The growth spurts are coming quick for Lifeguard. At the epicenter of Chicago’s underground scene bursting at its seams, the fledgling indie rock trio of guitarist and vocalist Kai Slater, bassist and vocalist Asher Case, and drummer Isaac Lowenstein have found themselves in it at the right time with the right support system, with Lowenstein’s sister, Penelope, having experienced her own breakthrough success recently as part of their scene peers Horsegirl, and Case’s dad, Brian, being the leader of experimental rockers FACS. All three of those bands are bonded by their penchant for weird, loud guitar rock with an acknowledgement of the history creating it, but in the case of Lifeguard, Dressed In Trenches – their second EP and first release since signing with Matador Records – introduces them to audiences outside of that scene as ones to watch live with a doubling down in connective energy to match it. Paired with a re-release of last year’s debut EP, Crowd Can Talk, the five songs comprising this listen profess a quick-coming confidence in bolder lines defined within their sound with clearer grasp on its visceral nature, thus maximizing the spark that catches attention like fire, and turns pops of noisemaking into an ignited artform. The post-punk collisions of “17-18 Lovesong”, dizzying wield of percussion and calamity of “Alarm” and “Ten Canisters (OFB)”, and the thinking person’s post-hardcore of “Shutter, Shutter” and “Tell Me When” make it known in short order that Lifeguard are eager to understand past boundaries, and now dare to redefine their own here beyond them. Their flag represents the next generation of a community not only in a state of evolution, but a hungry desire to build new branches from it.

Highlights: “17-18 Lovesong”, “Alarm”, “Ten Canisters (OFB)”

Lifeguard’s Crowd Can Talk / Dressed In Trenches is available now on Matador Records.

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