| « Friday Quick Links | Review: Sleep @ Logan Square Auditorium, 9/9 » |
Preview Sat Sep 11 2010
Chew Heart celebrates record release @ The Whistler, 9/12
So it would appear as if Laura Granlund (guitar, vocals, keys) and Curt Swank (drums, nice name) of Chicago's Chew Heart have been in hiding for more than six years while they recorded music together, a collaboration which started after Swank had given Granlund a 4-track recorder for her birthday and they discovered their mutual appreciation for 60's pop, 80's new wave, 90's indie rock.
Their debut album, Messy Snarls (Loose Tooth Records), introduces us to their "treetop pop" in six songs, asking us to give them just 15 minutes of fame. With the help of Brian Zieske at the Gallery of Carpet, Messy Snarls was recorded live to analog tape with minimal overdubs and zero computer manipulation, which is supposed to sound nostalgic, according to reviews elsewhere.
To me, these songs are not quite nostalgic, unless you miss the band's particular blend of influences. These tracks would like to connect to listeners through a possible common interest in fun, catchy pop that is underlined with some rock aesthetics, all of which originates from a low-key source of love.
In a lullaby-like tune in "Private P.D.A.," Granlund sings, "I can tell by the look in your eyes that your love for me is real / This is so crazy cause that's just exactly how I feel for you." Often Granlund's lyrics are straight-forward and sincere. Her voice is high-pitched but not loud. A song like "Bitterly" offers an opportunity for her to raise her voice and yell but she doesn't because this is kind of a "sweet" album.
While Chew Heart's contribution of romance stories do not quite punch us in the chest, their music might appeal to those who are interested in new male-female duos, or Elaine Benes from Seinfeld, to which the band has compared themselves in a questionnaire on Chicago Now.
Check them out for yourselves when they perform for free this Sunday, Sept. 12 at The Whistler, 2421 N. Milwaukee. The show will begin at 9:30pm. 21+
