Mike Long
Contributing Writer
It’s reaching the end of the semester and everyone is panicking in one way or another. Underclassmen are feeling the effects of the work ramping up to finals and seniors are too busy contemplating how they’ll be forced to sell their labor and how they do so will affect their position in society for the rest of their lives. Let’s just say it’s a tough time for everyone.
Luckily, WAC has their own (temporary) solution to those ills with their concert in Douglass Hall this Saturday, April 16 at 9 p.m. Have a blissful and relaxing evening by listening to the mellow lineup curated by WAC with the main purpose of creating a good time before we all unfortunately shuffle off this mortal coil (eventually). Come listen to sets from indie group Generifus and improvisational jazz trio Typical Sisters with an opening acoustic set by Wooster’s own Sue Reon Kim ’16.
Generifus, a group coming all the way from Olympia, Washington, brings their newly-minted low-fi sound and subdued take on indie rock to Wooster following their newest release, titled sometimes tries. Whereas the band has been active for a few years under the guidance of lead vocalist/guitarist Spencer Sult and has a surprisingly large number of releases for being such a new group, the members began experimenting with a low-fi production style to bring more intimacy to their already-intimate pop/rock sound with a folk touch. Their new release is both quiet and expansive, sounding like a cross-breeding of low-fi artists like Daniel Johnston and Car Seat Headrest with newer folk rock-inspired artists like The War on Drugs.
On the other side, expect another great set from Typical Sisters, an improvisational jazz trio (who are emphatic in insisting they are not a Twisted Sister cover band). For some people (like me), it can be hard to get into jazz music because it is either too dated and conventional or too abstract and inaccessible. Typical Sisters — made up of guitarist Gregory Uhlmann, bassist Clark Sommers, and drummer Matt Carroll (whose other band, Marrow, played at Wooster last year) — manage to thread the needle and make expansive and imaginative music which does not sacrifice enjoyment or accessibility.
With their brand of easygoing, minimal jazz arrangements which betray a sense of humor, Typical Sisters goes beyond jazz in creating lively, relaxing music by using different musical textures not normally found in the genre. The trio seems to have an affinity for the more abstract varieties of post-rock with reviewers favorably comparing their sound to bands of that style like Do Make Say Think. Typical Sisters come to Wooster to promote their debut self-titled album (which is being released on April 22), which music fans should pay attention to while wading through the sea of releases which comes out this year. I’m absolutely sure that they will be a band to watch in the near future.
The concert will be held in the Douglass Hall basement on Saturday, April 16 at 9 p.m.