It’s Friday, that magical day of the week when magical new music is magically released into the magic/awful world. In Milwaukee, we have three new releases from groups that aren’t strictly Milwaukee groups, but they’re close enough. Oh, and they’re all great.
First up is Rosenau & Sanborn‘s aptly named Two, the second collaborative LP from Milwaukee music MVP Chris Rosenau (Collections Of Colonies Of Bees) and former Milwaukee mainstay Nick Sanborn (Sylvan Esso). It’s a lovely piece of work, a six-track LP that pairs Rosenau’s sublime guitar work with Sanborn’s dizzying array of electronic beats and flourishes. Sanborn’s Sylvan Esso partner Amelia Meath adds vocals to the final track (she’s joined by Molly Sarlé, Alex Sauser-Monnig, and Jenn Wasner); other than that, Two is a strictly instrumental affair.
The record was recorded in Sanborn’s home studio in Durham, North Carolina. Work began in 2019, though those sessions were eventually scrapped. Two‘s liner notes give a glimpse into the second round of sessions four years later:
Both Sanborn and Rosenau came prepared this time by, well, un-preparing. Rosenau borrowed an unconventional guitar tuning he’d never tried (DAEAC#D) from a friend. And Sanborn dismantled his live Sylvan Esso rig, rearranged it, and added new bits, hoping to eschew any muscle memory for a real-time exchange with Rosenau. They instantly knew it was working, with none of the past’s second-guessing in tow. On that first day, a Thursday, they made “Ghost Sub” and “Harm.” On that second day, they had a false start with a piece called “Kay,” Sanborn’s synths not quite fitting beneath Rosenau’s riff, before moving on to make “Deltas.” (Once again to the cover: That’s the chord structure alongside Sanborn’s setup, superimposed on Rosenau’s face.)
Next is the latest from Milwaukee/Chicago trio Vacancy Chain, Is This How It’s Supposed To Be? If you’re looking for a bracing fix of noisy, bouncy, impeccably crafted indie-rock in the vein of Superchunk, look no further. The five-track EP is far from a one-trick pony, however: Ashley Altadonna, Michael Agustin, and Emily Agustin are both pissed-off and funny on opener “Halloween Hot Sauce,” tender and vulnerable on “Memorex” and “Albion,” and downright anthemic on “R.E.V.S.” Fantastic stuff.
And finally, something new from yet another not-quite-Milwaukee-but-close-enough group, Offend Your Friends. The recently reunited Milwaukee/Fox Valley party-rock group will release its first new album in 20 years, Almost Didn’t Make It, on March 27. They’ve already teased the record with singles “Light A Spark” and “Skatt Stapp”; now, there’s a lyric video for another single, “Fake Work Fridays.” Happy Friday, everyone!
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