John Thompson

Cows and football. That's what usually comes to mind at the mention of Columbus, Ohio. But the largest city in Ohio has also become home to an insular indie scene whose inventiveness has been hidden by geographical isolation. At the forefront of that scene sits Melty Melty, a band that mixes electronic blips with laidback guitar lines (a la Pinback) and "found sound," various sound bites including radio addresses and vocoded weather forecasts (a la Bound Stems). Singer Sean Gardner's clarion enunciation of desperate lyrics pierces the background, turning each song into a tender ballad that has less to do with healing broken relationships and more with ruminating on desolate landscapes. This is contemplative Midwestern shoegaze.

Melty Melty plays December 9 at Empty Bottle, 1035 North Western, (773)276-3600, at 10pm. $7. (2006-12-05)

Also by John Thompson

Apocalypse Now
"If the future is the apocalypse," Bridgeport native and artist Ed Marszewski declaimed to the New York Times in February, "then Bridgeport is the community of the future"
(2006-05-02)

Critical Music
Blood-and-guts art-punk that goes for the jugular and clamps on it with a wink and a smirk--that's the brand of rock South London's Art Brut has brought the world since releasing "Bang Bang Rock & Roll" last year
(2006-03-28)

about Newcitychicago | about Newcity magazine | advertising | privacy policy | FAQ | employment