"Bailiff's EP mm hmm astounds with it's first-take live recordings. The single, "What I Was," starts with a mysterious lone guitar subsequently joined by the rest of the band for a perfectly controlled crescendo--it's hard to believe it isn't mastered. I'm guessing these guys grew up listening to Cobain, Meat Puppets, and maybe the lighter of the group, Built to Spill, but they make this single a moody of their very own. Bailiff is comprised of Josh Seigel on the guitar, Ren Matthews on drums, and Marc Bonadies on the bass. This three-piece comes together as Chicago's version of a subdued Black Keys, but no more comparing, just enjoy what it is--musicians that are praised for their live performance (over 100 people showed up to their debut show at the Beat Kitchen) but work just as well as a live recording. This post-grunge blues-rock sound makes you wish head banging was popular again. But this is not a 90s remake, Bailiff creates a tight, blues-infused sound that conveys so much emotion that you don't have to hear lyrics to feel what the song is about. But do listen--the lyrics hark back to how blues and the roots of rock started, through simplicity--"I don't mind, I told you what I was." Bailiff's single is a refreshing homage to genres of the past, as they say, "it's all been said, all the song's been sung," but somehow this song takes all of that to father their own new, dare I say, Chicago sound."
Josh Siegel - Bailiff's front man in the studio. Photo Credit: Brian Buckley.by Emily Hochman
Chicago Music Project writer at large.
