This new feature is called No Place Like Home. The point of it is to interview bands about their hometowns and why they love where they’re from. When traveling it is always best to have a local to direct you to the spots worth spending your time and hard earned money.
When one of our readers travels to a place that is foreign to them they will have some solid recommendations from an awesome source, one of their favorite bands!
I know I look forward to checking out some of these places and am sure that there are many others who would be interested. Eventually the intention is to have a full blown travel guide here at B.G.M.!
The concept of a war bride is quite interesting. Essentially, a war bride is someone that ties the knot with military personnel from an occupying actively warring foreign country. After the occupation, the war bride immigrates to the spouse’s country. That has got to be an insanely complex situation to be in and emotions must be all out of whack.
War Brides, the band, dips their toes in many heavy and noisy genres. A toxic rainbow cast of sounds.
Their music is emotionally charged and will leave you in sweaty mess begging for more. Noise rock is abrasive. It pummels your brain relentlessly and then uses your beat up body to wipe up the floor. For a genre loved by so many, it sure likes to punish the ones who are fans.
For many fans that keep going to live shows in dingy basements their reward for supporting the music they love is tinnitus and sore necks.
War Brides have the power to induce such conditions through their recordings.
With a couple of EPs under their belt, Regrets is the band’s debut full length. The opening track is “Clean”. Immediately you know this is not going to be a passive listen. Gripping math rock style riffs carry you to the brink.
Taking you right to the edge of losing it is a common theme throughout Regrets.
The moods are similar but not the same on the tracks throughout. “Day Drinking” is a fast and furious soundtrack for your next BBQ.
Shotgun some beers at an unreasonable pace!
“Designer Life” will make you rampage the mall giving yuppies wedgies. “Halitosis” is a standout. This track stanks so good you will want to roll around in it. The desperation and slow burning grind of “Cubano” will allow you to actually see the paint peeling off of your walls trying to get away.
War Brides will attack you from all angels. All five senses are in danger of getting beaten into submission.
Despite this external force putting the listener’s mind, body, and soul under constant siege a union is formed. A marriage that keeps us connected and wanting to return to that abrasive and noisy state of mind. WE are war brides in that sense.
Rating: 4/5
You can pick up Regrets on slick opaque green vinyl (limited to 100) or on classic black HERE.
I would like to thank Grant (guitarist for War Brides) for being a part of this inaugural edition of No Place Like Home.
Where does War Brides call home and how long have you been there?
Chicago. Some of us were born here, others of us moved here a long time ago.
Are there any attractions you would consider touristy that you would also consider a can’t-miss for visitors?
The museums are what I dig, and specifically the museum campus that has the Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, and Adler Planetarium. The Field Museum has the world’s most complete dinosaur skeleton.
If you are hosting friends or family for a weekend, where would you bring people for grub?
Parson’s Chicken & Fish — pretty obvious what they serve. Hang out on the patio, get some fried chicken, and drink a bunch of drinks. If you get tired of paying for expensive drinks, they have Old Milwaukee.
A key to any hometown is a local watering hole. Any spots that you like to go for drinks? Breweries, dive bars, distilleries…whatever floats your boat.
Haywood Tavern is where I prefer to drink. Probably the place I’ve had the most drinks in the last few years. The food is a rad mix of pub, comfort, and Asian inspired food. Basically a hangover cure in a meal.
Music is life. What music venues should people be checking the calendars for shows to catch?
Chicago has a ton of venues — in Logan Square alone there’s like 4 or 5 decent venues to catch a show at least 6 days of the week. That said, my favorite venue is the Empty Bottle.
After working up a sweat at a good show are there any late night spots to grab a bite or a night cap?
Haywood Tavern again. Though, if you need an even later spot, probably the California Clipper, Green Eye, or The Continental. Though, if you if you attended a show, you’re already at a bar.
The morning after can be rough. Where is your go-to for breakfast and/or coffee?
Dark Matter coffee is the best, and you can get it at Star Lounge. I drink that several times a week. For food, getting a biscuit with sausage and pie at Bang Bang Pie is how I like to spend my morning. There’s donut places everywhere now, since that became a trend. I usually hate on trends, but it’s hard to hate donuts.
To get out of town life, what are the nature based options surrounding your city? Any good hikes, camping and other fun outdoors stuff to do?
Chicago has tons of parks, and a few large major ones. Probably the most obvious outdoors thing to do, is go to the beaches along the lake shore of Lake Michigan, and do some grilling.