Harnessing punk anger and funneling it through a power pop structure, Armstrong have discovered a formula sought after yet not reached by Sponge and Everclear.
What makes it good instead of just interesting is the use of distortion, vacuum cleaning, fuzz/space, and exploratory “free rock” to open up and connect.
A discordant sense of melody that somehow works, a liver-than-a-live drum sound, and positive art school experimentations. Original and pleasing heavy rock.
A mixture of Chicago indie-rock with the best of Shades Apart and other original pop-punk bands. They bend tempos, use odd melodies, and spit out juicy riffs.
Straight from the Touch & Go aesthetic comes Tanger, on O&O Records, but far from pop-punk. Chicago-style indie rock a la The Jesus Lizard and Shellac.