The Mic’s Alice Beard joined frenetic young trio Lifeguard for their first gig off North- American soil. Honing in on their propulsive live energy and hypnotic droning hooks, this article explores exactly why this is a band you should not miss out on.
If you’re looking for something to really grab you by the ears this summer, this self-proclaimed Chicago youth beat to dance to provide more than enough meat for your bones. Considering this was the band’s first time touching down anywhere outside of America, let alone the streets of Manchester, the evening proved a remarkable feat. Fierce from the get-go, their sonically charged display crossed the thin line between abrasion and melody. The assault was clear and calculated. If the night proved anything at all, one thing is certain: Chicago’s DIY scene is alive and ready to kick up a fuss in lands much further afield than home.
Laying their teeth straight into it with their latest single Ministry/ Energie, the band made it clear they were here for business, no questions asked. Turning on their charm with heavy distortion, the charge was relentless. Marching on with tracks including I Know I Know, Asher Case took heed with his low-slung basslines, providing more than enough of a hook for Kai Slater’s airy, strained vocals to grapple with. This, paired with Lowenstein’s series of gnarled percussive changeups gave way to a tough battle of the elements.
"the music served as a startling reminder of the controlled chaos they have grown to master as a trio"
As the night progressed, the trio proved they would not stop moving. There was something infectious in the raw energy, a refreshing approach alongside a larger-than-life demeanour. Lifeguard hold no qualms about making a mark within their music. Drawing on early nineties punk, noise- rock nostalgia, I could see an abundance of influences woven throughout their sound. Sonic Youth, Fugazi and dare I say Pixies were all muddled within the base elements, generating a glistening lightness beneath the mucky surface.
Each and every track jittered and jived. Between the blistering New Age (I’ve Got A) and the subtle yet agitated Typecast, the music served as a startling reminder of the controlled chaos they have grown to master as a trio. Their new, unreleased tracks were equally precocious, allowing an urgency to swell through the crowd.
Lifeguard still maintain a hearty balance though, offerings such as 17-18 Lovesong providing a welcomed spacey-ness to cut through the dense air. Through this flurry of jagged melodies, the band were able to capture something quite distinct. Their sound lifted the curtain to something intriguing and knotty, this unique allure forever waiting just around the corner to drag you further into their hypnotic daze. They have certainly crafted something of their own. Even the band’s cover of The Jam’s In the City was welded into something of their own unbound calibre. Their sound carries a presence- a presence which you certainly wouldn’t want to be confronted by in a dark alleyway on a lonely evening.
I get the feeling Lifeguard can only move up from here. Fighting the fight. Leaping the leaps. They know what works and the bridges they must cross to get there. Now they just need time to build upon their already grounded foundations.
This sharpened, raw talent was a refreshing display to bear witness to. Amongst a slurry of concrete cut and paste bands, Lifeguard are beginning to forge their own path through the mire. They are definitely one to watch.
Alice Beard
Edited by Alice Beard
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