“Just a couple of Chicago dudes in their 40’s playing indie rock tunes while the world falls apart”
Evidently, Chicago’s wellthen have been around the block a few times. Speaking to all the fellow musicians out there, being in a band is tough and thankless. As you grow older, interests change, children are born, spouses are married, and all of a sudden, you find half your band gone. Such is the case for this duo, who are making lemons out of lemonade and forging forward into new territory as a powerful two-piece. The two musicians, Aurelio Damiani and Christian Fields, have been playing together for two decades, and they’ve channeled their energies into a new, five-song EP, simply titled The demo EP. It’s informed strongly by 90s greats like REM, Pavement, and the Promise Ring – think jangly guitars, neurotic and shuffling drumbeats, and lots of oh-oh-oh melodies to sing along to.
The album kicks off with “this time” – poignant guitars ring out overtop interesting drums while perfectly-vague lyrics tell a story of not wanting to give up. The musician in me thinks “this time” is about not wanting to give up being in a band, but wellthen was deft enough to give this song more of a mass appeal, spinning an eternal sense of longing into something simple and relatable:
I’m happy to wait
For any other day it happens it’s all I’m asking for
Forever and a day
I’m never gonna hear it again
And if we could stay
Maybe we could make it happen it’s all I’m asking for
Song two, “The Way It Goes,” certainly brings to mind the jangly urgency of REM and gets our nod for EP favorite. The spindly, spiraling guitars twist and turn through a beautiful, plucked arpeggio before launching into a gently crunchy chorus. It’s a simmering vibe that never quite reaches a rolling boil, but that’s perfect for this duo, who seem to excel in the spaces between slow burn and barnburner.
There’s lots to enjoy here on The demo EP – wellthen explores synth accompaniments on the angular, stabbing “Sides,” where super low frequency bass hits drop like a lead weight against the featherlight vibes found on the aforementioned “The Way it Goes.” Song four, “house of gold,” finds the duo yearning for nicer things and an easier life, which rings especially true in these perpetually difficult times. They wrap things up with the Beatles-esque album closer “most days,” with it’s jaunty and poignant crescendo that surges vibrantly until it comes to a dead stop.
Keep your eyes peeled for wellthen’s full length coming out soon – The demo EP is a tasteful glimpse into the bright future these two are setting up for themselves. The demo EP is out now (May 13th, 2024). Be sure to check it out via Bandcamp. If you like what you hear, it’s available via a generous “name your price” purchasing option.