LOVER!, Missing Monuments and Sleepovers
Hideout: Chicago, IL, July 2010.
I was lucky enough to be back in Chicago a few months ago and see two of my favorite bands. I remember right about the time I moved out to California I had just gotten King Louie's Loose Diamonds and the first Lover! records. I must've just about wore the grooves out of them. Then my friend Dan who was out to visit me bought the CDs. Since we were both unemployed and recently westerly relocated, we drove around in his van from skate spot to drinking spot, blasting both albums non-stop, one of the best summers of my life.
So when I found out that Lover! and King Louie's new band were playing in Chicago the same week that I was to be back, you can bet I was excited. Chicago's Sleepovers were up first and just as much fun as I expected, with catchy bubble-gummy goodness and songs that will not leave your head for days, weeks, months, or maybe longer…"are so fun, they're so fun they're so fun"……yeah….Their single on HoZac is a must have, and they're a must see.
I think it was Uncle Ted who said something about either King Louie or Timmy Vulgar to the effect of "that guy could fart in a tin can and it'd be gold." But for the purpose of this article I'm going to say it about Louie, although both would probably be appropriate. Anyway, I just friggin' love everything the guy does. I don't know what else to say. From Persuaders to O.M.B. to this mastery of power-pop garage goodness. The Missing Monuments are just nothing short of fantastic. The catchy songs and the guitar wizardry. Everything. Just about a perfect band, if that can even be said. And of course that's my opinion. Needless to say I was blown away and can't wait for the record to come out.
After the show I managed to convince Julien and Louie to give T. Killings and me an advanced copy of their other band Brick War. It was more of an electronic weirdness punk double 7". And once again, could farted in a a tin can. It was magical. I'm sure Killings will give it a proper write-up at some point.
Lover was great, too, even though they almost sound like an entirely different band than from the first record. The addition of Wes (Clone Defects, etc., etc.) and Zach (Outer Minds, etc., etc.) gave the band a really full sound, almost a jangly Byrds-ish feel? Nah, that's not really right. Sorta psychedelic? Nah, hell I don't know. That's why I don't like writing about music. I'm much better at photographing it. Anyway, I know what I like and Lover! is still one of my favorites. So is Chicago, for that matter.
