Photo by Evan Jenkins

On regular rotation over at these pages right now and befitting of these winter (and societal?) doldrums is Wish Defense, the upcoming offering from the great Chicago experimental rockers, FACs. Even if it weren’t for the footnote that it’s the last recording of alternative studio guru Steve Albini, something about the album feels viscerally louder than previous efforts, with its latest preview and album closer, “You Future”, being the final action that takes a hard stare into the self and channels whatever reflects into the noise of the trio’s heavy atmosphere. “Are you the same as you were? / Erratic / Sentimental / Eyes the size of an American mile,” vocalist and guitarist Brian Case ponders into the mirror. The deeper he looks, the more sound resonates off of its surface. Eventually, a rash of electric energy overwhelms the flicker and shine. That may just be the sound of shattering perception…

FACS’ Wish Defense will be February 7th on Trouble In Mind Records.