New music: Running - 'Vaguely Ethnic'

By Andrew Hertzberg

I go back and forth on Running. They have a pummeling live show that’s captivating and contentious. The gallons of reverb on the vocals, the distorted bass, the signature screech of the guitar feedback all take a certain mood to be able to stand sometimes. Last year’s Asshole Savant didn’t really do it for me. So why am I writing about them? Because this year’s Vaguely Ethnic keeps finding its way to my ears.

The nine tracks clock in just over 20 minutes, of which I can’t understand a word that lead singer's yelps the entire time. It's perfect for when I've drank too much coffee and want something loud and fast and have no attention span at all. For being so scuzzed out though, Running actually finds ways to incorporate (gasp) catchy parts to their song, albeit not in any conventional sense of what the word ‘catchy’ is probably conjuring in your mind. "Endless Baggage," for example, incorporates a great anti-melody between the guitar and bass. "Oo0o Oo0O Oo0oOo" is the best phonetic representation of many of the guitar sounds. The best way to put it is that these songs force you to come back to them, despite the noise, the feedback, the too much reverb, because they’ve gripped you by the ribcage and are threatening to tear off your flesh if you don’t give in. And for such a chaotic sound, the band still has a sense of humor. The vocal-less "Controversial PR" is on an album that finds the band with (from what I’ve gathered) their very first experience actually getting PR support.


RUNNING - Live - Empty Bottle from GONZO CHICAGO on Vimeo.
Having long been a part of the underground scene, Vaguely Ethnic has given the group a little bit of blog buzz. Odds are that if you like loud and fast and anti-social music, you're already familiar with Running. If not, get your hands on these jams. Next chance to catch the abrasive live show is Sunday September 22nd at the Empty Bottle opening for Pop. 1280 (21+, $8, 9 PM). Vaguely Ethnic is out now on Castle Face Records. Impose still has a stream of the album right here.

Gene's 2012 favorites

By Gene Wagendorf III 

Twin Peaks at The Whip (photo by Gene Wagendorf III)

It's the end of the year and we're a music blog, so you know what that means: "best of" list time. That said, "best" is a silly and subjective word that we at Windy City Rock are trying to avoid this year. Instead we're offering you some lists of local favorites from several of our contributors. Over the next few days we'll be posting about our favorite Chicago records, bands, shows and what-have-you from 2012. Enjoy, and happy holidays!

5 Favorite Records

Twin Peaks - 'Sunken'
The soundtrack to my summer came courtesy of a group of delinquent minors who, between burning trees, skateboarding and prepping for college, managed to put together a record filled with anthemic, sunny jams. Expect big things out of Twin Peaks in 2013. Read a full review of Sunken here.

Fave track: Fast Eddie
Get the record: here

Running  - 'Asshole Savant'
Get Bent nailed it when they described Running as "an incendiary blast of rock ‘n’ roll akin to smashing Lou Reed’s Metal Machine Music into the Stooges and then smashing that combo into Suicide." Asshole Savant does an admirable job of capturing the mayhem of Running's live sets. 

Fave track: I Can't Believe I'm Alive
Get the record: here

The Smashing Pumpkins - 'Oceania'
Oceania is Corgan and company's best record in the better part of a decade. Doesn't quite reach as high as it aims, but there are some beautiful moments here.

Fave track: Pinwheels
Get the record: here

Free show tonight: Bird Names, Cave, Running at the Empty Bottle

By Andrew Hertzberg

Cave

The Empty Bottle strikes again. Free Mondays never fail, especially when all of the bands playing are super solid. As their name implies, it’s sort of hard to know exactly when to catch Running (some of that may be their pseudo-Luddite opposition to social media). Either way, their 12-minute post punk noise is always welcome at the Bottle, and it may be awhile before we let you know when they’re playing again. Still riding buzz off the recently released Neverendless, Cave brings their trance-like kraut-rock to the stage second. As movement seems to be the theme of the night, here’s a video of the four-piece playing on the back of a flatbed. From bipeds and trucks to flight, the night closes out with Bird Names (one of the silliest bands I’ve ever Googled without a modifier like "music" or "Chicago"). As the name of their most recent album Metabolism: a Salute to the Energy of the Sun implies, expect a freaky psychout that will most likely leave you fawning over the cosmic vibes and saying things like "far out" and "groovy."

Tonight's show is 21+, starts at 9:30 and is totally free. The Empty Bottle is located at 1035 N. Western Ave.

Show review: Tinsel Teeth, Running at Crown Tap Room, 6/9

By Gene Wagendorf III

Tinsel Teeth

The buzz around local psych-punkers Running has been pretty substantial. Their debut EP, from Permanent Records, was limited to a run of 500 copies. That may not be enough. Everyone I know who has seen the band live gets a little wide-eyed in trying to describe the scene. Needless to say I was excited.

Running took the stage to little fanfare, quietly picking up their instruments. That was the last bit of quiet for the night. A kind of electronic banshee's howl blasted out of the speakers and the band was off. The sound was part Black Flag, part Parts & Labor, with punchy vocals slammed down with an Albini swagger. What surprised me most about the band after a few songs was just how many solid, catchy riffs were buried beneath the swirled screeches. All but one song fell under two minutes in length, though it may have been hard to tell seeing as Running never stopped thrashing until the set was over. I don't know if they had someplace else to be, if they were worried there might not be applause or if they just didn't care, but it worked. The whole set rang in at around twelve minutes. If they had laid down a bet I'll assume they won.

Not many bands would be eager to follow that kind of assault, but Tinsel Teeth are the perfect kind of group to go for it. The four-piece from Providence play a special kind of hell-infused metal and sport a lineup that likely match your description of "people I have no desire to meet in a dark alley."  The band's female lead singer looks, at first glance, like a short and sweet little Jersey girl. That is, until you notice the strap-on dildo, clusters of bruises and streaks of blood. Her drummer and guitar player come off as a couple of stocky, tattooed henchman pulled out of some Samoan snuff film.  And then there's the drummer. He's a thinner, kind of nondescript guy, which is even more terrifying. What, you wonder, has gone so wrong inside this man's head that this is the company he keeps?