Sound check: Hit play on new releases from Fluorescents, Til Morning, ZORILA
Another week in quarantine means another week without live shows. But despite the adversity, Chicago-area bands are stepping up to express themselves and entertain the locked-down masses. This week offers some new releases to check out:
'Dormancy' by Fluorescents
On Tuesday, the Chicago-area post-pop-punk band Fluorescents premiered its new video for the single “Dormancy” on Chicago Sound Check. The band - Norridge's Tyler Milka, Bobby Guidi and Sasquel Exum from Chicago and Michigan native Alex Klump - had been transitioning to a season of growth, playing larger venues to bigger crowds before coronavirus fears slowed things down. “It's a big metaphor,” said Milka, Fluorescents' frontman and the single's writer. “With 'Dormancy' I was feeling personally like you're no longer in real life. You're trying to accomplish more, and then you have a moment of realization. … Feeling forlorn because you haven't been living up to your potential.” Alex Zarek translated the catchy single into a high-energy performance video folks should check out. See the video and read our interview with Tyler Milka at chicagosoundcheck.com.
'Okay' by Til Morning
In the video for Til Morning's new single, “Okay,” Danny Wren, Mickey Molinari and brothers Devin and Patrick Parker perform through the song alongside a story, which takes viewers through from a couple's first date to the end of the relationship. Carrying on the raw and relatable pop-rock sound they crafted under the band's previous moniker Parker, the members of Til Morning know how to engage an audience and do so with the story clips of the video, which premiered today on Chicago Sound Check.
'Sidney (acoustic)' by ZORILA
Last year's release of its debut full-length album, “Sidney,” ushered alternative rock foursome ZORILA onto Chicago stages. Wanting to give some love to a few of their favorites from the first album, band members - Nate Finn from Sidney, Illinois, Anthony Hish of Plainfield, and brothers Stew and Henry Arp of Paris, Illinois - recorded the release of the four-song acoustic take on “Disaster,” “Clearwater,” “Vices” and “Rollercoaster.” Just in time to tide us over while they work on new songs.
<i> Brian Shamie is a Daily Herald multiplatform editor and local music junkie. Email him at bshamie@dailyherald.com, find him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter (@thatshamieguy) or Instagram (@chicagosoundcheck). Brian also keeps tabs on the Chicago-area music scene at chicagosoundcheck.com.</i>