Camera, The Strange Young Lovers Tonight at Schubas

Download: Camera - "Inner Bully"
Download: Camera - "The Lasting Impression"

Two excellent, unsigned, Chicago bands are playing at Schuba's this evening, the 31st, at 8:00 p.m. First up is an experimental pop act called, simply, Camera. The band has posted demos that were made earlier this year and those songs are what you can listen to at the top of the post. They mine the same anxieties about modern living as a group like Radiohead but, musically speaking, Camera sound more like a New Wave band that decided to packtheir earth things up and join up with the Spiders from Mars. My favorite of the two tracks is "Inner Bully." The song is driven by two distinct instrumental line: a repetitive, synthesized keyboard line, similar to a band like The Who, and a single, reverb-heavy note picked on guitar. The vocals is the area that seems most influenced by David Bowie - singer David Syvilian has the a stilted style of crooning that would suggest he grew up spending a lot of time with Heroes. Definitely check them out - if someone picks them up, then they'll undoubtedly be a great band to watch.

MySpace Page
Band Website

Download: The Strange Young Lovers - "This Is The Way"
Download: The Strange Young Lovers - "We Don't Need No"

Probably the closest thing that Chicago will ever come to having its own version of The Strokes, The Strange Young Lovers boast the kind of warm, Velvety guitars and swinging snare hits that made the New York group so popular. The main difference is that The Strange Young Lovers have a vocalist who is at times both wild and droll. The Strange Young Lovers may not affect cool as The Strokes do, but "This is The Way" and "We Don't Need No" completely satisfy the desire for a good hooky, snotty garage-rock song

MySpace Page

As stated before, both bands play at Schuba's tonight at 8. The show is 18 and over. Check it out if you want to see some strong unsigned Chicago talent. Buy tickets here

(Jonathan Graef)