Battles, why must I love you so much? All you do is torture me. Seriously, it’s like this band is out to get me. Gloss Drop, the long-awaited follow up to 2007’s Mirrored, kicks more asses than I can count. Unfortunately, of the band’s three Chicago shows in 2011, I will be able to go to none. The first one was back in April at Lincoln Hall (capacity 500, how sick would that have been?) It was 18+, and I was born eight months too late. They’ll be playing at Pitchfork Festival in July, but alas, I’ll be out of town. I had just gotten over the spiraling depression that missing these two shows sent me into, when they announced yet another Chicago appearance. This time, it’ll be at the (considerably larger) Vic Theater. I figured “hey, bigger venue, they must be doing an all ages show!” Nope. I escaped the womb a month and a half too late for that one.
Oh well, I’ll get over it. I’ve got physical copies of both of the band’s records; they’ll have to tide me over until I’m 18. I have a hard time believing that they’ll be back in Chi-Town any time soon after that third show, though. At their record-release rate, I’ll be 21 the next time they come around.
Enough wallowing in my white people problems. Gloss Drop is insane, and I should have expected nothing less from these guys. I’ll admit, I was a little nervous when vocalist Tyondai Braxton left the band a few months ago, but that worrying was unnecessary. They got a few vocalists from indie bands that I’ve never heard of to fill in on a few songs, and that’s enough for me. On Gloss Drop, there’s an even smaller reliance on vocals compared to Mirrored, which really calls attention to the insane beats and intricate patterns going on all throughout the record. Plus, when the vocals do come in, they’re all the more effective. Go on, try and listen to Ice Cream without a big goofy grin on your face, I dare you.
Swole Ear 
Leave a Reply