The Pirate Electric Releases Debut EP, “Hungover in Tuscany / Ice Cream Songbird”
Southside Chicagoans bring good-time rock n roll vibes up north
by Brandon Wisch
Making their debut, The Pirate Electric comes in heavy with their two-song, back-to-back, foot stomping’ release, “Hungover in Tuscany / Ice Cream Songbird.”
This five-piece gang of goonies hails from Chicago’s Mt. Greenwood, a predominately Irish neighborhood on the southwest side. “I can’t deny that growing up in the Irish-dominated neighborhood of Mt. Greenwood has put the spirit of the ‘pub song’ in our hearts,” explained frontman Anthony Rojas, “which I think comes through on ‘Hungover in Tuscany,’ whose chorus begs to be sung in some pub after seven pints of Guinness or Amstel.”
Along with the ol’ liquid influence weighing in on their sound, these boys also credit the less-is-more, garage rock attitude as a vital component in the recipe for cookin’ up tracks. The Pirate Electric is definitely notable for delivering the most satisfactory brand of the oh-so-familiar Windy City folksy rock n roll that rattles your noggin the same way flushing down a shot of Malört with a cold Old Style does, ya dig?
These guys first set sail at a hometown bar called Hinky Dink’s, who gave ’em 2 1/2 hours every Sunday to showcase those jaunty tunes for all the port side scallywags until they met a promoter who would later lead them to new villages to rock and pillage throughout Chicago. According to Anthony, “The Pirate Electric is one of the few original bands who play that far south. When I moved up north I immediately started going to the music venues in my area and tried to get us gigs. It worked and now we play shows all across the city.” After getting their feet wet in the scene, TPE debuted their 2-song release during November of 2017.
Straight out from the starting gate with “Hungover in Tuscany,” these dudes meet you with that extra rustic, parlor rock vibe, nice gritty vocals, very raw and direct, while being backed by a sturdy acoustic riff and one of the catchiest choruses to ever grace the ears of Chicago’s public. That type of chorus that’ll have you linking arms and cheersing beers with total strangers, belting out your best “na nuna na nuh naa naaaahs” until your voice is hoarse.
To follow up that boot stompin’ number, on the second track “Ice Cream Songbird,” these scurvy electro mates decide to flex their dynamic muscle and bring some extra favors to the party with a lot more layered and textural sound as opposed to the first track’s straight-down-to-it energy. Very alluring guitar tones weaved beneath real vulnerable and emotional vocal delivery, with all types of motion and commotion as we tread the musical seas, sailing this electric current with The Pirate Electric.
Be on the look out for their full length coming out 2018!!
for fans of: The Pogues, The Killers, Andrew Jackson Jihad
