Good Scourge, Bad Scourge

By Scott Smith in Arts & Entertainment on Sep 27, 2006 5:37PM

Chicagoist gets plenty of press releases sent its way pimping everything from bands we’ve never heard of to ones we wish we hadn’t. We usually end up ignoring the ones laden with publicist-speak and looking into the simple requests from bands that make it worth braving the hellacious web design of MySpace.

The Scourge of the Sea is one of those bands.

Like your junior high school diary, their full-length album, Make Me Armored, features songs with references to kittens, hookers and chocolate chips. We spent most of yesterday evening letting ourselves be seduced by their words and guitar. Lines like “I loved your lips on your overbite” gave birth to an intense desire to make out with someone RIGHT NOW. Our pillow made no complaints.

Tune in to Radio DePaul at 1:30 p.m. today for more of the Kentucky pop charm of Scourge of the Sea or see them this evening at Subterranean at 9 p.m. with Paleo and Cody Diekhoff.

Speaking of scourges, it seems that every time we turn around we hear of one band or another whose tour is cancelled due to the theft of their equipment. If only local rockers Milk at Midnight were so lucky. Seems that back in July, their van was minding its own automotive business when suddenly vandals descended upon it, smashing its windows, slashing its tires and spray-painting some not-so-nice things on it. A week later, someone set the van on fire and turned it into something akin to those cars you see in the slideshows they showed you in high school to try and convince you not to drink and drive after Prom.

We’re fans of MaM (and one of our writers is tight with them) so we have a vested interest in seeing them back out on the road. So if romantic, hooky pop isn’t your thing (or you’re still up for more after the show) then hit the Pontiac tonight for “Get MaM Back In the Van,” a fundraiser for the gents featuring performances from Farewell Captain, Skid Marks from The Ladies and Gentlemen and the Milk at Midnight boys themselves, who could probably use a ride home after the show. Suggested donation is $5-10.