Take the Night” to me is the highlight of the album. Simple acoustic strumming leads to Lewis Evans jumping in with his woodwinds creating arpeggios atop rhythmic drumming. The harmonies of the three lead singers intertwine, and each song is its own reward. Similarly to Animal Collective their live shows are used as a time to debut new material. Again, this is an equal parts ambitious and restless band. They will be playing at Salt Shed on May 13th with Chicago upstarts Friko; a show surely not to be missed. -Mark Joyner
Mekons - Horror (Fire Records LP)
Tapping into a title that could be used to describe the collective revulsion of progressives to the autocratic, nationalist political landscape has the Mekons weighing in on the damage with a post-war sobriety. Having experienced the neoliberalism effects of Thatcherism and Reaganism firsthand, they’re also savvy to point out on opening track “The Western Design” that there’s been longstanding historical precedent centered around imperialism. British Lord Protector, Oliver Cromwell’s colonization of Jamaica in 1654 is eerily reminiscent of Trump’s lust for present day Greenland. This line of backward thinking is challenged in the punk screed, “War Economy,” where Tom Greenhalgh intones: “On behalf of the future, I ask you leave the past alone / You are not welcome, we have no government.”
The grievances persist throughout Horror; climate denialism on the mournful “Fallen Leaves,” underclass indignities via the blistering “Mudcrawlers,” and corporate greed lust permeating “Private Defense Contractor.” Stylistically, Horror expands the band’s reach with variations in pace and texture—traditional elements coexist with electronic flourishes. Despite their long track history as a performing unit, I found myself doing a double take at times to verify who was carrying a specific vocal lead; as if the voices were altered to mimic the disorientation that the record delves into. Perhaps no more so then on the closing number, “Before The Ice Age,” where Sally Timms’ surrealist recitation brings to mind the sounds of Gina Birch leading The Raincoats. It speaks to a nightmare scenario where humanity perishes at the hands of an evil empire and should serve as a wakeup call for our state of national unconsciousness. -Bruce Novak
UPCOMING
Cult Canyon
Where: Constellation / Directions
When: April 19, 8:30 PM
Cult Canyon is the latest endeavor for Chicagoan Josh Chicoine, who was a founding member of pop tunesmiths The M’s during the aughts. Since the M’s wrapped up in 2009, Chicione has intermittently pursued a low-key, personalized approach in projects such as Cloudbirds and Sabers. Cult Canyon came about when producer friend Chris Batte coaxed Chicoine “off the couch” following a few years of inactivity to commence some recordings at his Parkwalk Studios in West Town in 2018. Two sets of sessions emerged—one that resulted in the acoustic Dream Believers EP under the guise of Josh Chico, and the second that comprises the 3-track Cult Canyon material that was digitally released last August. Chicoine is joined by cellists Marianne Vincent and Andrea Nott and violinists Andra Kula and Susan Voelz on the recordings. The results are alluring; Chicoine’s delicate timbre and nuanced instrumentation (acoustic guitar, piano, synth, glockenspiel) are well paired with the cascading strings. The overall vibe is pastoral; like a leisurely stroll in the countryside while admiring the surrounding natural beauty. The Constellation gig will also offer insight into Cult Canyon’s expanding repertoire, as a vinyl album titled Some Tricks will be forthcoming this fall via Rattleback Records. -Bruce Novak
The Chameleons
Where: Epiphany Center for the Performing Arts / Directions
When: April 26, 7:00 PM
These vastly underrated stalwarts of British indie rock return to Chicago as part of Vampire’s Ball Chicago, which bills itself as an interactive, escapist, multi-band, multi-media experience that’s been described as a Venetian masquerade mashed with a vampire court…whatever that is. Anyway, the Chameleons first garnered attention 40 years ago for their distinctively brooding yet melodic songs that featured bassist-singer Mark Burgess’ existentialist lyrics and bruising basslines along with guitarist Reg Smithies’ inventive, delay-saturated fretwork that glazed the tunes with a shimmering, nocturnal, quasi-psychedelic ambiance. (The band’s songs have been accurately characterized as evoking “sonic cathedrals.“) Back then, the quartet made only three albums before breaking up, but the last of those three discs, Strange Times, was a masterpiece of liltingly melodic introspection and thunderous riffing. The Chameleons reformed in 2001 to tour America and release another stellar disc, Why Call It Anything, before abruptly dissolving once more. Although the band’s mainstay drummer John Lever passed away in 2017 and longtime second guitarist Dave Fielding left the group, Burgess and Smithies re-activated the band several years ago with two new members and returned to Chicago last October for a stunning live set that included Strange Times in its entirety. That Bottom Lounge show bowled over everyone who was there with its feverish intensity, instrumental precision and a youthful energy that utterly belied the band’s years. The Chameleons still sound fantastic and are definitely worth checking out! -Rick Reger
Spiral XP
Where: Empty Bottle / Directions
When: April 27, 9:00 PM
What started out as a side project for Versing drummer Max Keyes when he commenced writing songs on guitar for Spiral XP in 2021, has become a focal point in and of itself. Following a series of promising EPs, the Seattle quintet delivered their striking debut LP, I Wish I Was a Rat, last fall. The band’s pairing of open guitar tunings with Keyes’ and bassist Lena Farr-Morrissey’s serene vocals knocks the songs slightly off-kilter to provide an agreeable contrast. Spiral XP’s triple axe onslaught (via Keyes, Jordan Mang & Kyle McCollum) buzzes mightily, stirring the proverbial hornet’s nest. It makes for a bit of controlled chaos that spins freely but never out of sorts. -Bruce Novak
UNCOVERED
Chumbawamba - Never Mind The Ballots (Agit-Prop LP)
Chumbawamba’s 1997 breakthrough hit “Tubthumping” was quite the outlier for this anarchist punk collective that emerged from a group squat in Armley, Leeds circa 1982. After skewering the exploitative Band Aid record release and Live Aid benefit performances on their debut album, Pictures of Starving Children Sell Records, Chumbawanba quickly wrapped up Never Mind The Ballots to get ahead of the 1987 UK general election in the throes of Thatcherism. Neither the Conservative, Labour or Alliance parties were spared the band’s wrath who were as forthright as some of their song titles would indicate (“Always Tell the Voter What the Voter Wants to Hear” and “The Candidates Find Common Ground”). While the criticisms were scathing, they were also delivered with a dose of whimsy, such as on the terrific “Come on Baby (Let’s Do the Revolution).” Additionally, “The Wasteland” acutely hits home for these times with its fearmongering overtones exploiting economic uncertainties. Never Mind The Ballots was conceived to address a moment in history, but its relevance remains timeless and universal. -Bruce Novak
We recommend listening along over at our Spotify page. Here’s this week’s content: