Chicago pop-punk band Strange Faces are led by former Twin Peaks member David Miller (not our former mayor, unfortunately), and this debut album was produced by current Twin Peaks member Cadien Lake James, so it’s no surprise that a shared lo-fi 60s garage-pop sensibility threads through it. The Strange Faces are more overtly melodic than many of their competitors, and they occasionally indulge in 70s rock references.
Ten years ago, it would’ve been easier to get excited about their revisions to the Jesus and Mary Chain fuzz-and-reverb-overload formula or their amped-up version of Big Star-styled power pop, but nowadays these influences have become commonplace. They stand out more when they let loose and rock out, letting go of the indie-rock restraint to indulge in blazing guitar solos and rhythmically forceful riffs. Produced differently, their strengths could shine more and differentiate Strange Faces from the legions of distorted surf-pop revivalists.
Top track: Still Lit
