Based in Chicago, Downside Salesman consists of Alissa Wolff on drums, Joey Schuringa (of Pretty Pleased) on bass and backing vocals and Bobby Lane (of The Big Leagues) on guitar and vocals. Listening to this band’s music, I’m reminded of the sort of hard-hitting punk that drew me in back in the early 2000s. While there’s an in-your-face quality for sure, it was the overall emotional impact as well as the nice melodies and harmonies that really struck me.
The band’s upcoming Wastehaven EP contains three tracks, the video for the first of which, “Diagnosis Negative,” is premiering below. Marked by a combination of sometimes claustrophobic visuals and intense sound, this video comes across as a quintessential COVID-era music video. At various points, the band is seen playing in what seem to be basements, garages, and the cramped confines of an attic, a space which doesn’t even appear to allow the players to stand upright. The copious amounts of PBR may also be reflective of 2020. I can't argue.
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In describing the debut release, drummer Alissa Wolf has this to say: ““We started recording Wastehaven before the pandemic was in full swing - COVID threw a wrench in the process but overall it allowed us to really fine tune the songs on this EP and brought us closer as a band. The songs on Wastehaven talk about struggle with change and the process of trying to do better and be better - something everyone should be striving for.” Here’s hoping we aspire to do just that in 2020’s closing months and beyond.
Wastehaven is out next Tuesday, October 20th, and can be preordered here.
