No Smelling Salts Required

By Lizz Kannenberg in Arts & Entertainment on Jun 7, 2007 3:28PM

The Comas have been at this shit for a while now. Originally formed in Chapel Hill, NC in 1998, their blistering brand of psychedelic-soaked garage rock has left a steady stream of sweaty, melted faces in its wake for nearly the past decade. They’ve collected some of the most desirable accolades an independent-spirited band can hope for, including contacts with North Carolina tastemakers Yep Roc and (currently) Vagrant Records, shoe shines from Pitchfork Media, Rolling Stone, and Spin magazines, and the guiding hand and ear of producer Bill Racine (The Flaming Lips, Rogue Wave, Mates of State). Yet the Comas remain fairly unknown outside of a certain blog-happy audience, which creates a sort of this-is-almost-a-real-career position that’s both exciting and perilous.

This may sound somewhat common amongst “indie darling” bands – those that have the critics’ ears and pens abuzz but still struggle to make an impact on the mainstream – but the Comas set themselves apart with curious lyrical subject matter that’s more literary (or is it downright geeky?) than most bedroom bands. The fuzzy-toned, sci-fi inspired stories on current release Spells replaces the breakup therapy frontman Andy Herod sought on 2004’s Conductor, pointing the band towards the more cerebral side of the underground tracks once occupied by the likes of Pavement and early Modest Mouse.

So yeah, check out the Comas tonight. Chicagoist discovered ‘em in the old-fashioned way - through a friend’s recommendation – which in our minds is the most intimate way to be turned on to new music. Luckily for you, Chicagoist is your friend! Heck, we even invited you to our birthday party, so stop by Subterranean for a 312 before or after hitting the Beat Kitchen…

The Comas play the Beat Kitchen tonight with Flying Over Iceland and Bailiff | 9pm |$10