sBACH Archives

Review: Solos’ Beast of Both Worlds

Solos: Beast of Both Worlds (Joyful Noise, 9/11/12)

“Carpe Diem”

It may seem strange that the members of Hella have gotten poppier and poppier since the height of their impenetrability from 2005 to 2007. Long-time fans, though, will recognize a penchant for melody amid complexity that dates back to its full-length debut in 2002.

Solos is a new project from Hella guitarist and cofounder Spencer Seim and avant-folk artist / temporary Hella singer Aaron Ross. Following the overt melodies of Seim’s synth-core project sBACH, Solos is a jaunt into slightly more avant-pop territory, combining Led Zeppelin-ish acoustic rock with psych-pop and Seim’s pounding, distinctive beats.

Morrow vs. Hajduch: Noxious Foxes’ Légs

Scott Morrow is ALARM’s music editor. Patrick Hajduch is a very important lawyer. Each week they debate the merits of a different album.

Noxious Foxes: Légs 2xLP (Broth IRA, 7/26/11)

Noxious Foxes: “Doth Shalt Noth”

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Morrow: In the vein of Hella and other masterful duos that overachieve with layered loops and hot licks, Noxious Foxes is a pair of like-minded guitar/drums artists. The music, though technical, is rooted more in melody and groove than Hella — somewhere closer to Spencer Seim spinoffs The Advantage or sBACH if you were to further force the comparison.

Guitarist Justin Talbott pulls double duty with synths and electric pianos over the guitar loops, adding a tinge of the Blood Brothers aesthetic to the mix. (There isn’t a pair of sassy-as-fuck vocalists, however.) And the occasionally 8-bit-esque synths add to the video-game vibe that the guitars give off, making the Advantage comparison more apt, even if there are no Contra covers.

What We’re Seeing This Weekend: Don Caballero, Yoome, These Arms are Snakes

As we hit town this weekend to catch a pair of hard-hitting rock bands (Don Caballero and These Arms are Snakes), we’ll also venture to see a left-field production of hip hop and synth-flavored post-rock (Yoome), boundless pseudo-soundtrack work (Andreas Kapsalis Trio), and a blend of dub, reggae, electronics, and rock (The Eternals).

Don Caballero to Tour in February, Partially with sBACH

Instrumental math-rock gurus Don Caballero are hitting the road again in February, playing select dates around the Midwest, Texas, and out West. All shows will include quirky Toronto rockers DD/MM/YYYY, and some will include the melodic 8-bit rock of sBACH. Check out the tour dates after the jump.

What We’re Doing This Weekend

CMJ in New York, Voodoo Experience in New Orleans, four great nights at Chicago’s Hideout, — this weekend is packed. Shudder to Think, Shining, Coliseum, Fucked Up, The Eternals, sBACH, Deacon John, and Pillars and Tongues are all among our recommendations to catch live.

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Local Shows that Have Us Excited (9-26-08)

Being in Chicago means always having great show options, and this weekend (bleeding into early next week) is no different. If you’re around our city this weekend, you may see one or all of us at the following shows, including sBACH, the buzzing Nintendo rock project of Hella guitarist and The Advantage drummer Spencer Siem (shown left).