Showing posts with label the bright white. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the bright white. Show all posts
Monday, December 30, 2013
The Bright White's Matthew Kayser: 'Why I Quit My Band'
EDITOR'S NOTE: The below post was contributed by Matthew Kayser, who you might have known as the front man of Chicago band The Bright White over the past few years. Matthew recently revealed that the band would be coming to an end, as its members move on to other projects. On his website, he published an insightful and interesting post about his decision to quite The Bright White, and offered to have us run it as well.
WCR covered The Bright White on multiple occasions, and while we'll miss their sounds as a band, we look forward to their future projects and wish them all the best!
Why I Quit My Band
By Matthew Kayser
I was very recently the lead singer of a promising rock n’ roll band, based in Chicago. I spent nearly three years pushing and pushing to make this band successful. Thankfully, we did enjoy some moments of relative success: the occasional spirited gig in front of an enthusiastic crowd (Schubas forever!); the all-too-rare airplay on a popular Chicago radio station (cheers to you, Richard Milne and WXRT!); and finally, the handful of glowing reviews that we repeatedly milked in all of our press materials (forever grateful, Frank Krolicki!). Early last week, however, I came to a profound (if not ridiculously obvious) realization that forced me to part ways with yet another next big thing that will never be.
As far as I knew, for the past three years I was happy to be fronting this group of socially stable musicians who could never quite seem to kick the urge to make music a viable career option. Yes, we had gone through some personnel changes this year (a common occurrence for most bands this side of U2), but I genuinely enjoyed being the husband/father/teacher guy who got to sing in a band, hang out with some really cool fellers in that band, and perform passionate and somewhat careening live shows with said band.
So what happened? Well, in addition to growing tired of the frustration that comes from putting into something much more than you get out of it, I finally noticed that one vitally important element of the whole band “thing” was missing. While I had sufficiently obsessed over booking and promoting shows, harassing new and potential fans on Facebook and making sure I wore the proper I-hope-everyone-realizes-I’m-a-musician clothing both on stage and off, I had completely neglected the most crucial (and rewarding) part of being a successful original artist: the writing of songs.
Friday, December 28, 2012
Frank's 2012 favorites
By Frank Krolicki
Tired of "end of the year" lists yet? I'll pretend you said no.
As in years past, I've decided just to write a few words about a handful of releases from Chicago bands that I greatly enjoyed this year. As Gene mentioned in his favorites post, here at WCR we don't like to declare anything the "best," because that's really subjective and there's a ton of stuff we don't get a chance to listen to. But here are seven releases that have been a hit on my iPod, and if you try them out via your listening device of choice, you might find you dig 'em, too.
The Steak House Mints – Love Songs for Prostitutes
I'm a bit nostalgic when it comes to The Steak House Mints. I wrote about them way back in early 2009, when WCR was still a baby blog. I enjoyed their first record, Out of the Sky, so much that I would think about them every so often, hoping we'd hear more from them. It took a few years, but they finally released their second effort Love Songs for Prostitutes late this year. And man, is it great. Better than the first one. This is clever, top-notch pop-rock music with a touch of glam and a healthy twist of weird that I really love. It's all made even more ear-catching by the charismatic vocals of frontman Billy Dave Sherman.
Mooner - Unpronounceable Name EP
Full disclosure: WCR writer Adam Bonich is a member of this band. But I can say with confidence that knowing Adam has little to do with my enjoyment of Mooner's latest EP. It's just damn good. It's classic Americana-tinged power-pop that incredibly well-written and well-recorded, and will probably send visions of a few greats through your head (for me it was kind of like the lovechild of Tom Petty, Jeff Tweedy and Elvis Costello. You're welcome for that mental image).
Hollows – Vulture
Like Andrew, I'm a big fan of this record. The complete Blondie discography has a permanent place in my music collection, which should give you an idea of how I feel about Hollows (think the first couple Blondie records paired with more garage rock and modern indie pop sensibilities). Girl-group harmonies, sugary-yet-slightly-detached vocals, Farfisa organ, surf-pop bounce--it's all there to indulge on.
V is for Vulture by Hollows Chicago
Tired of "end of the year" lists yet? I'll pretend you said no.
As in years past, I've decided just to write a few words about a handful of releases from Chicago bands that I greatly enjoyed this year. As Gene mentioned in his favorites post, here at WCR we don't like to declare anything the "best," because that's really subjective and there's a ton of stuff we don't get a chance to listen to. But here are seven releases that have been a hit on my iPod, and if you try them out via your listening device of choice, you might find you dig 'em, too.
I'm a bit nostalgic when it comes to The Steak House Mints. I wrote about them way back in early 2009, when WCR was still a baby blog. I enjoyed their first record, Out of the Sky, so much that I would think about them every so often, hoping we'd hear more from them. It took a few years, but they finally released their second effort Love Songs for Prostitutes late this year. And man, is it great. Better than the first one. This is clever, top-notch pop-rock music with a touch of glam and a healthy twist of weird that I really love. It's all made even more ear-catching by the charismatic vocals of frontman Billy Dave Sherman.
Mooner - Unpronounceable Name EPFull disclosure: WCR writer Adam Bonich is a member of this band. But I can say with confidence that knowing Adam has little to do with my enjoyment of Mooner's latest EP. It's just damn good. It's classic Americana-tinged power-pop that incredibly well-written and well-recorded, and will probably send visions of a few greats through your head (for me it was kind of like the lovechild of Tom Petty, Jeff Tweedy and Elvis Costello. You're welcome for that mental image).
Hollows – VultureLike Andrew, I'm a big fan of this record. The complete Blondie discography has a permanent place in my music collection, which should give you an idea of how I feel about Hollows (think the first couple Blondie records paired with more garage rock and modern indie pop sensibilities). Girl-group harmonies, sugary-yet-slightly-detached vocals, Farfisa organ, surf-pop bounce--it's all there to indulge on.
V is for Vulture by Hollows Chicago
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Video: The Bright White - 'Long Live Young Love'
By Frank Krolicki
For their first official music video, Chicago quartet The Bright White joined forces with locally-based production company Northwoods Revolution and decided to put visuals to "Long Live Young Love," a track off their recent sophomore release Lose Yourself. Musically, these guys seem to proudly rail against the arty pretentiousness found in much of today's indie music, and their first journey into videoland follows suit; the big, bold power pop sound is paired with straightforward visions of young lovers having fun together intermixed with the band performing the song, all adding up to a really nicely-done video. See for yourself below and catch the band live when they play next on Saturday, August 4th at Beat Kitchen.
For their first official music video, Chicago quartet The Bright White joined forces with locally-based production company Northwoods Revolution and decided to put visuals to "Long Live Young Love," a track off their recent sophomore release Lose Yourself. Musically, these guys seem to proudly rail against the arty pretentiousness found in much of today's indie music, and their first journey into videoland follows suit; the big, bold power pop sound is paired with straightforward visions of young lovers having fun together intermixed with the band performing the song, all adding up to a really nicely-done video. See for yourself below and catch the band live when they play next on Saturday, August 4th at Beat Kitchen.
Friday, June 8, 2012
Record review: The Bright White - 'Lose Yourself'
By Frank Krolicki
"I want my turn," declares The Bright White's frontman Matthew Kayser in "Ready to Burn," the fourth track off the band's new record Lose Yourself. On paper, it's a simple statement. Listen to the music, though, and you know he really, really means it.
The Bright White make power pop music, with the power part made bold and underlined. This is a band that sounds hungry. Starving, even. For every catchy chorus and guitar hook, there's a sense of urgency--almost a ferocity--that goes along with it to make it clear that they know exactly what they want to do and do it that way, not really caring if it follows a popular indie music trend or not.
The seven-track Lose Yourself comes off like a continuation of the band's 2011 debut EP Until Then, only now the sound is bigger, the intensity amped up. Opening track "Mary Anne" ventures down a bit of a darker path than any that the band has taken before, with lyrics that deal with loneliness and desperation (but also encouragement) paired with full-on guitar, percussion and vocals. The title track has a more "up" sound, featuring ringing guitars, a high-flying melody and a suggestion from Kayser to "come on, get overwhelmed" and to "just lose yourself," coming across like a call to arms to shed inhibitions and fears, to take a chance. But there's also a sense of world-weariness, as the song ends with a refrain of "this is wearing me out"-- a statement that anyone should be able to relate to living in the world today. It's the kind of thing that made me start loving bands like Big Star and Badfinger; it's rooted in pop, but doesn't shy away from the sort of honesty and reality that can make the experience of listening to music genuinely cathartic.
"I want my turn," declares The Bright White's frontman Matthew Kayser in "Ready to Burn," the fourth track off the band's new record Lose Yourself. On paper, it's a simple statement. Listen to the music, though, and you know he really, really means it.The Bright White make power pop music, with the power part made bold and underlined. This is a band that sounds hungry. Starving, even. For every catchy chorus and guitar hook, there's a sense of urgency--almost a ferocity--that goes along with it to make it clear that they know exactly what they want to do and do it that way, not really caring if it follows a popular indie music trend or not.
The seven-track Lose Yourself comes off like a continuation of the band's 2011 debut EP Until Then, only now the sound is bigger, the intensity amped up. Opening track "Mary Anne" ventures down a bit of a darker path than any that the band has taken before, with lyrics that deal with loneliness and desperation (but also encouragement) paired with full-on guitar, percussion and vocals. The title track has a more "up" sound, featuring ringing guitars, a high-flying melody and a suggestion from Kayser to "come on, get overwhelmed" and to "just lose yourself," coming across like a call to arms to shed inhibitions and fears, to take a chance. But there's also a sense of world-weariness, as the song ends with a refrain of "this is wearing me out"-- a statement that anyone should be able to relate to living in the world today. It's the kind of thing that made me start loving bands like Big Star and Badfinger; it's rooted in pop, but doesn't shy away from the sort of honesty and reality that can make the experience of listening to music genuinely cathartic.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Listen: The Bright White preview upcoming EP with 'Mary Anne'
By Frank Krolicki
Carrying on the tradition of high-impact, guitar-driven Chicago power pop, four-piece The Bright White came onto the scene in early 2011 with their solid introductory EP Until Then. Building on the momentum created from that release and playing frequent shows around the city, the band has been back in the studio preparing new music for a second EP due out in March. They're offering a first taste in the form of "Mary Anne," an even bolder, more intense--but no less infectious--effort than their previous material. With frontman Matthew Kayser's grabbing vocals, a tight melody and a wailing guitar solo, the song is a reminder that while indie trends come and go, driving, hook-heavy rock and roll never stops sounding good.
The upcoming EP is still untitled, but according to the band it will feature five tracks and a less polished sound than Until Then that captures more of the energy of their live show. You can listen to "Mary Anne" below, and check out the band live tonight at Abbey Pub (also with I Lost Control and The Luck of Eden Hall, 9 p.m., $10).
The Bright White - Mary Anne by Windy City Rock
Carrying on the tradition of high-impact, guitar-driven Chicago power pop, four-piece The Bright White came onto the scene in early 2011 with their solid introductory EP Until Then. Building on the momentum created from that release and playing frequent shows around the city, the band has been back in the studio preparing new music for a second EP due out in March. They're offering a first taste in the form of "Mary Anne," an even bolder, more intense--but no less infectious--effort than their previous material. With frontman Matthew Kayser's grabbing vocals, a tight melody and a wailing guitar solo, the song is a reminder that while indie trends come and go, driving, hook-heavy rock and roll never stops sounding good.The upcoming EP is still untitled, but according to the band it will feature five tracks and a less polished sound than Until Then that captures more of the energy of their live show. You can listen to "Mary Anne" below, and check out the band live tonight at Abbey Pub (also with I Lost Control and The Luck of Eden Hall, 9 p.m., $10).
The Bright White - Mary Anne by Windy City Rock
Friday, December 30, 2011
Fifteen of my favorite 2011 Chicago music releases
By Frank Krolicki
Damn. At this point the last thing the world needs is another year-end list, but here goes. I tried to resist adding to the mountain of existing roundups, but after seeing so many people write about their favorite releases of 2011 I started to think more about mine and what I might say about them in a sentence or two. In keeping with the spirit of this site all of my picks are releases from Chicago-based artists, some who I previously highlighted as favorites in years past and others who I heard for the first time in 2011. I'm not going to say they're the "best" because of course it's all subjective--I'm sure even my fellow WCR writers would have very different lists--but below are 15 releases that I enjoyed the most, in no particular order.
Company of Thieves--Running From a Gamble: For their second LP, COT managed a bolder, sharper, more memorable set of tunes to create the opposite of a sophomore slump. The crazy-good vocals of frontwoman Genevieve Schatz move effortlessly from sultry to snarling, and so does the guitar.
Pet Lions--Houses: Introducing themselves with straightforward guitar pop on 2009's Soft Right EP, Pet Lions expanded on that foundation with greater depth and more atmosphere on their debut full-length.
The Kickback--Mea Culpa Mea Culpa EP: Four solid tracks of muscular, hooky alt-rock that make me really curious what these guys will come up with on their first full-length, currently in progress. Plus, "Sting's Teacher Years" is quite possibly my favorite song title of the year.
Gypsyblood--Cold in the Guestway: Speaking of alt-rock, there's plenty more high quality, guitar-driven specimens on Gypsyblood's debut, which goes the extra mile by throwing in the occasional curveball like the strangely twangy "Dirty Thieves."
Architecture--When We Were Young EP: Dream pop that’s equal parts sweet and eerie. Sort of like music for a haunted dollhouse, which I can't say about anything else I heard this year.
Smith Westerns--Dye It Blonde: I still can't figure out why Smith Westerns are one of the only current Chicago bands people are willing to give buzz outside our city, but that doesn't take away the fact that this record's exuberant glam pop is worthy of praise.
Village--Local Moves: A great big guitar record loaded with power pop hooks, psychedelic undertones and pure rock 'n' roll energy.
My My My--Wishing You Whatever’s Best EP: One of Chicago's most consistently fun bands returns with more slightly off-kilter singalongs, this time with a dancier, synthier touch.
Damn. At this point the last thing the world needs is another year-end list, but here goes. I tried to resist adding to the mountain of existing roundups, but after seeing so many people write about their favorite releases of 2011 I started to think more about mine and what I might say about them in a sentence or two. In keeping with the spirit of this site all of my picks are releases from Chicago-based artists, some who I previously highlighted as favorites in years past and others who I heard for the first time in 2011. I'm not going to say they're the "best" because of course it's all subjective--I'm sure even my fellow WCR writers would have very different lists--but below are 15 releases that I enjoyed the most, in no particular order.Company of Thieves--Running From a Gamble: For their second LP, COT managed a bolder, sharper, more memorable set of tunes to create the opposite of a sophomore slump. The crazy-good vocals of frontwoman Genevieve Schatz move effortlessly from sultry to snarling, and so does the guitar.
Pet Lions--Houses: Introducing themselves with straightforward guitar pop on 2009's Soft Right EP, Pet Lions expanded on that foundation with greater depth and more atmosphere on their debut full-length.
The Kickback--Mea Culpa Mea Culpa EP: Four solid tracks of muscular, hooky alt-rock that make me really curious what these guys will come up with on their first full-length, currently in progress. Plus, "Sting's Teacher Years" is quite possibly my favorite song title of the year.
Gypsyblood--Cold in the Guestway: Speaking of alt-rock, there's plenty more high quality, guitar-driven specimens on Gypsyblood's debut, which goes the extra mile by throwing in the occasional curveball like the strangely twangy "Dirty Thieves."
Architecture--When We Were Young EP: Dream pop that’s equal parts sweet and eerie. Sort of like music for a haunted dollhouse, which I can't say about anything else I heard this year.Smith Westerns--Dye It Blonde: I still can't figure out why Smith Westerns are one of the only current Chicago bands people are willing to give buzz outside our city, but that doesn't take away the fact that this record's exuberant glam pop is worthy of praise.
Village--Local Moves: A great big guitar record loaded with power pop hooks, psychedelic undertones and pure rock 'n' roll energy.
My My My--Wishing You Whatever’s Best EP: One of Chicago's most consistently fun bands returns with more slightly off-kilter singalongs, this time with a dancier, synthier touch.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
This Thursday: Warm, Safe & Sound benefit show at Lincoln Hall
By Frank Krolicki
Excellent Chicago bands and helping people. Both very, very good things on their own, but capable of producing extra mondo amounts of positive vibes when they come together under one roof. Such is sure to be the case this Thursday, December 1st at Lincoln Hall, when locally-based acts The Bright White, The Kickback, Blane Fonda, The Steepwater Band and Hawley Shoffner play a benefit concert called Warm, Safe and Sound to collect coats/sweaters for the city's homeless. You can get in for $5 if you bring a coat or sweater to donate ($10 without), and all clothing collected will be given to Cornerstone Community Outreach who will distribute them to those in need.
The show starts at 7 p.m. and tickets are available here. Below is the schedule for the evening. This one should be well worth checking out, for the music as well as the cause.
7-7:30 PM - Hawley Shoffner
7:45-8:15 - The Kickback (EP review here)
8:30-9:15 PM - The Bright White (EP review here)
9:30-10:15 PM - Blane Fonda
10:30 PM - The Steepwater Band
Excellent Chicago bands and helping people. Both very, very good things on their own, but capable of producing extra mondo amounts of positive vibes when they come together under one roof. Such is sure to be the case this Thursday, December 1st at Lincoln Hall, when locally-based acts The Bright White, The Kickback, Blane Fonda, The Steepwater Band and Hawley Shoffner play a benefit concert called Warm, Safe and Sound to collect coats/sweaters for the city's homeless. You can get in for $5 if you bring a coat or sweater to donate ($10 without), and all clothing collected will be given to Cornerstone Community Outreach who will distribute them to those in need.
The show starts at 7 p.m. and tickets are available here. Below is the schedule for the evening. This one should be well worth checking out, for the music as well as the cause.
7-7:30 PM - Hawley Shoffner
7:45-8:15 - The Kickback (EP review here)
8:30-9:15 PM - The Bright White (EP review here)
9:30-10:15 PM - Blane Fonda
10:30 PM - The Steepwater Band
Thursday, March 10, 2011
EP review: The Bright White - 'Until Then'
Posted by Frank
The headline of a recent Metromix Chicago article on The Bright White boldly reads "Beatles maniacs." A single listen to the locally-based band's debut EP Until Then offers plenty of proof why. Packed with ringing guitars, well-crafted melodies and heartfelt, rootsy appeal, its five songs are founded on the classic pop elements of the ever-revered British foursome. But that's not all there is to The Bright White; they expand on that core sound with touches of prime-era American alternative rock and then inject it all with an extra shot of raw energy.
Until Then opens with the passionate "Red Summer Rose," featuring a bright melody contrasted by less-than-optimistic sentiments that lie just below the sheen; "There she goes, red summer rose / sure as I was born I'll find a thorn," assert the rich, hard-charging vocals of frontman Matthew Kayser. This sort of split between music and lyrics typically makes for more interesting pop songs, and it's definitely part of what makes The Bright White's debut so grabbing.
The headline of a recent Metromix Chicago article on The Bright White boldly reads "Beatles maniacs." A single listen to the locally-based band's debut EP Until Then offers plenty of proof why. Packed with ringing guitars, well-crafted melodies and heartfelt, rootsy appeal, its five songs are founded on the classic pop elements of the ever-revered British foursome. But that's not all there is to The Bright White; they expand on that core sound with touches of prime-era American alternative rock and then inject it all with an extra shot of raw energy.Until Then opens with the passionate "Red Summer Rose," featuring a bright melody contrasted by less-than-optimistic sentiments that lie just below the sheen; "There she goes, red summer rose / sure as I was born I'll find a thorn," assert the rich, hard-charging vocals of frontman Matthew Kayser. This sort of split between music and lyrics typically makes for more interesting pop songs, and it's definitely part of what makes The Bright White's debut so grabbing.
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