The once simply precious brand of pop rock delivered by Chicago band Glittermouse has taken on a sharper edge that we had the pleasure of witnessing this past week at Schubas. What was once a sugary and cute-with a hint of ‘fuck you’-band of many has been tuned into a well-oiled machine of showmanship and style.
First and foremost we were pleased to hear the ever-wonderful acoustics of Schubas granting a big favor to sole female of the band, Emily Sorlie, who we heard louder and clearer than ever. In the past Sorlie has been lost in all the hubbub upon stage, but this show had the redhead well heard and rocking out with a confidence more pronounced than we’d ever seen.
From the antics of keyboardist Danny Raciborski picking up his instrument and banging a water jug, to the throwing of glow sticks and sharing giant sketch pad doodles, Glittermouse is undoubtedly a band with a big stage presence. Throw a set of bouncing bassists, a pair of wailing guitarists, and a playful percussionist into the mix and what you get is a very, very busy set.
Though the band has kept some of their cutesy topics such as Animal Crackers and Red Balloons, musically they’ve grown by leaps and bounds. No longer are all the choruses’ hooky and vocals quirky, but instead Glittermouse stretches out to delve into the world of spacey guitars, high Ours-like vocals, and focused guitar riffs worth rocking out to. This seven-piece band has gone from merely cute to a force in the Chicago scene to be reckoned with. We were big fans of the bands implementation of this heavier and more intricate style, as well as the additional predominance of guitarist Rob Vignisson on backing vocals. He and front man Michael Koester already had a great chemistry going in their guitar parts, and that musical fusion only continues in the new vocal add-ons.
Be it in a divergence to nasally pop punk or one of epic rock proportion, the lead vocals of Glittermouse have noticeably grown as well, showing a versatility previously un-showcased by the band. This paired with full member choreography and a feeling of wild eccentricity, the musicians leave no doubt about the talent available to back up their horse and pony show. We predict that the more Glittermouse gets out there, the quicker their rise to a Chicago fan favorite will be.
The band currently has their debut release, Super Tactical Turbo Ultrascope, available for a free download and is in the midst of putting together a new EP. But for those of you who just can’t wait for a new release to hear the new songs, the rodent rockers will be playing a free show at Enclave on April 23rd.
Click the album cover for a free download of Glittermouse’s demo
