Dave Chamberlain

The gritty grumble that pervades The Moaners' debut record, "Dark Snack" (Yep Roc), can be directly attributed to the presence of former Trailer Bride lead singer Melissa Swingle. While her former band skirted in and out of a dark, dreamy and twisted version of ghostly Americana, The Moaners are a rock band, and if Swingle's voice worked perfectly in the country-music arena, double it for the rock `n' roll side. Teaming up with former Grand National drummer Laura King, "Dark Snack" rejects the twang of Trailer Bride in favor of a blues-born hand-in-the-gutter augmented by an almost sardonic, very sexy lyrical delivery. The opening track, "Heart Attack," lashes out with a scraping, almost eerie guitar punch and with Swingle spreading the lyrical cadence out over whole notes. That track, however, runs at a higher tempo than most of the record--for a point of reference, imagine a very American Holly Golightly. The total package explodes on "Terrier," a song built on a roughshod guitar riff and written in rejection of the male Napoleon Complex; not since Minor Threat's "Small Man, Big Mouth" has a song about angry short men with small packages been so artfully composed, and when Swingle spits out "get off my leg," it's nothing short of hilarious and alluring.

The Moaners play February 5 at Subterranean, 2011 West North Avenue, (773)278-6799; The Immortal Lee County Killers headline.

(2005-02-01)

Also by Dave Chamberlain

Tip of the Week
Tonight represents your last chance to see one of the city's longest-running bands play--after ten years, the lads in Woolworthy have decided to finish it all up
(2005-01-25)

Heating up
Music at its best presents internal contrast melted together and formed into something that just works, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a band that does such a thing better than the Thermals
(2005-01-25)

Tip of the Week
Traveling with a pocketful of fractured folk and mind full of Tom Waits, Texas-based singer-songwriter Jolie Holland merges the entire breadth of American music history
(2005-01-18)

Raw Material
"The amount of attention Chicago hip-hop is getting right now, from the streets to the business world, it's just crazy. In fact, the whole scene in Chicago is crazy right now."
(2005-01-18)

Tip of the Week
(2005-01-11)

Tip of the Week
(2005-01-04)

Tip of the Week
(2005-01-03)

Tip of the Week
(2004-12-21)

Tip of the Week
(2004-12-14)

Raw Material
(2004-12-14)

Tip of the Week
(2004-12-07)

Country roads
(2004-12-07)

about Newcitychicago | about Newcity magazine | advertising | privacy policy | FAQ | employment