K/W #02: Chronic Heist – Quick Fix with Repairs 7″ EP
The guys in Chronic Heist (from Stockholm, Sweden) gathered their musical tricks in post-hardcore bands like Jr Ewing, Trapdoor Fucking Exit and 8 Days of Nothing. Chronic Heist, however, differs very much from those previous bands, not approach-, but sound wise. With Chronic Heist they took the winding road to ‘free dudes’-state. After their impressive, debut album their new songs take ‘it’ further and sound even more ‘out there’ in a solid way. What this ‘it’ is is hard to describe. Chronic Heist passionately plays a modern version of ’70’s art/krautrock that’s dynamic and nervous, yet raw and stiff. It’s progressive spaced out glam or suburban goth (like they describe their music themselves) that was directly implemented into the ‘here & now’.
The title track ‘Quick fix with Repairs’ immediately kicks in with loud electronic piano’s and psychedelic bass riffs. It’s a great song with even greater hooks that combines the best parts of the songs on their first album. The B-side ‘The Brighter Lights’ has an odd, meandering atmosphere. You can feel the tension rise and fall until the sound erupts, scatters and fades away.
Songs:
1) Quick Fix with Repairs – 04:33
2) The Brighter Lights – 04:07
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Pressing Info:
280 copies on black vinyl with silk screened sleeve.
20 copies special ‘mirror’ edition.
Released in June 2008.
Order:
You can order this record in our store.
Reviews:
“The shambling honky-tonk goth of Chronic Heist is both familiar and other-worldly, in that I know I’ve heard it before, but I just can’t place it. The trio ambles its way through a two-track workout on this 7″, drunkenly wobbling and menacing, though desperate to hold on to the last remnants of cocktail pianist geniality. There’s something not quite right in that smile, so don’t make eye contact. No, this is not the peppy jazz of Miss Li, nor the confessional musings of Frida Hyvönen; this is darker, weirder. They’ve got swing though, that’s for sure. Those of you curious to explore the outlying edges of DIY post-hardcore/indie experimentalism, ala Tar…Feathers, Knife and Ape, et al are sure to find something to like, but I suspect casual indie heads will remain vexed. As for me, the band continues to try new things and I enjoy that, I just don’t think they’ve perfected it yet.” – Avi Roig on It’s a Trap – Scandinavian Music Magazine.
“Limited edition of 300 copies with silkscreened cardboard-sleeves! This Swedish band features ex- & current members of Jr Ewing, The Je Ne Sais Quoi and Trapdoor Fucking Exit. But it’s not Hardcore at all! The band plays a piano-driven, modern version of 70’s Art-Rock à la Roxy Music, with nods to Glam and Goth.” – X-Mist Records
More on Chronic Heist
In the beginning of January 2007, Stockholm-based Chronic Heist released their debut album »Fake This Dream« on Tell Me That You Love Me (home of Alarmaman and Kid Commando). The album was recorded during 2006 in their own studio »Studio Pelikaan« by Thomas Hedblom.
The band was formed in late 2004 by Daniel Fagerström (piano, guitar and vocals) and Gabriel Hermansson (bass and vocals). The two of them played with a couple of different drummers and machines before finding Morten Billeskalns to complete the trio. An early idea was to create a hybrid of goth and early brittish progressive rock, a style they reffered to as »Suburban Gothic«. This idea coming up from people who was and can be seen in bands like The Je Ne Sais Quoi, Pharadox, Members of Tinnitus, Musik 77, JR Ewing and Trapdoor Fucking Exit. In other words, people with an old tradition in the swedish D.I.Y. and punkscene.
In one way it is actually punk, what Chronic Heist is doing. Punk in it’s original form; music without rules. In accordance with the idea that punk is a way of seeing things, rather than a certain style of music, Chronic Heist has put themselves free to create exactly whatever they come up with. To do things, though they are or maybe because they are, musically »below the belt«.
Chronic Heist is music with a big heart and great ambitions, music that go against and with everything at the same time. Music that doesn’t give a crap about belonging to a genre. New things happen all the time – surprises come and go in a very braindamaged way. It’s the maximized experiences music! Somehow this band has put their soul into trying to transalate life in all it’s wierdness into their music – full of little tricks. Music that is really brought up by the members personalities – not a very easy thing to manage, especially not on a debut album. Music that puts originality as it’s highest priority.
Let’s call it post-punk, circus-prog or suburban gothic – it all fits!
Ladies and Getlemen: Chronic Heist!
Members
Daniel Fagerstrom – Vocals, Guitar & Piano
Gabriel Hermansson – Bass & Vocals
Morten Billeskalns – Drums