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POST SOCIAL – Post Social
(2014 Self-Release)
Download the album here.
Post Social will perform on the MAMA/High Noon Stage at Wurst Times Fest V on May 23rd.
The future of Madison music needs shades. A host of young bands, in or just out of high school, are making a big impact not only in recorded output but on some of the city’s main stages. The success of Modern Mod, I Saw the Creature and Sam Lyons are obvious examples, to name just a few, and there are other bands joining in the celebration including Post Social. Though you may only just be hearing about them, Post Social, like most bands who are “new” have spent a lot of time honing their skills. The band , which consists of Mitch Deitz (guitar and vocals), Sam Galligan (bass), Brendan Manley (drums), Siv Early (vocals) and Shannon Connor (guitar, vocals, keyboards), has been playing for eight years, longer than the lifespan of many musical ventures.
Post Social has recently demonstrated their rising popularity by completely selling out of this debut CD. If you want it, you’ll need to download it from the band’s Bandcamp page. And it will be worth the trouble. Post Social is full of indie-rock charm, angular songs with clever guitar interplay, brooding lyrics and engaging instrumental departures. The single-line guitar figures can recall the Cure, while some of the more explorative passages bring Sonic Youth to mind as does the lead and female backing vocals. Those vocals will also occasionally bring Lou Reed to mind. Wisconsin music fans who remember Ivory Library and the current reinvention of that band as Squarewave will find this appealing. And yet the band has already established a uniqueness, that intangible something that gives their collective sound an identity and that makes the future very bright indeed.
Post Social was recorded and produced by Ricky Reimer at Science of Sound. Reimer perfectly captures the band’s aesthetic and the resulting mix is superb, never becoming excessive. Post Social joins the discography of the SoS studio output, which is so impressive and encapsulates what is truly extraordinary about music produced in Madison.
The best elements of Post Social are summed up in “Running on Fumes” a catchy, concisely constructed tune that pulses with youthful exuberance. This track highlights the rhythmic foundation that drives the band, especially the bass playing abilities of Sam Galligan. Drummer Brendan Manley (son of B-Side Records’ Steve Manley) is stellar throughout Post Social, already establishing himself as an accomplished timekeeper.
“Days” is another outstanding track, a dreamy, summery composition with sparkling guitars that force the listener into a feel-good state. The twin guitar interplay in the middle section is an excellent example of this band’s musicianship. That’s followed by another gem, “Something in the Water,” which also highlights the inventiveness in the guitars before breaking into a driving groove. If that weren’t enough, the song incorporates a killer vocal hook in the chorus. For Sonic Youth influences, check the psychedelic build of “The Wire,” a six-minute excursion that will leave you mesmerized. The band closes with another outstanding dream-pop track, “New Song.”
A most impressive debut, Post Social belongs in every local music aficionado’s collection. It will keep you buzzing through the summer and gives us all faith that there is no shortage of young, accomplished artists ready to take up the mantle of Madison Music and march proudly into the future.
