Wags writesShow Notes: Archie Powell & The Exports - Release Show

I've only recently been introduced to Archie Powell's local brand of power-punk as a DJ at Chirp but I’m a total sucker for their catchy melodies and the self-deprecating humor of their lyrics. After hearing their latest album Back in Black I decided I had to see them live. Wouldn't you know it but their record release show happened to be a week ago at the Subterranean.

The show featured an assortment of local talent including Columbia's own Pet Lions and also the garage rock of Soft Speaker. Both bands put in solid performances but I was waiting for Archie to take over. He arrived on stage and launched into the first track from their new record with manic abandon. For those familiar with Archie's songwriting this album is quite a bit darker than what you might be used to. Borrowing as much from Elvis Costello as Kurt Cobain, Archie careened around the stage colliding with various band members screaming "Everything's fucked!" He focused mainly on songs from his new album including two standout tracks that have been featured on Chirp "Electrocute my Heart" and "I'm Gonna Lose It". He played plenty of material from his older records for longtime fans too, including a song he wrote in tribute to the acquired taste of the singular Chicago spirit Malört.

Throughout the show he bantered with the crowd with self-deprecating comments about how "Even now the Red Eye is reporting that my release show was disappointing". He finished out the night with fan favorite "Only So Much You Can Do". A bouncy anthem about the joys of being a broke band on tour trying to survive. I walked away from the show feeling like Chicago is lucky to have a band like Archie Powell & the Exports. While unfortunately, they may never reach as large of an audience as they deserve to, in a city with strong traditions of power-pop and punk rock they fit right in.