2023's is the first release from Chicago trio that's gotten much traction outside their hometown or among noise rock obsessives, though you might not guess that to hear it. This collection of two EPs -- one previously released, one not -- is taut, hard-hitting, and overflowing with jagged guitars, thick and nimble basslines, and hard, brilliantly punctuated rhythms. It sounds like the work of a band who have spent many years striving to sound this ferocious. The precision and confidence of the music is a marvel in and of itself, and the fury of 's guitar work should impress anyone who enjoys hearing an instrument let out an eloquent howl. While some of 's guitar tricks suggest he was weaned on classic-era , and bassist and drummer 's unrelenting rhythmic attack is straight out of the playbook of their Chicago forebearers the , have absorbed their influences and made them into something that feels their own. The chaotic wisdom of their musical ideas and the rigor of their technique make for a one-two punch that's devastating. isn't the most tuneful music you'll encounter this year, but "Fifty Seven" shows they know how to come up with a melody when circumstances demand it, and there's a brutal but genuine musicality here that shines through even when these songs are exploding like a brick of firecrackers. As 's first major salvo, is a superb statement of purpose and demonstration of strength, and anyone who still believes in the possibilities of the electric guitar needs it in their life. ~ Mark Deming