IL | Heartbreaking Bravery

April 5, 2014

Perfect Pussy at Township – 4/1/14 (Live Video)

There are times when I’ve broken one of Heartbreaking Bravery’s most defining tenets (no self-identifiers: the music is more important than the reviewer) in an effort to illuminate something. This will be one of those times for several reasons: 1) This post may mark the last time a point n’ shoot is used for content on Heartbreaking Bravery. 2) This is the first time, and certainly not the last time, a (new) self-shot full set will be appearing on this site. 3) Perfect Pussy have already qualified as exempt from this rule for reasons explained here (and then again here). 4) By posting this, I’m hoping to stabilize a bridge between a focus on music and a focus on film (look for more on that later). 5) It’s the only way I could think of delivering these points as honestly as possible. 6) I firmly believe in a support structure between DIY publications and fully intend on this being the first part of a collaboration piece.

With all of that out of the way, there’s only a few things left to say before the video(s) themselves: Yes, this is a severely blown out recording with some seriously damaged audio quality. Yes, there is an unexpected break that results in a twenty second delay between the monstrous second half of “Interference Fits”. Yes, there are times where the band goes completely out of frame. Yes, that was because I kept getting hit hard enough by the wildly enthusiastic crowd around me to be literally upended into the stage multiple times over (and, yes, I loved every second of it, bloodied up leg, beer-soaked jacket, bruised hips and all). Yes, this isn’t the greatest live presentation in the world- far from it, in fact- and yes, this is primarily being posted because it’s something I fiercely love (and has people that I love dearly in it). No, that doesn’t affect my judgment at all- these were all instances of friendships born out of love for their art and through mutual understanding/support. Yes, there will be a review of this entire show (along with more photographs)- but not on Heartbreaking Bravery (more to come on that later). Yes, I really am posting this right after the Minneapolis review– and yes, all of this can be seen in two parts below.

Enjoy.

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February 27, 2014

Screaming Females – Lights Out (Live) (Stream)

Screaming Females are gearing up for the release of Live at the Hideout, the Steve Albini-produced document of their recent two-night stand in Chicago. In the press release for Live at the Hideout, there’s a mention of an incident that occurred sometime before the Chicago show, where there band’s vehicle spun out of control on the freeway and they were hit by an oncoming semi whose driver they had locked eyes with before impact. While the story does tie in to Live at the Hideout‘s renewed sense of purpose and freedom, what the release doesn’t mention is that the incident happened before their Milwaukee show (which also explains why that set was particularly lively).

Everything that the Milwaukee show was praised for seems to have tied over to Live at the Hideout and with Albini at the soundboard, there’s no possible way this will be a misfire. Don Giovanni’s offered a first glimpse at Live at the Hideout with “Lights Out” and it’s predictably brilliant; the band sounds as tight as possible, Paternoster shreds fearlessly, and Albini applies the trademark metallic sheen that helped make Ugly one of the band’s best efforts. If nothing else, the song’s worth listening to for the crowd’s elation- a reminder of just how far this band’s come over the past few years. For a few years, they were one of the most tenacious acts playing the basement circuit and now they’ve earned a kind of fervent dedication that’s only granted to legends. What makes this all the much sweeter is that they accomplished this without changing and by continuing on the path they set for themselves in the early stages of their career. That kind of dedication is a rarity and that brand of integrity deserves to be celebrated. Right now, there’s no better way to celebrate than to just listen to “Lights Out” below and eagerly await the final product.

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January 4, 2014

Mutts and Buffalo Moon Release Music Videos, Get People Dancing

This week saw two of the Upper Midwest’s best fringe bands release music videos, both of which include dancing. First came Chicago, IL band Mutts’ DIY slacker-goofball video for “Pickpocket”, which was an incredibly welcome and lighthearted affair following their absolutely stunning music video for “Prizefighter”. Both “Pickpocket” and “Prizefighter” were taken from the band’s extraordinary career high-point, 2013’s Object Permanence.

After Mutts unleashed “Pickpocket” on the world, Minneapolis, MN band Buffalo Moon unveiled the impressive music video for the first single (and title track) from their upcoming Machista. Buffalo Moon have been relatively quiet since the release of 2011’s Selva Surreal, playing a handful of dates whenever (and wherever) they could manage. Like Mutts in their most recent acoustic form, Buffalo Moon have frequently flirted with the basement punk scene. While both are capable of delivering full-blown post-punk (look at Mutts’ first three full-lengths for proof and check either band out live), it’s always nice to have some variety. Both Buffalo Moon and Mutts are continuing to deliver in full. Watch the videos for “Pickpocket” and “Machista” below.

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November 16, 2013

Split Feet – Fall 2013 Demo (Review)

Fall 2013 Demo cover art

Chicago’s Split Feet have been making some noteworthy waves recently. After releasing their demo through bandcamp, the band’s been experiencing some nice circulation based on its strength. Three songs in total, the demo strikes a strange nerve. Opener “It Broke Once” introduces the band’s aesthetic quite nicely. “It Broke Once” invites immediate comparisons to Sleater-Kinney, only a touch darker, as lead personality Jes Skolnik’s vocals are clearly indebted to Brownstein’s. While Sleater-Kinney’s aesthetic is apparent throughout the demo, the approach falls more in line with the likes of Speedy Ortiz.

One of Split Feet’s most effective tricks is their utilization of the second guitar; it’s dropped in the mix to provide an ambient sound bed that helps these songs achieve an extra layer of menace. Each track blisters with the kind of enthusiasm that’s indicative of a career beginning and the edges are sharp enough to cut skin. Titles like “Cat Mug on Secretaries’ Day” suggest a barbed underlying humor that will undoubtedly serve Split Feet well going forward.

In related news, Skolnik helped curate the upcoming Beyond Inversion tape, which is a benefit compilation for Rachael’s Women Center in DC, and it’s full of Heartbreaking Bravery favorites- Technicolor Teeth, Perfect Pussy, Sadie Dupuis from the previously-mentioned Speedy Ortiz, Potty Mouth, Failed Mutation, and Jail Solidarity are all confirmed along with Split Feet themselves. That’s just scratching the surface. You can pre-order the tape here and stream Split Feet’s Fall 2013 below.

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