Shootin' You The Wanton Looks

By Tankboy in Arts & Entertainment on Mar 30, 2012 6:00PM

Look, let's not rehash this whole "OMG GIRLS CAN ROCK" thing, OK? They can. And look no further than Chicago's The Wanton Looks because this female four-piece culled from the cream of the underground scene can put together some ferociously good music. You've seen all these cats before in bands like Paper Bullets, Reptoids, The Howl and Slutter so don't be surprised by the familiar faces or the volume or the wild stage shows. Seriously, The Wanton Looks are a lot of fun live. But this is all to be expected.

The band's releasing their self-titled debut, and here's where the unexpected part of the equation pops up. While we've always been charmed by the group's grasp of melody it tends to get a little lost in the chaos of their live shows. But goddamn is this album full of hooks and tight little punchy songs. Look, we've liked just about every band these folks have played in but the alchemy this quartet puts together on this disc is probably the kost powerful mixture they've cooked up yet. And the most surprising thing is that there's a fair amount of emotional vulnerability running through these songs that just adds another delicious layer to the proceedings. "86 Me" could be read as a kiss-off but there's a regret there that adds believability to the tune and "All I Want Is You" is something either a teenager or someone suffering from a midlife crisis could sing on the front lawn of a paramour's house. Don't worry, things never get maudlin but it's refreshing to see honest emotion instead of swagger and posturing in punk rock. This is an album worth checking out from a local band that will probably be receiving a lot more attention in the near future.

The Wanton Looks play a record release show tomorrow, March 31, at Schubas, 3159 N Southport, 10 p.m., $8, 21+