Three cheers for Montana rock'n'roll!
A smattering of stellar new music from across the Treasure State.
Welcome to Big Sky Chat House—a newsletter of candid conversations with Montanans of all stripes…plus some arts & culture reporting, too.
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Once or twice a week, I’ll visit the digital music emporium Bandcamp to search for the latest releases from Montana artists. With rare exception, I am delightfully surprised—and occasionally left baffled—by what I find. Just the other morning, for instance, I listened to a high-octane fist-pumping howler from the Missoula punk trio Try Again, a slinky R&B number called “Tough Titty” from a band called Milk, and a Spanish-language, slow-burning waltz from a rafting guide who goes by Mákete. At least a dozen more acts had released music in the past few weeks, from club-ready EDM to trunk-shaking hip-hop and chaotic drone compositions from an ensemble called, alas, Panic Boner.
Amidst the deluge of new music this fall, a handful of Montana rock and roll bands have felt particularly captivating. Exuberant, punchy, and boasting a penchant for both terrific melodies and fast tempos, these groups are making the genre feel fresh and fun. Here are my favorites:
Senterline - I Spoke to the Sun Today
On their debut LP, the Missoula trio Senterline check a lot of boxes: arena-sized choruses, a walloping rhythm section, vivid guitar work and enough angst to fill a Kurt Cobain-sized hole in your heart. While the album front loads some of its more melodic moments, I love the full-throttle shredding that takes center stage on its back half, too.
Favorite track: “Something’s Gotta Give”
For fans of: Nirvana, driving over the speed limit, the Town & Country Lounge
Hey, ily! - Hey, I Loathe You!
I’ve been a huge fan of Billings’ Hey, ily! for years. Their pop-rock-punk songs tend to teeter, thrillingly, on the verge of collapse: a sunny chorus takes a nosedive into a stew of sound, a rock crescendo crumbles into a sea of digital feedback. The band’s new record, Hey, I Loathe You!, offers a more streamlined—but no less exciting—iteration of the band’s approach. This music will keep you on your toes—from the wild goop of “Wind-up Toy” to the super-catchy “(Dis)Connected.”
Favorite track: “Feel Good Forever”
For fans of: The Menzingers, Ataris, taking tequila shots and playing laser tag
The Gray Goo and Schticky -The Schticky Gray Goo EP
A split EP from two Flathead Valley bands—Schticky and the Gray Goo—the Schticky Gray Goo EP takes prog-rock shredding to hyperbolic new heights. All of the three tracks here extend past the 12-minute mark; suites full of fuzzy guitars, zany haunted house lyrics and chugging double-kick drums. (And hey, for the on-brand price of $6.66, it can be yours!)
Favorite track: “The Philosophers’ Stoned”
For fans of: King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Spinal Tap, Halloween
** I’ll be doing more intermittent music reviews down the road. If you / your friend / your mailman / your ex has a cool band and is looking for coverage, please don’t hesitate to reach out! msavagelevenson@gmail.com.
One more thing…
My colleagues at the Political Climate podcast and I recently recorded an interview with US Rep. Bruce Westerman, the Republican Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee. Westerman brings his background in forestry and deep knowledge of energy policy to bear on a range of topics—from the fate of the Inflation Reduction Act and the potential of geothermal energy to his optimism about permitting reform. I can’t say I agree with every point that Westerman makes here, but I really appreciate his candor and the depths of his wonkiness!