Dig ‘in: Waxahatchee, Holiday Ghosts, Dancer
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
Waxahatchee - Tigers Blood (Anti-Records LP)
With the breakthrough success of their 2020 album, Saint Cloud, Waxahatchee roughly doubled their audience by Katie Crutchfield’s estimate, leading to offers to headline some large-scale venues. Instead of cashing in on the opportunity, Crutchfield opted instead for 2,500-ish capacity theaters that would preserve more of an intimate connection with her audience. Chicago became the most fortunate recipient of this mindset when the band held their record release party for Tigers Blood at the legendary Empty Bottle (capacity of 400) on March 22 before they circle back for an April 20 appearance at the more voluminous Salt Shed. Having cut her teeth in the Birmingham, Alabama DIY scene with twin sister Allison, Crutchfield remains an indie performer at heart.
Tigers Blood does nothing to dispel the relatability that Crutchfield has engendered throughout her performance tenure. Although her personal life has become more settled now that she’s matured, her focus of staying in the present ensures that she continues to be self-aware and attuned to life’s circumstances. On “Burns Out at Midnight” she’s fights against getting caught up in the grind by confessing: “I get home from working hard, honey / State the obvious & watch it work it’s way in / We been checked out, chasing the money / I been trying to tell ‘em it ain’t no way to live.” After catching a solo set by MJ Lenderman of Wednesday at SXSW a couple of years ago, Crutchfield envisioned one day collaborating with him and that’s come to fruition on Tigers Blood with his nuanced guitar playing running through the course of the album. He also harmonizes with Crutchfield on a number of tracks and the co-penned “Right Back to It” is a gorgeous love song reflecting on an unshakeable commitment. Tigers Blood continues the forward trajectory for Crutchfield while conceding that the future is rarely linear. “My life’s been mapped to a T / But I’m always a little lost” she concedes on “Lone Star Lake.” Taking the long route is never regrettable when the sights and sounds are as pleasing as this. -Bruce Novak
Holiday Ghosts - Coat of Arms (FatCat Records LP)
One of my highlights from this year’s SXSW festival was the opportunity to catch up with Holiday Ghosts, who hail from the remote Cornwall port town of Falmouth. The performance I caught was actually an anti-SXSW showcase organized by the Austin DSA & Austin For Palestine Coalition as the official festival was boycotted by a bevy of artists due to sponsorships affiliated with the US military and defense contractors. The Holiday Ghosts’ 30-minute set provided a preview to a spate of songs that are part of their Coat of Arms album that was just released on March 29.
The melding of vocalists Katja Rackin (drums) and Sam Stacpoole (guitar) provides a contrasting dynamic that gives the band an edgy bite that elevates their shambolic pop construct. Rackin uses a rapid fire delivery on the adrenalized “Sublime Disconnect,” with her motorik beat racing with the guitars and bass to a photo finish. Her exasperated tone matches the song’s theme of overcoming the barriers to cultural integration and the anxieties associated with being an outsider. The jaunty “Big Congratulations” examines how the buying public looks to reward itself with materialistic pursuits that are more attention getting than intrinsically satisfying. “Energy” lives up to its title, with Stacpoole’s and Ben Nightingale’s buzzing guitars swirling about and a ‘70s new wave feel that was born out of a fondness for the Devo track “Golden Energy.” After showcasing their stylistic versatility on previous albums, Rackin stated that Holiday Ghosts’ intention for Coat of Arms was to pursue a greater pop direction—something “short and sweet.” The results truly are worth savoring! -Bruce Novak
Dancer - 10 Songs I Hate About You (Meritorio Records LP)
Dancer vocalist Gemma Fleet came of age in the ’90s when technology was transforming everyday life with general access to the World Wide Web and the proliferation of consumer mobile phone service. On “Rein It In,” she reframes the discussion around “The People’s Choice” decade by questioning what gains were made when personal privacy and human interaction were left diminished. Similarly “Bluetooth Hell” explores the frustration and helplessness we feel when systems break down and we’re left unconnected. The jittery instrumentation of Chris Taylor (guitar), Andrew Doig (bass) and Gavin Murdoch (drums) drives home the point of existing on the edge of apprehension. The Glasgow band’s album art depicting a spilled glass of water eliminates a debate of whether they view things as half full or half empty. Fortunately for their sanity, Dancer maintain a healthy sense of humor. In “When I Was A Teenage Horse,” Fleet spins a yarn about her youth (“I used to run free…as a horse)—the song being inspired by Doig’s recollection of changing the lyrics of Hole’s “Teenage Whore” when singing it with a friend to avoid the scorn of their parents. The video of “Change” captures band members in the spin cycle of a washing machine—a representation that despite the turbulence surrounding them, there’s also a possibility of of changing course and emerging with a fresh outlook. -Bruce Novak
UPCOMING
the courts
Where: Cole’s Bar / Directions
When: April 4, 8:30 PM
Chicago’s youth indie music scene remains vibrant with the courts being a newer addition that follow in the path of like-minded bands such as Lifeguard, Horsegirl and Ok Cool. The outfit, fronted by vocalist/guitarist Korgan Robb, includes friends Nick Lipman on bass, Shavran Raghuram on drums and is assisted by Korgan’s brother Kaden with artwork and visuals. The band celebrated the release of their debut EP, is a place, this January on Maladaptive Records, a five-song offering that captures their sturm und drang approach with a pleasing loud/soft dynamic. Robb’s tenor floats atop the maelstrom, providing a soft counter to the aggressive instrumentation. Proclaiming on their Bandcamp page that “the courts is a place,” their evolution since forming a couple years back assures us that that they won’t be stuck in a set location—theirs is a music that is proving out to be quite transformative. -Bruce Novak
Sidney Gish
Where: Salt Shed / Directions
When: April 11, 7:00 PM
After self-releasing two endearing albums on Bandcamp (2016’s Ed Buys Houses and 2017’s No Dogs Allowed) while attending Northeastern University in Boston, Sidney Gish didn’t issue any new music until emerging with two new tracks for Sub Pop’s Singles Club last year. Chalking up the drought to her tendency of not seeing songs to ultimate completion, Gish is apparently drawing closer to finalizing that anticipated third LP. After opening for such acts as Mitski, Beach Bunny and The Beths in recent years, she hooked up with Jeff Rostenstock for a fall tour last year that is now making its way to the Salt Shed after needing to be postponed due to some COVID sickness in Rosenstock’s touring group. The Sub Pop tracks, the satiric “Filming School” and the self-deprecating “MFSOTSOTR,” carry forth Gish’s penchant for oddball observations and biting commentary. There are plenty of clever asides to be had, but her audience connection is tethered to her emotional honesty over any cerebral revelations. -Bruce Novak
UNCOVERED
The Delgados: The Great Eastern (Chemikal Underground LP)
With their uniformly stellar catalog, choosing one Delgados album is a difficult call. Coming in the middle of their five studio albums, The Great Eastern marked a decided turn in the Glasgow band’s approach to their indie pop songwriting. Aiming for an ambitious orchestral pop opus, the core quartet of Alun Woodward, Emma Pollock, Stewart Henderson and Paul Savage enlisted the aid of accomplished string and horn musicians for sessions that carried past a year starting with producer Tony Coogan at his CaVa Studios. Smitten with his work with the likes of Mercury Rev, Flaming Lips and Mogwai, the band then brought the recordings to Dave Fridmann in upstate New York for crucial mixing.
The Great Eastern arrived in April of 2000 to general acclaim, though it did find its detractors from the likes of Pitchfork and NME who criticized its “musical flummery” and “limitations as unorthodox pop athletes.” Rather than letting their ambitions get the better of them, the group created a sumptuous work of beauty that has layers of symphonic oomph to match the depth of feeling. “Accused of Stealing” and “American Trilogy” are centerpieces for the vocal stylings of Pollock and Woodward, emerging regal-like with tempo shifts and escalating instrumental flourishes. In “Thirteen Gliding Principles” the pair trade off verses in between bouts of sonic fury that push the song to the edge of a precipice. The swirling strings of “Knowing When to Run” pulls you in for a closer listen, only to be met with the jarring lyrical juxtaposition of a song confronting child abuse. Following The Great Eastern, the Delgados would go on to release two more fine albums with Hate (2002) and Universal Audio (2004) before a disillusioned Henderson departed and the band folded in 2005. Savage is now married to Pollock, and has produced her solo work among a host of other recordings. Woodward has also carried on musically under his Lord Cut-Glass moniker and in January of 2023 the original Delgados lineup reunited for five shows in their native UK. -Bruce Novak
We recommend listening along over at our Spotify page. Here’s this week’s content: