Still Life Still: Girls Come Too, @ Schubas Sept. 11

Still Life Still sell themselves as a band of would-be brothers who’ve been playing together for 10 years and known each other since childhood. Listening to their EP, Pastel for days and days, I knew I was going to catch this band when they came through town. What I didn’t know was that the songs off their newly released album, Girls Come Too, are as good or better than the three I had been soaking in. But honestly, I had no idea what to expect and so when five young men stood near the stage I eyed them up and down and thought, “well, that might be the band, or it might be some guys off of Belmont Ave,” Belmont Ave. being the closest place to buy proper rock n roll clothes, get a decent piercing, or find one of the few remaining comic book or independent record stores in Chicago. Darlings, you already know how this is gonna go. Of course they were the band. Of course their talent wow’d me. Here’s how: they can sing, their guitars are played mostly all up high and metallic and I still loved it, the looping and sound effects are way cool and not overdone, and the drummer is a fucking powerhouse. Oh,… and they play this gorgeous blend of dance, pop, punk-tinged-yet-mellow, syrupy music that’s just really additively good.

So here we go, in order, vocally this band is sweet. On the first or second song I looked up from trying not to dance too wildly to see Brendon Saarinen leave the mic and Eric Young take over the vocals (or perhaps the other way around). If I hadn’t seen it, I’d have never really noticed, that’s how close their voices are and how closely they blend their harmonies. The album is full of sharply tuned and intentionally placed off notes that break up the repetitive nature of their music. I recently heard someone say, “I love repetition in music” and it struck me as an odd thing to say. I guess I never thought about it; music is about repetition isn’t it? But yeah, they’re right. Some music is really about repetition more than the norm. And I have to admit, I’m coming around to that idea lately. So, Girls Come Too is a record structured on creative and heavy use of repetition and even more creative use of the key things that can be used to break it. I love that about this band. And, those dissonant vocal notes are the most striking breaks, the most beautiful ways of doing it. I turned to M.Chut halfway through this show and said “Damn, these guys can really sing. They practice a lot!”

Guitars: I’m on a  growly, low, dirty guitar kick lately. Lots of Southern rock and blues based bands have been blasting my car stereo speakers.  I’ve been totally gorging on My Bloody Valentine and Sybris and that fantastic new album, Exploding Heads, by A Place To Bury Strangers as well, which are all full of fuzzed out, grinding noisy guitars. So it surprised the hell out of me to really enjoy this bit of almost jangly rhythm with well-timed, high note lead guitarwork. I’m not saying the bass wasn’t there, hell no. And Derek Paulin does a great job playing creatively and solidly at the same time. Maybe I’m making this bit up about the difference in guitar sound here, maybe it’s just the lead plays high, I’m no guitarist! But whatever it is, I love it. It’s not complicated, it’s not stupid and boring, and I’m not saying it lacks skill. It’s just perfectly placed, like on their single ”Pastel” which is the only song that is carried over from the EP to the new album, and the one that sold this band to me.

When I played “Pastel” for M.Chut I didn’t have any fears that she would hate it. I knew the minute she heard “I wanna make you come, let’s talk more about what you want” she’d love it, we’re pretty easy to please here at Chez Tart, what can I say? But she was concerned that there were screams in it, right before the keyboards hit. I talked her down, but yeah I wasn’t sure either. It’s only Josh Romaniuk doing his techno magic, darlings. Still Life Still uses these effects and sound loops in the best way possible and in the way that they should be used: to break stuff up at just the right moment, and showcase the strengths of what a band is capable of doing. I’ll have more to say about “Planets” in a few days, check back here. But listen to it now and hear the range of talent that Josh gives this band. I love the sound he crafts here all the while keeping it very much still a Still Life Still sound. All in all, keyboard and computer effects are brilliantly applied on this album and equally applied live as well. I was very impressed with what this band brought to Chicago; they have the stage presence and mastery of a group that’s toured far more than this band actually has.

And you know, I’ve said before about a band or two, that the drummer is the machine that runs this show. That thought occurred to me again that night. I actually laughed out loud on the next to last song, as Aaron Romaniuk yelled to his bandmates, sticks held out above his kit, “Are you ready for this?!?” Yeah, they were and we sure as fuck were. This guy didn’t so much beat the drums as he systematically did his job in the most efficient way for every situation. I’ve rarely seen such a drummer who is so fast and versatile without being all over the place. Honestly, this is one fucking good drummer. Still Life Still had better keep hold of him. The more they tour and bands see this guy, the more offers he’s gonna get. Josh joins him, turning from his keyboards to batter the cymbals especially, on the last song and I just didn’t want it to end. The five of them were breathless. Many of us in the audience were as well.

What had started out as a decent crowd who came early enough to catch the opening band, and was hanging back towards the door, by the third or fourth song had turned into a more than half-full room of people actually moving/dancing (basically unheard of for a Northside Chicago venue). It was obvious that folks who had never heard of this band were won over that night. Still Life Still announced the next day that they are coming back in October for two shows, The Hideout on the 15th and The Empty Bottle on the 17th with Pomegranates, The Shaky Hands, and Headlights. Catch this young band now and say you saw them when. Click on the EP and album names at the beginning of this post to buy them, just do it. xoxo

Tour Details
Sep 15 2009 8:00P Hi-Dive Denver, Colorado
Sep 16 2009 8:00P Kilby Court Salt Lake City, Utah
Sep 19 2009 8:00P Vogue Theatre Vancouver, British Columbia
Sep 21 2009 8:00P Starlite Room Edmonton, Alberta
Sep 22 2009 8:00P The Warehouse Calgary, Alberta
Sep 23 2009 8:00P The Odeon Events Centre Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Sep 24 2009 8:00P West End Cultural Center Winnipeg, Manitoba
Sep 26 2009 8:00P Lee’s Palace Toronto, Ontario
Sep 27 2009 8:00P Lee’s Palace Toronto, Ontario
Oct 7 2009 8:00P Mercury Lounge New York, New York
Oct 8 2009 8:00P Mercury Lounge New York, New York
Oct 15 2009 8:00P The Hideout Chicago, Illinois
Oct 17 2009 8:00P Empty Bottle Chicago, Illinois

photo credits: Norman Wong