The Streets On Fire: This Is Fancy

The Streets On Fire
This Is Fancy
The Currency Exchange [2010]









Fire Note Says: Spend some time grooving to the post-punk of Chicago's Streets On Fire.

Album Review:
This Chicago band made several local publications "bands to watch" lists early this year and after checking out their debut This Is Fancy, you will know why. Their post-punk sound is dirty, grinding, guitar driven and an outright 30 minutes of fun. Lead singer Chadwick's grooving howl is both out front and sometimes muffled but is consistently a force to reckon with, as his swagger sells each song, while he pushes them into your head. The band also shines on the perfectly titled instrumental "Chadwick Shut Up" and overall provides a constant forward mix that sounds both progressive and very Chicago. This Is Fancy is anything but, as the record was recorded over the course of four days with the help of friends using analog recording gear and tracking to a 1” 8-track MCI tape machine. The album was mixed at Chicago’s famed Studio 11 and had the mastering touch of Shellac’s Bob Weston. All of this culminates into a record that has a surging pulse and memorable tracks plus at the end of the day can you really pass up the monkey cover?

Key Tracks: "No One's Fucking To The Radio", "Hey Lou", "Fancy"

Bands With Similar Fire:
Brainiac
Girls Against Boys
The Jesus Lizard

The Streets On Fire MySpace
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-Reviewed by Christopher Anthony