Dig ‘in: Public Body, Gang of Youths, Young Guv
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
Public Body - Flavour of Labour (Six Tonnes De Chair Records EP)
Playing in an indie band frequently entails maintaining a primary job for economic support. If one is lucky, this might involve an arts-related occupation or something that aligns with an area of study or interest that the person pursued. Often times though, it’s employment in the service industry or an office day job. For vocalist/guitarist Seb Gilmore of Public Body it’s been a succession of soul-sucking desk assignments that have provided fodder for the band’s Flavour of Labour release. Citing primary influences of Uranium Club and Devo, Gilmore pursues a similar route of mockery and disdain for conventional practices. The title track highlights twisting guitar interplay between Gilmore and Theo Verney, while giving pause to the idea of upward mobility. Joe Stevens’ insistent bass line opens “Reset My Password,” and the song is propelled forward by Thom Mills frenetic drumming that mirrors the agitation brought about by the aforementioned annoying computer prompt. A common word of advice when someone goes all in on pursuing a dream endeavor is to not give up your day job. For the sake of his sanity, let’s hope Gilmore disregards the suggestion, just like the other pontifications that he’s so frequently shot down. -Bruce Novak
Gang of Youths - angel in realtime (Warner Music LP)
What do you do when your world gets turned upside down? More specifically, if you are Gang of Youths' David Le'aupepe, what do you do when your father passes away, and you find out he wasn't the man you thought he was? Le'aupepe and Gang of Youths' answer to this question was to scrap their long-gestating follow-up of 2018's Go Farther in Darkness and start over. angel in realtime. builds on what makes Gang of Youths special—anthemic, introspective songs that champion life, but this time with the focus turned inward on Le'aupepe's feelings about his father, and his father's double life. As you might expect, this is an emotionally fraught album that expands on the band's already diverse sound. I always respect when a band really goes for it, and Gang of Youths have never lacked for ambition, and I think they've reached a new level. Make sure to catch them (and The Wristbands) at the Metro on May 3rd. -Mark Joyner
Young Guv - Guv III (Run For Cover LP)
Sometimes pop musicians can fall victim to overindulgence in their creative process. Ben Cook’s involvement in punk outfits No Warning and Fucked Up has enabled him to approach Young Guv’s songwriting in pure fashion, valuing immediacy over belabored thought. In the lead-up to creating Guv III, Cook and his bandmates spent a year hanging out in Taos, New Mexico, essentially living off the land. As a result, the record is an unadulterated pleasure, littered with ringing guitars, insistent harmonies and genuine romanticism. At a brisk running time of 34 minutes spread out over 11 songs, Guv III never loses its momentum with an uptempo approach and sequencing that render each song as distinctive. Sounds simple is the best way imaginable! -Bruce Novak
UPCOMING
Francis of Delirium
Where: Bottom Lounge / Directions
When: March 15, 7:00 PM
Having parents employed as teachers in an international program meant that Jana Bahrich was often on the move during her childhood. Forming friendships during these upheavals had its challenges so Bahrich immersed herself in learning how to play a variety of instruments at an early age through YouTube tutorials. That level of self-determination and singularity abounds in the music of Francis of Delirium. Bahrich’s songs are impassioned and her playing retains an organic nature that builds upon various influences to create music that’s unique upon itself. Her observations reflect a maturity that belie the image of someone who only recently graduated high school. Considering that, one can understand how she melds so well with fellow bandmate/drummer, Chris Hewett, who she met through his kids, who were classmates of her in Luxembourg, While rock’n’roll forged its origin in teenage rebellion, Francis of Delirium provides proof that good music is timeless; neither limited by age or ideology. -Bruce Novak
Car Seat Headrest
Where: Vic Theatre / Directions
When: March 18 & 19, 6:30 PM (all ages show)
Car Seat Headrest finally gets to hit the road to support their 2020 album Making a Door Less Open hitting The Vic's stage with support from fellow indie riser Bartees Strange. Car Seat Headrest started as a solo bedroom project of Will Toledo, but has morphed into a fully-realized band over the past decade, complete with the requisite live chops to match. This will be the group’s first tour in three years, and it'll be fascinating to see how the live versions of the songs from Making a Door Less Open evolve as the album featured a more expansive sound complete with synths, keyboards, drum programming, and orchestral instrumentation. -Mark Joyner
Lifeguard
Where: Metro / Directions
When: March 19, 7:00 PM (all ages show)
Lifeguard opens what promises to be a stellar night of Chicago music with grime merchants FACS headlining and Mike Lust (ex-Tight Phantomz) in the middle of it all. Beyond a shared indie music sensibility among the performers, there’s also another lineage at play with Lifeguard bassist Asher Case being the prodigy of FACS’ ringleader Brian Case. Asher, along with drummer Isaac Lowenstein, recruited Kai Slater (who also fronts Dwaal Troupe) for vocals and guitar after coming across each other during an Old Town School of Folk performance. Mining a loud/soft dynamic, Lifeguard’s songs simmer and cascade—capable of careening down different pathways. Metallic guitar shards intermix with thunderous percussion and plaintive vocals that sometime spillover into emo frenzy. All this progression in a couple year’s time only leads me to believe that Lifeguard will be a helluva racket for some time to come. -Bruce Novak
UNCOVERED
Zeitgeist - Translate Slowly (DB Recs LP)
In recognition of the SXSW Music Festival that just kicked off again this week, we’re paying tribute to one of Austin’s very own, Zeitgeist, who later changed their name to The Reivers following a threat of copyright infringement. The release ofTranslate Slowly in 1985 actually predates SXSW’s debut by two years and 1989 marked The Reivers first appearance at the fest. While their Texan influences are present on the record via cover versions of “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” and “Hill Country Theme,” their thematic reach was less localized and in ways reflected the complexity of literary icon William Faulkner’s prose, who inspired their name change and songwriting (“Sound and the Fury’). Listening to the record, there’s a sense of worldliness—a journey mixed with exhilaration and despair. John Croslin serves as the narrator, with a relatable voice and a knack for conveying keen observations. Kim Longacre functions as an ideal counterpoint, with her alto presence creating equal parts melancholy and unbridled joy. Garrett Williams’ drumming is consistently in service to the songs—propulsive when needed but patient when a languid approach is better suited. There’s a deep intimacy that the band affords the listener on Translate Slowly, the record functions as a late night conversation—emotional, intense and coming straight from the heart. -Bruce Novak
We recommend listening along over at our Spotify page. Here’s this week’s content: