Moreno Reunites This Weekend, Prepare To Get Heavy

By Tankboy in Arts & Entertainment on Apr 24, 2015 9:00PM

Moreno circa 1999. From L-R: Sean Hulet, Chris Jasinski, Mike Schieber, Scott Rosenquist. Surprisingly they look pretty much the same. Pretty much.

Since the '90s vibe is currently ruling the indie rock (read: all rock) airwaves lately, it's not surprising a number of bands actually from that decade have been resurfacing. Chicago was particularly vibrant when it came to heavy guitar rock during those years, and hot off the heels of last week's Fig Dish reunion comes the reformation of another stalwart from the latter part of that era, Moreno.

Moreno describes themselves as "post rock," but don't let that nomenclature put images of math-ish noodling or ambient soundscapes in your head. Moreno is a motherfucking ROCK band.

Moreno's sound traffics in distinctly '90s heavy chords that crawl slowly upward in a slurry that still evokes hope. It's like a dimly-lit, from-behind movie scene that at first you mistake for subterranean glimmerings before realizing it's actually the scene of a low setting sun. Their sound is sad and weighty, but isn't despairing—this is resolve rooted in the reality of the futility of emotion. Or at least the futility of an angry dude assuming no one cares what he feels.

But of course we do.

When the band broke up and scattered across the continent years ago we assumed we'd never get a chance to get caught up in their sonic onslaught again. Happily we were wrong, since Moreno's members will reconvene in Chicago for one night this Sunday at Bottom Lounge. Also on the bill are The Cells, a band that never really broke up but plays so infrequently they may as well have. While Moreno's sound is built on slabs of aural granite, The Cells' sound is based on slivers of sharp pop that vibrates with what appears to be exuberance but is in fact a constant ping-ponging of rage and happiness. It's groovy stuff, man.

Here's a taste of Moreno's sound to get you excited for Sunday's show. Enjoy "Wrecked" off the band's long out of print Thirty three minutes and eleven seconds later... EP.

Moreno, The Cells and The Animals play Sunday, April 26, at Bottom Lounge, 1375 W Lake, 6 p.m., $10, all ages