by Dan Goldin (@post_trash_)
The depth of Chicago’s indie underground is always getting deeper, the city a breeding ground for great bands of all varieties. Enter Sprite, a new band comprised of some familiar faces, the quartet formed by Sam Brown (Flesh Panthers, Laverne) together with Josh Rodin (Cel Ray), Kinsey Ring (Lollygagger), and Donny Walsh (Wallplant, ex-Stuck). An already established drummer in garage rock scene, Brown was Inspired by the fuzz and syrupy melodies of bands like Ovlov and Hotline TNT, and decided to pick up a guitar and give songwriting a shot. The result is Sprite’s self-titled debut, recorded together earlier this year with engineer Ben Grigg (Babe Report, FCKR JR, Geronimo!) and mastered by Greg Obis (Stuck, Slow Pulp, Deeper), an EP that stays true to the influences that sparked the project, while giving their own interpretation of the sound. Due out on December 8th, it’s built on wall of sound guitars and propulsive rhythms with melodies in constant focus beneath the din.
“Angie” is the record’s lead single and opening track, a shoegazey ripper with a raw density that roaring guitars. It’s clear that Sprite understood the sound they were going for, and their attack feels fully realized, a swarm thick enough to swallow us all. One of the record’s more aggressive songs, the band still manage to lean on a “slacker” punk kind of intensity, matching sheer heaviness with a lackadaisical essence, yet the urgency of the track remains fully intact. With layers of distortion turned beyond the red, the bouncy rhythm pairs well with the ringing vocal performance, balancing shouted phrasing with a deep melodic sensibility.
Sprite will celebrate their album’s release at Reed’s Local in Chicago with support from Patter and Party’z on December 8th.