Clip Art & Dick Prall Combine Forces, Create Pop Explosion

By Tankboy in Arts & Entertainment on Jan 28, 2011 5:20PM

Dick Prall and Clip Art are both criminally overlooked in discussions of the Chicago music scene. Prall has put in long years churning out tunes tat are consistently winners and even though Clip Art is relatively new to the scene, there’s an underlying history of equally strong musical compositions in the group’s primary DNA. Tonight, the two bands are playing together at Martyrs' so this is an excellent time for you to get acquainted with both.

Clip Art is the brainchild of Andy Rosenstein, a journeyman musician whom you’ve probably seen playing in the background with any number of local bands. In Clip Art, though, Rosenstein steps to the front and unleashes ridiculously catchy and impeccably crafted blasts of ‘70s influenced guitar rock. It’s loud but somehow Rosenstein and his band inject subtle flourishes into the mix to enhance the craftwork underlying each song. The effect is similar to a dam vibrating as it attempts to keep storm waters whipped by a monsoon at bay. Clip Art’s debut EP, Broken By Design, was definitely one of the finest local releases last year, but it’s fine tuned versions of Rosenstein’s songs just a pale indicator of the power the current live line-up of Rosenstein, Aaron Bakker and Steve Schuster delivers when the hit the stage.

After Clip Art’s set the band will stick around to form the core of Dick Prall’s backing band for this show. Prall has a long history, both under his own name and as the head of early aughts power-poppers Starch Martins, of releasing gem after sweetly satisfying musical gem and his latest Soft Right EP continues that tradition. Over the course of 17 minutes Prall offers up sturdy guitar chuggers, delicate orch-pop and, in “Word To Nothing,” a genuine barn burner we’re hoping to see ignite and catch fire onstage at some point since it seems tailor made for going ga-ga over.

If either Dick Prall or Clip Art is currently a stranger to you, tonight is the perfect opportunity to rectify that oversight and gain two new favorite bands for you to tell your friends about.

Dick Prall and Clip Art play tonight, January 28, at Martyrs', 3855 N Lincoln, 9:30 p.m., $10, 21+