On their self-titled debut album, Chicago’s New Black take a page out of the Veruca Salt handbook of quirky indie rock and mix it with a rebellious punk snarl like the Drapes for an attitude all their own. Elements of no wave and new wave filter throughout the nine-song set and New Black are fiercely confident from start to finish. Producer Greg Norman, who recorded the album at Steve Albini’s famous Electrical Audio, captures New Black’s effort of keeping things strictly rock & roll. Their overall design isn’t exactly inventive; however, an energy that’s hungry and fresh more than makes up for their lack of experience in the studio. Liam Kimball (vocals/bass) and Patti Gran (vocals/guitar) pitch and toss your typical relationship woes without getting childish. Rachel Shindelman (keyboards) and Nick Kraska (drums), who are just two of the examples of mixing business with pleasure, accent Kimball and Gran’s frenzied caterwauling. Songs such as “Booze Olympics” and “Angel With Cockroach Wings” reflect New Black’s bitter sweetness in both melody and words. The slinky garage rock stylings of “RobotoboR” hint at N.Y.C. chic, but “Last Wave” and “Twisted Lips” hone in on New Black’s danceable chaos without imitation. New Black love to hate love and hate, especially if someone of the opposite sex is involved. Instead of making that regrettable late-night drunken phone call to an ex-flame, New Black make sparks fly with a clever, aggressive album. To all the brokenhearted: get your dukes up. – MacKenzie Wilson
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