Editor's Note
Hey there Surfers! Welcome to issue #33. We once again have a large issue just waiting for your eyes! Thunderpussy came through the Cobra Lounge and JCB was front and center! Philly’s Swearin’ rolled into Lincoln Hall last Thursday and KPL checked out the wonders of CAVE at their album release run at The Hideout. It was another huge release week (they just keep on coming) with new releases from Cloud Nothings, Open Mike Eagle, Peter Bjorn and John, Khalid, and so much more; including JCB taking a look at the new John Carpenter soundtrack. Happy Halloween Surfers ! We’ll see you in November!

Keep Seeing Live Music!

KPL & JCB

Thunderpussy / all photos by JCB
 

Saturday. Saturday. Saturday night’s alright for fighting. That’s how I felt strolling up to the Cobra Lounge last Saturday. I didn’t have a belly full of beer like Elton, but I was still amped up to 11. Reason being, I had a night of hard rocking to look forward to courtesy of one of my favorite rock bands to come out this year – Thunderpussy. I got the bar a bit early, per usual – I hate being the late photog that pushes his way to the front. It’s rude and if you want a front spot, you should earn it. So I grabbed myself a Wonder Beer, and got geared up for the upcoming noise. At the bar with me was a variety of types – old rockers, young punks, dads and sons, mothers and daughters, and a couple of grandparents. Seeing a crowd like that always sets a good mood, and I was ready to pop in to the back room… but wait, my phone rings… it’s mom… I haven’t talked to her in a while, and have a good 30 minutes before the opener, so sure. Aside from not feeling super comfortable telling my offensive-language-averse mother the headlining band’s name, it was a nice little convo. Nothing too special here, just call your moms people! Onward…

Mystery Actions is a band I’ve heard a few times over the past couple years, but never actually witnessed live. Now that I’ve fixed that, I’m not gonna let this be the last time I see them. Serving up 70s-inspired punk rock, these four ladies grabbed the stage by the balls and didn’t let go until the feedback dissipated. With enough leather to make a cow cry, hair dye and spray to double Revlon’s stock price, and attitude to make Billy Idol’s sneer seem pedestrian, Mystery Actions is the perfect band for Cobra Lounge. They’re loud, unapologetic, and their songs back a serious punch. Frontwoman Nikki Beller’s imposing ferocity adds another layer to the classic punk, leaning in close to the crowd with possessed eyes and a snarl that is up with the best of the genre. Lucy Dekay’s guitar was another highlight for me. Not satisfied merely chugging along to burned out punk rhythms, she thrashed her SG like a hard rock mainstay. Speaking of rhythm, drummer Mary Gonzales and bassist Sarah Travelstead were tight and booming, enough to make any band seem adequate much less the excellent aforementioned two. “Line In The Sand” was the highlight of the set for me, bottling all of the visual and visceral cues I gave above into a 3 minute punk gem. Give these ladies a listen, over on their bandcamp.

Rapper Mykele Deville was next up and while a male rapper may sound like an odd choice for a set sandwiched between all female rock bands, Mykele took us on a journey that seemed to end with some new fans when we finally found the final destination. I was surrounded by superfans of both Mystery Actions and Thunderpussy from the moment I got to the stage, whose headbanging during the first set must have woken their chiropractors in a fit of sweaty panic. When Mykele’s DJ kicked off the set, and the artist proclaimed himself a poet and that he was there to unite us under the sister genres of punk and hip-hop, I saw a few doubting faces. But by the end of it, everyone was reaching up to shake his hand or give a congratulatory high five. This was due in no small part to Mykele’s heavy subject matter, and the dedication in which he performed it. At times hopeful, he smiled while discussing the advice he has for his niece; at times whimsical, when he sang about a girl he calls “Shea Butter”; at times sobering, when he detailed what’s like to be a black man with crazy hair in Chicago; and at times thoughtful, when he dove into mental illness in “Mingus Baby”. The performances matched the subjects, and Mykele was able to transform his voice, expressions, and entire body to sell the meanings. This wasn’t a guy out there to cut bangers and get us to dance. Mykele has something to say, and I hope he says a lot more in the future. Check him out here.

Now for the main event. At this point, I was ready to rumble. If you’ve been paying attention to our site this year, there’s been a resurgence of classic hard rock in the late 2010s. The sex. The swagger. The fun. I grew up on the gods – Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, The Who. But in this age, it’s ladies that are here to melt your face. With their debut this May, vocalist Molly Sides, guitarist Whitney Petty, bassist Leah Julius, and drummer Ruby Dunphy gave us a furious 51 minutes of pure rock n roll. Songs like “Fever” (that reminded me of a better version of Heart), the infectious “Torpedo Love” (that shows off Sides’ very Florence-esque pipes), and “Speed Queen” (whose video was shared incessantly in my office), were so powerful that I worried the live versions might fall flat. I was wrong.

Sides flies all over the stage, emoting every ounce of her soul and contorting every inch of her lanky frame while Petty furiously shreds at a Les Paul (because every good hard rock band needs a Les Paul). As much as I loved seeing them at Cobra, this band already deserves a bigger stage. Theirs is a sound that is arena-level, and the presence these four ladies bring to perform it is equally massive. With a band name like this, I think I can get a little raunchy here – these ladies are straight up fucking their instruments. It’s not lights-off, sweet love. It’s dirty, fast, one night stand fucking. And the crowd couldn’t get enough. Perry played her guitar like our generations’ Jimmy Page, and she looked absolutely ecstatic to be doing it. It was a hometown show for Ruby, and between drum solos and letting us know her grandma was ready beat some ass, she made sure to exchange goofball faces with her old pals. Leah is the bassist that every band needs. She’s not happy sitting on the sidelines. Her riffs groove and thump behind the high pitched squeal of the guitar, and goddamnit she’s gonna let you know she’s there. Even while brandishing her Fender like a broadsword, she provided a much-needed ground for the rest of the raucous energy.

OK, so let me quickly talk about Molly. She has a fire in her soul. No matter how good the band, and these ladies rock, it’s doomed without a captivating front. Whether reaching out to get closer to the audience during the ‘softer’ tunes, pulling kicks I’ve only seen from the Rockettes, or owning the stage so hard that I wouldn’t be surprised if she gets asked for pointers from aspiring exotic dancers, she somehow never missed a note. Vibrato cries, literal cat growls and octave-skipping croons are just another day in the office for her. It was like watching performance art. If the rest of the band wasn’t keeping up the overdose of action, I might have forgotten they were there.

Go see this band. Don’t think about it. Just do it. Drive to another state if you have to. You’ll regret not doing so when you’re thousands of rows back at Lolla soon.

We talked with Chicago’s own Ruby last week, so I recommend you check that outhere before diving into their self-titled debut. Be warned, it’s gonna be on repeat for a while.

-JCB

Swearin’ / all photos by NBL
 

As I walked into Lincoln Hall, there were a lot of fans gearing up for Swearin’s return to stage after a 2 year hiatus from music and performing. I walked around the bar, scoped the area for a great place to photograph and I bumped into one of their fans who had been listening to Swearin’ since their earlier work.  She told me their new album Fall Into the Sun was great, but was not like their old stuff. Curiously, I continued looking around the the hall for a great spot, as it was getting a bit cramped from all of the die hard fans. I finally found one in the front and waited for the band to come out.  The band all came out as a group, got to their instruments and started playing. Fans were ecstatic and clapping along as lead singer Allison Crutchfield started the show with “Big Change” off their new album. The band was super fun to watch as they played together, it almost felt like they were at home, practicing in their garage.  There were times when I caught Allison looking at the drummer for fellow guitar and singer Kyle Gilbride like they had some inside joke. The band played some older songs as well like “Movie Star”, and it was great seeing the audience dancing and singing along with Allison. Kyle took lead vocals on “Dogpile” and “Stabilize” with Allison right there on backup which demonstrated the band’s versatility.  As with a lot of out of town music groups that visit Chicago, Swearin’ took a moment at one point to express their great appreciation towards the city. After about a 13 or 14 song setlist, Swearin’ said a quick “thank you”, placed their instruments down and left the stage. 5 minutes later, they were back at it with a 2-song encore. (One of which was a solo performance by Allison.) Seeing this band for the first time in a “local rock show” setting was great. Swearin’ put on a great entertaining show that many fans old and new enjoyed.          

-NBL

Check out Swearin’s new album.

CAVE / all photos by KPL
 

When someone says that there is no longer any original music, they haven’t been exploring the world of post-genre experimentation. Whether it be post-rock, post-jazz, post-punk, or post-(insert genre here), there is a plethora of musicians pushing the boundaries into the extremes of what music can be. Sure they are influenced by each other and the artists that have pushed and pulled at the limits for decades, but what comes out almost always sounds fresh and new. CAVE is one of those bands that has been churning out this kind of genre bending sound since forming in Columbia, MO in ‘06. Now based out of Chicago, this fusion of post-everything classifies itself as a psychedelic drone band; but they are so much more than that. Clearly we are fans of theirs, which is why ventured to the Sunday show of their two night stand this past weekend.

The Hideout quickly filled as showtime approached, and Communication Arts took the stage. Chicago bassist/multi-instrumentalist Matthew Lux has been performing under this moniker for several years now with various ensembles. Tonight he had Dan Bitney of Tortoise behind the drum kit and plenty of other veteran musicians. The free jazz set they played for us this evening had a distinct Afro-Jazz feel with the clarinetist and baritone saxophonist leading the way through much of the set. But every player got their due with small solos here and there. It was abstract in every way, with Bitney and Lux laying down a complex beat while the horns slayed over the top. It was a quick, thirty minute set yet one of those experiences that sticks with you well into the night and beyond. If you get a chance to check them out at some point, they are well worth the experience. There are two versions of the album Contra/Fact available on bandcamp. The latest one is here.

CAVE stayed on stage during the fast paced change over and line check, and immediately went into the first track “The Juan” (off their new album Allways) which is where the song recognition stopped, and we were swept up in the repetitive rhythms and sick grooves that these guys lay out. Colorful projections weaved over the tops of the five members: guitarist/organist Cooper Crain, bassist Dan Browning, drummer Rex McMurry, guitarist Jeremy Freeze, and multi-instrumentalist Rob Frye all seemed to move in slow motion under the the flickering images in the same way we’ve all seen in countless photos and videos of 60s-era concerts and acid tests. What wasn’t moving in slow motion was their sound as signature note repetitions flowed through the crowd and set everyone to swaying in place, as if stuck to the ground by the groove. Crain and Frye (both also of Bitchin’ Bajas) laid down some great melodies at times, but the beat of McMurry’s drums and Brownings bass were the real heros, never straying and always on point. At times, the combination of images and sound became too much to take in, and eyes closed all over the crowd; but no one stopped the consistent groove from taking them over. The band only stopped a handful of times to raucous applause followed by stunned silence as we all gathered ourselves for another journey into the rabbit hole of CAVE. If you’re just now hearing of them check out the new album here, and then dig deep and listen to their entire catalog. It’s only four albums, so do yourself a favor and check them out. It’ll improve your day, guaranteed. And, if you dig it, check out Bitchin’ Bajas record release party on Oct. 30th at The Sleeping Village for a $5 cover charge!

-KPL

ALBUM REVIEWS

WHAT WE'RE JAMMING TO THIS WEEK

new releases we missed last week

THIS WEEK'S RECOMMENDED NEW RELEASES

MORE NOTABLE RELEASES

Phony Ppl / mō'zā-ik. / 300

Neneh Cherry / Broken Politics / Smalltown Supersound , The Cherry Bear Organisation , AWAL

Becky Warren / Undesirable / Becky Warren

MØ / Forever Neverland / Sony

The Lone Bellow / The Restless / Burly Bellow

Summer Walker / Last Day Of Summer / LVRN , Interscope

Major Lazer / Major Lazer Essentials / Mad Decent

Dominic Fike / Don’t Forget About Me, Demos / Sandy Boys , Columbia , Sony

Queen / Bohemian Rhapsody (The Original Soundtrack) / Hollywood

Lil Yachty / Nuthin’ 2 Prove / Quality Control , UMG

Future, Juice WRLD / Future & Juice WRLD present… WRLD ON DRUGS / Epic , Sony

NOTES & ANNOUNCEMENTS

•  Tomorrow Never Knows Festival just put out its first wave of artists and it got us so excited we scooped up our tix right away. The five day club fest that takes place at Lincoln Hall, Schubas, The Metro, Sleeping Village, The Hideout and Smartbar features a huge array of artists and you can get a five day pass for $100 that will get you into any shows (some require RSVP). Tix to any of the shows or a five day pass here. First wave of shows:

• We’ll get that calendar worked out soon (HA!) Till then here are your recommended shows of the week:

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See you at the show Chicago!