Brontosaurus Lumbers Onto The Music Scene
By Sarah Cobarrubias in Arts & Entertainment on Jun 15, 2011 7:20PM
Brontosaurus may be new to the local music community -- the band formed just last year -- but its members are no strangers to music. Both multi-instrumentalists, Nicholas Papaleo was raised on classical and indie rock, while Nicholas Kelley grew up to the sounds of metal and prog rock. The duo has already developed a solid sound, merging their musical backgrounds into sometimes charming, sometimes ominous experimental pop, and yesterday they released their debut album.
Cold Comes to Claim opens with the lyrics “listeners beware,” but don’t heed that advice. It may be at times dark and unsettling but it’s consistently engaging, filled with orchestral instrumentation, intricate layers, and gradual shifts - graceful at one moment then frenetic another. “Bloodlines” for example begins with a plucked medieval melody, rises and falls throughout, then finally builds into an epic climax of crashing drums, distorted guitar, and vocal harmonies.
Brontosaurus is heading out of state for the first time this weekend for a brief U.S. tour, but they’ll return to Chicago early next month for a release show at the Empty Bottle July 7. Supporting will be local dream pop quartet Color Radio, who will also be celebrating the release of their first full-length, Architects. Headlining will be experimental folk ensemble The Soil and The Sun.
By the way, this show is FREE with RSVP. Just email rsvp@emptybottle.com with “Brontosaurus” in the subject line and your name in the email body. And in the meantime, listen to the opening track of Cold Comes to Claim:
Brontosaurus plays Thursday, July 7 at The Empty Bottle, 1035 N Western, 9:30 p.m., $8 or Free with RSVP, 21+