If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Evan Jenkins As a genre, post-punk isn't known for its beauty. That is true with the music of FACS. The Chicago band has a new single off their upcoming album that fits squarely in the post-punk category while also disguising an odd level of beauty. "You Future" isn't a pretty or melodic song. It's filled with droning guitars and an uncomfortable amount of dissonance. There are plenty of times where the instruments seem to be playing completely apart from each other. And while your average music fan is certainly not going to find anything beautiful about "You Future," fans of post-punk are going to be blown away by the beauty trying to stay hidden in the song.  Brian Case says of his band's latest single: " The final track is also the final action, look in the mirror and ask the questions. It's a future self talking to a 'you' from the past, assessing the path up until this point, questioning who you are. We bookended the al...

Photo by Evan Jenkins When we brought you "Wish Defense," the latest single from FACS, last month, we commented that it was the closest thing we've heard to a mainstream song from the Chicago band. They just released another single from their upcoming album, and all mainstream thoughts are gone with "Desire Path." Clocking in at a little over two minutes, this new single starts off with a long running squall of feedback that lasts about a quarter of the song. There is a post-punk groove running throughout, but "Desire Path" has an anxiety inducing intensity. Even as the song shifts and evolves, that uncomfortable feeling remains. We've been a fan of FACS since the Disappears days, and Wish Defense is only going to deepen that fandom. You can watch the video for "Desire Path" below. Wish Defense is due out February 7 on Trouble In Mind, and is available for pre-order here . For more on FACS, check out the artist on Facebook and Instagram ...

Photo by Evan Jenkins Chicago's FACS have returned with a reconfigured line up. Longtime bassist Alianna Kalaba has left the band and original member Jonathan Van Herik (who originally played guitar in the band) has returned on bass. Their upcoming album is also the final album engineered by the late Steve Albini. The band's new single, "Wish Defense," also has a sonic change from what we've heard previously from the trio. The song is still an experimental and jagged version of post-punk, but it's also the closest to mainstream FACS have ever been. That's not to say that your Imagine Dragons listening co-workers are going to start asking you about FACS, but there is a just barely hinted at pop sensibility that is new to the band. If you've always loved FACS, you're going to also love "Wish Defense."  You can watch the video for "Wish Defense" below. Wish Defense , the album, is due out February 7 on Trouble In Mind, and is avail...