Chicago music critic Tankboy meant that in a good way, and SND ON SND (pronounced “sound on sound”) took it as a compliment. That’s good, because it wouldn’t be the last time the Chicago band heard it. Apparently the four songs on the quartet’s 2007 debut EP, Gaily We Prance About, and the others SND ON SND plays live, tend to remind listeners of the halcyon days of Clinton administration indie rock - particularly the Midwestern variety.
Such a specific designation is increasingly rare. Not to get all nauseatingly nostalgic, but there was a time before the Internet when you could discern a band’s hometown by what came from the speakers. A band from New York didn’t sound the same as one from San Francisco or D.C. or Denver or Champaign—no one would confuse Versus for Jawbreaker or Jawbox or Christie Front Drive or Braid. Those bands (among others) heavily influenced SND ON SND when it came together in Chicago during the twilight of the Bush administration, years after that sound had apparently disappeared. “That’s OK,” another guy told SND ON SND, “because the ’90s are coming back.”
Regardless, SND ON SND don’t set out to write within a template. They just play melodic indie rock that favors punk, but loves a good pop hook, the occasional noisy freakout, and even tinges of the roots-rock that morphed into alt-country. It’s kind of messy and ill-defined, but isn’t all the best music that way?
SND ON SND is currently writing the successor to Gaily We Prance About, which they plan to record later this spring. In the meantime, they’ll perform live on WLUW’s Radio One program in late March or April and continue to play relentlessly around the Midwest—and beyond its cozy confines. Maybe they’ll remind people of the recent past, but they’ll mostly make fans in the present.
SND ON SND DISCOGRAPHYSplit 7-inch with J CHURCH, August 2007 (Underground Communiqué)
Gaily We Prance About CDEP, October 2007 (self-released)
SND ON SND is:
Lizz Kannenberg (bass/vocals)
Kyle Ryan (guitar/vocals)
Jonathan Sarmiento (drums/vocals)
Vel Vetri (guitar)
For fans of: Versus, The Replacements, Jimmy Eat World, Jawbreaker, Braid/Hey Mercedes, Jawbox.
HIGH-RES PRESS PHOTOS & DOWNLOADABLE MP3s available here.
DUDES!! I'm so excited to finally play with you guys. I need to get my hands on a copy of that EP. You're press bio is incredibly accurate...in a good way.
Yes - It is necessary to post this on Your Band page, as Well. The Velvet Orb/Spin Glitter should be for everyone to enjoy, even as a Flrlrlrlllrlesco. We're all Orbs.
Hey thanks for the add...I love your stuff...may have to come see ya live @ da Note on 2/9. (was wondering what to do/where to have friends go for my bday). Problem solved. Looks like we have mucho mutual friends. See ya later....
We will be there for you, Snd'ers. We will be there cheering you on during your ascent to stardom. We will be there as your breakthrough CD breaks all the records for a major debut. And we will be there when Lizz gets a solo deal and leaves the rest of you behind.
