Dig ‘in: Ratboys, Ulrika Spacek, Softcult
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
Ratboys - Singin’ to an Empty Chair (New West Records LP)
We, as Chicagoans, are truly blessed with a seemingly bottomless fount of ascendant artists. Emerging artists are always finding their voice and elevating in the scene. Ratboys is one of the lucky few who, every time out, seem to surpass their last record. (Mark’s favorite topic!—bands making the leap!) They’ve embraced the city and scene, and it is clear that love is reciprocal.
They’re back with their first new album in 3 years, with their New West debut, Singin’ to an Empty Chair. What I have always loved about Ratboys is their ability to effortlessly shift from alt-country introspection to expansive indie rock, complete with blistering Dave Sagan-fueled solos. I respect that Ratboys always mark their new album cycles with a song that defies what we’ve come to expect from them—2023’s The Window was led with the 8-minute rootsy explorative single “Black Earth, WI.” Not to be outdone Singin’ to an Empty Chair is led by the near 6-minute long searing “Light Night Mountains All That.” Each song sets the stage that anything and everything is on the table for the band.
Lead singer, primary songwriter (and friend of the pod!) Julia Steiner continues her self-exploration of grief on this album, evolving from the swelling of childhood memories led by moving out of her childhood home on Printer’s Devil to processing death and grief of loved ones caused by Covid on The Window to processing the pain of a familial rift on Singin’ to an Empty Chair. I love every permutation of Ratboys, but I am always drawn to the ’90s-tinged indie alt-rock bangers like album opener “Open Up” and mid-album highlight “The World, So Madly.” “Open Up” starts with Julia’s seeking to understand what it would take for a loved one to open up to her, starting slowly before the back half of the song explodes open. “The World, So Madly” seeks to understand how one can love so deeply when the world around us is so unstable. This isn’t a dramatic exploration, but silently observing the chaos that swirls around all of us. With family, there is rarely an easy route; you know one another so deeply that they know how to hurt you the most. Ratboys look beyond the superficial and try to understand why it happens and how you can do the right thing even if it’s hard as they express on “What’s Right?“.
This is a brave record. Few of us have the courage to expose trauma so openly, not only with friends but with the general public. I’m not surprised, as their records have constantly found them exploring grief, but this is the starkest it has ever been. A true leveling up from Ratboys. -Mark Joyner
Ulrika Spacek - EXPO (Full Time Hobby Music LP)
Feeling detached from from the increasing online arc of self-representation, the members of Ulrika Spacek leaned more heavily into electronic instrumentation on EXPO to capture that sense of isolation with a goal to produce music that’s “equal parts welcoming and altogether alienating.” The London quintet prove to be up to the challenge, synthesizing an array of tempos and textures to support their shapeshifting music.
“Picto” encapsulates that approach with a dazzling array of sonic modulations. Later the title track builds upon a minimal repetitive start into a lush chorus. “Square Root of None” goes down a psychedelic rabbit hole, accentuated by clever wordplay that amplifies the feeling of disorientation. EXPO closes out with “Incomplete Symphony,” posing the question of “Who says the future’s bright?” “Not you, nor I, just them,” comes their reply, followed by “No new lens, it’s lookalike / A shitshow that I attend / In the true sense, the world’s got frightening.” The song acknowledges the dire state of the union, but also points to a future that remains unwritten, opening up possibilities for an eleventh hour change of course. Ulrika Spacek is playing the long game with an eye on going the distance. -Bruce Novak
Softcult - When A Flower Doesn’t Grow (Easy Life Records LP)
On their album debut, When A Flower Doesn’t Grow, Canadian twin siblings Mercedes and Phoenix Arn-Horn aim to bridge the gap between simmering tension and boiling rage. In an interview with Consequence Media, Phoenix offered: “I don’t know if you’ve ever been in a situation where someone quietly and calmly was kind of reading you the riot act as opposed to yelling in your face, it’s like ten times scarier. I feel like that’s our vibes sometimes.”
Softcult’s blending of shoegaze and dream pop with elements of punk and grunge facilitates their “speak softly and carry a big stick” approach. The atmospheric “Pill To Swallow” and “When A Flower Doesn’t Grow” are reflections on coping with challenging life lessons. “16/25" and “She Said, He Said” are more strident in tone and messaging in their attacks against toxic masculinity. “Not Sorry” perhaps best captures their aesthetic; resolutely unapologetic and ready to move on from all the annoyances that threaten to infiltrate their lifeblood. For those interested in joining the resistance, Softcult will be taking the stage locally at Concord Music Hall on March 6th. -Bruce Novak
UPCOMING
Time Thieves at Empty Bottle - Feb26, 9:00 PM
Local outfit Time Thieves are celebrating the vinyl release of their new album, which combines their last two EPs, Come Home and If You Survive, that previously came out as separate digital releases last year. The recordings represent a leap forward from their 2020 album debut, Space, sounding more robust and fleshed out. The band doesn’t get too far over their skies, retaining their power pop strengths with an abundance of hooks and melodies. Songwriters Jonathan Pool and Tim Reynolds bring a bit of grit to the material that plays well with the overall shiny exterior. -Bruce Novak
Two Cow Garage at Sleeping Village - Feb 27, 8:30 PM
After over a decade of relentless touring since their inception in 2001, Two Cow Garage now gather intermittently for a few annual shows. Since their last album, 2016’s Brand New Flag, guitarist/vocalist Micah Schnabel still tours regularly with his partner Vanessa Jean Speckman and has authored a couple of novels, while bassist/vocalist Shane Sweeney has also pursued solo work and continues to produce his drawing art. The duo found commonality in their small town Ohio upbringings after they migrated as teenagers to the state capital city of Columbus. Their scrappy alt-country sound followed in the footsteps of bands like Uncle Tupelo and Lucero. The Sleeping Village show, their first Chicago appearance since 2017, is part of a three city excursion with Dave Hause & The Mermaid, who also received a hearty thumbs up from the No Wristbands’ staff in our prior Dig ’in posting. -Bruce Novak
The Joy Formidable at Old Town School of Folk Music - Feb 28, 8:00 PM
After not performing in the US for close to three years (September 2022 at Riot Fest in the case of Chicago), Ritzy Bryan and Rhydian Dafydd wanted to more intimately reconnect with their audiences so they’ll be playing acoustic sets on this return North American tour. The show will also feature the solo work of Dafydd and Bryan (who also performs under her Shy Western moniker). While their blown-out sound as a trio is lush and powerful, this iteration will highlight their nuanced arrangements and vocal pliability. Maurer Hall provides an ideal setting for such convivial proceedings and a few surprises are likely to emerge with the band teasing new music coming out this year. -Bruce Novak
UNCOVERED
Neats - 1981-84 The Ace of Hearts Years (Ace of Hearts compilation)
There was a time where I felt that Boston’s Neats could go toe to toe with R.E.M. Spin their first EP, The Monkey’s Head In The Corner Of The Room, next to Chronic Town or their debut album, Neats, next to Murmur, and you might be inclined to agree. At that time both bands were immersed in garage-based jangle pop, with Neats sounding more sinister against R.E.M.‘s shimmer—a Beatles vs. Rolling Stones-like comparison. Their trajectories would soon drastically deviate and so the argument of who reigned supreme seems rather outlandish nowadays.
The Ace of Hearts compilation is a treasure trove of Neats’ finest period, capturing the aforementioned releases plus a half dozen bonus tracks. The band’s earliest forays were penned and sung by bassist Jerry Channel—“Six,” “Sometimes” and “Do The Things” are organ-saturated psych-garage numbers that would slot in comfortably among the other tracks on Lenny Kaye’s curated Nuggets compilation. When guitarist Eric Martin came to the forefront as vocalist and primary songwriter, things shifted noticeably. His soulful baritone and the twin guitar jousting between him and Phil Caruso came to define the edgy pop that followed. “Red And Grey” and “Now You Know” are adrenaline rushes, while “Tonight” and “Sad” are set on simmer, gradually bubbling up until completely blowing the lid off. Their instrumental “Pop Cliché” hints at a level of jadedness, but delivers an ecstatic punctuation mark that’s impossible to resist. Like so many other potential contenders, Neats eventually fell by the wayside, but their moment in the sun still shines brightly. -Bruce Novak
We recommend listening along over at our Spotify page. Here’s this week’s content: