Dig ‘in: Petrol Girls, RLYR, MELTS
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
Petrol Girls - Baby (Hassle Records LP)
With the conservative faction feeling emboldened in these times of social divisiveness, Petrol Girls are on high alert, relentless kicking against the pricks. The mixed-gendered UK/Austrian quartet remain pissed off politically, but not at the expense of taking the piss out of their targets. In “Clowns,” Ren Aldridge ransacks the lyrics of “Stuck in the Middle with You” by Stealers Wheel when she sings “We are the clowns from the left / But they ain’t joking on the right.” “Preachers” decries the absence of altruism and skewers the self-appointed didactic moralists who believe no socialist good deed can be left unpunished. “I don’t wanna be saved / I guess I’ll be damned,” is a message of resistance, not resignation as the band closes out the track in defiant fashion. Petrol Girls reclaim the body collective on “Baby, I Had An Abortion,” which should serve as a rally cry following the overturn of Roe v. Wade with Aldridge questioning “Whose life are you pro? / Whose do you want to control? / You want to come inside / Tell me how I’m traumatized.” While lately we seem to be a world in reverse, Aldridge is confident in the direction she’s headed by declaring “I’m a god-damn incubator / “But baby I’ll see you later.” -Bruce Novak
RLYR - S/T (Gilead Media LP)
RLYR is a Chicago experimental post-rock/metal instrumental band formed in 2016 by Chicago music scene lifers Trevor Shelley de Brauw of Pelican, Steven Hess of Locrian, and Colin DeKuiper of Bloodiest, and they are back with their third album, RLYR. Despite their other projects, I truly believe it is time to stop thinking of RLYR as a side-project and think of it as its own stand-alone band. This album continues their evolution deeper into the murky waters of anthemic post-rock/doom metal. RLYR brilliantly captures in the studio what those of us who've been fortunate enough to witness them live over the years have seen—which is a tight band that builds songs to their anthemic breaking point, and then eases you off the gas as the track reaches its endpoint. Each composition is given room to breathe as they work together to see where the song will go. “Head Womb” starts off as almost math-rocky, with what sounds like tapping, then swerves into a propulsive thundering mid-point, and as if that wasn't enough the song again shifts to more open sludgy terrain, and finally ratchets the tension back up before coming back down to earth and fading out. Truly the work of masters of their craft to capture all of that in 8 minutes. -Mark Joyner
Melts - Maelstrom (Mother Sky LP)
Dublin’s Melts churn out an epic sound as vast as Ian McCulloch’s moptop. With a footprint anchored in neo-psychedelia and goth, the band reaches out to the heavens and beyond on their 8 track debut LP that examines the fallout from upheaval and displacement. Hugh O’Reilly and Robbie Brady provide the sturm and drang with squalling guitars and swirling keys, while Gaz Earle’s metronomic beat and Colm Giles’ elliptical basslines propel things forward. With arms motioning like a marching marionette or a swimmer trying to save himself from drowning, Eoin Kenny belts out lyrics with eye-closed intensity. Maelstrom is capable of sweeping you off your feet or knocking you on your ass—either way, it’s not something you could have easily predicted. -Bruce Novak
UPCOMING
Aeon Station
Where: Square Roots Festival
When: July 9, 6:30 PM
When I saw Aeon Station perform at SXSW this year at Cheer Up Charlies there was a lot of pent-up energy that was released the moment they hit the stage. Kevin Whelan, in particular, swung his bass wildly about like Don Quixote tilting at windmills. For good reason though, since he was finally able to celebrate performing again to support his Observatory release that came out at the close of last year. Half of that record’s songs were originally earmarked for The Wrens’ follow-up to their 2003 Meadowlands masterpiece, but when co-songwriter Charles Bissell remained indecisive moving things forward, Whelan finally took matters in his own hands. In doing so, he enlisted the remaining two Wrens members, his brother Greg on guitar and drummer Jerry MacDonald to contribute. They, along with guitarist/producer Tom Beaujour and keyboardist/bassist Lisa Opfer, make up the on stage support cast. Expect an adrenalized workout of Observatory tracks along with a smattering of Wrens nuggets that push beyond mere nostalgia. -Bruce Novak
Bear Claw
Where: PRFBBQ
When: July 10, Noon
The PRFBBQ first took place in Chicago in 2009 and returns July 7-10 following a three year hiatus. The festival was an outgrowth of the community surrounding the Premium Rock Forum that emanated from musicians and fans posting on Electrical Audio’s internet message board. There’ll be an abundance of Chicago representation with the likes of Stomatopod, Nonagon and Tar offshoot, Deep Tunnel Project. Bear Claw formed in 2002 out of Carbondale, but shifted their home base to Chicago a few years thereafter. Over the course of their tenure they’ve released three albums, all recorded at Electrical Audio with Steve Albini, the last, Refuse This Gift, coming out in 2010. Employing a dual bass (Rich Fessler & Rop Raspolich) and drums (Scott Picco) line-up, the band jams econo with full aggression. Their sound would comfortably coexist among the roster of bands that graced the labels of Touch & Go, Discord and Amphetamine Reptile. Bear Claw’s stage appearances are generally limited to annual turn-ups these days, so chances are you’ll be waiting awhile for a repeat performance if you decide to sit this one out. -Bruce Novak
Mike Lust
Where: West Fest
When: July 10, 5:30 PM
Some of Chicago’s notable indie bands down through the years (Urge Overkill, Cococoma, White Mystery, Russian Circles) have recorded at Mike Lust’s Phantom Manor studio in Humboldt Park. After Tight Phantomz, the group Lust previously fronted, folded in 2006, he started stockpiling recordings of songs he’d subsequently written before finally releasing Silk Prison in 2012, a sprawling double album that was put out under the TP banner. Last year he switched over to his own name for the solo release of Demented Wings; a more modest 10 track effort that still manages to capture his eclectic range of musical styles. Lust incorporates elements of ‘60s psych, ‘70s strut, ‘80s synth pop and ‘90s shoegaze in a way that is reverent but original sounding. His ear for music, fine-tuned from being on both sides of the recording mic, brings forth subtle details that serve his songs well in a buried treasure hunt sort of pursuit. -Bruce Novak
UNCOVERED
The Wrens - The Meadowlands (Absolutely Kosher Records)
In now what appears to have been their swan song, The Meadowlands is the Wrens’ finest achievement, but also proved to be their albatross. Thwarted initially by the failed dalliance from a couple of label suitors that resulted in wasted up-front costs, the band opted to carry out the recording in their home studio—in a rather painstaking process that took four years to complete. Fearing that they’d become an afterthought seven years following the release of their second album, Secaucus, the Wrens’ expectation for The Meadowlands was that it would be of little interest beyond a smattering of dedicated fans. Of course, when one of those fans is Pitchfork founder Ryan Schreiber, that’s a real game changer. His championing of the record introduced it to a new and expanded audience that the band never would’ve fathomed. So instead of coming across as musicians whose time and relevance had passed them by, listeners connected with the Wrens’ heartfelt earnestness and creative drive that teetered on the edge of desperation and obsessiveness. When your aim is to produce something that sits alongside London Calling and the White Album, no small plans are in for the making. The Meadowlands still sounds fresh and urgent nearly 20 years on—knowing that a follow-up won’t be forthcoming is bittersweet but doesn’t diminish this extraordinary effort. -Bruce Novak
We recommend listening along over at our Spotify page. Here’s this week’s content: