by Dan Goldin (@post_trash_)
Attic Salt Records is a new label based out of Chicago with a focus on artists and charity. As a “benefit” label, the proceeds of their releases are all being given to charities as selected by the musicians they are working with. The label’s first release is the conveniently titled, Compilation 1, a collection of Chicago located (or Chicago adjacent) bands including Stuck, Sunny Falls, Options, Thanks For Coming, Nate Amos, Gilt Drip, and more. With thirteen different bands comprising the label’s formal debut, they’ve picked nearly as many charities. You can donate to the charity of your choosing (or donate to all of them) and then send your receipt to the label and they will send you the compilation, free of middlemen and service fees. Compilation 1 is a diverse collection of music (an assortment of indie rock, punk, electronic, R&B, hip-hop, and more), with each artist contributing unreleased material in the form of covers, b-sides, remixes, and beyond.
We’re excited to share the opening track, a song that hits very close to home for me personally from the late great Geronimo!. “Where’s My Dini?” is of course a cover of the classic Ovlov song, originally recorded for a split 7” between the two bands with the once traditional notion to have each band submit a new song and a cover of the other band. Both bands recorded their songs (though artwork was never completed) and then each band decided to call it quits (though Ovlov have since, thankfully, un-quit). It’s not impossible that the 7” will come out one day on EIS, but in the meantime the Chicago trio’s enormous cover has found a home on Compilation 1. Built on the massive drums of Matt Schwerin, Geronimo! pound out a cover that plays it close to home with an added muscular heft. There’s a great dissonance in Kelly Johnson’s guitar playing (plus an explosive solo) and Ben Grigg’s bass, with special guest Bobby Lord’s ringing keys feel gorgeous and haunting. Geronimo! pay tribute to their East Coast pals with all the well-crafted melodic intensity of the original, presented by peers with mutual adoration.
Check out Compilation 1’s track list and the charities available on Bandcamp.