Chicago noise makers Lifeguard [Isaac Lowenstein (Drums, Percussion), Kai Slater (Guitars, Vocals), Asher Case (Bass, Vocals)] return with their Born Yesterday debut Crowd Can Talk EP. Emerging out of the young and exciting windy city DIY scene with the likes of Horsegirl, Post Office Winter, and Friko, Lifeguard have become a part of a cultural moment. The trio are going full pummel on these 4 tracks, crafted over many live performances and recorded over the course of 3 days at Electrical Audio. They waste no time jumping into the first track "New Age (I've got a)" which recalls the same unhinged energy that made early Dinosaur Jr so transcendent. Following track rides a similar path, blasting you with a full on head rushes of fuzz and twisting riffs. Track three slows things down into droned out post-hardcore territory, with churning arpeggios and tension. The final track "Typecast" starts similar to preceding tracks but evolves into feedback-drenched industrial mayhem à la This Heat. Though the members are all still in high school, they are on the forefront of a younger generation taking old music, understanding what made it great, applying it to their art, and pushing it in the future. This isn't a nostalgia act, this is a band for now, distilling lessons learned from SST, Dischord, and Sub Pop and channeling it into fury and anxiety for the modern world.
[Joe Trainor]
