« Silversun Pickups | Main | Film School »
What Made Milwaukee Famous
(We covered WMMF last year, here's a reprint of that original entry and an update of what they've been up to in the past year.)
I finally had a chance to ask the members of What Made Milwaukee Famous if they're named after that Jerry Lee Lewis song ("What's Made Milwaukee Famous (Has Made a Loser Out of Me)"), or the just the old Schlitz slogan. Or both. Well, for the record, it's totally the Jerry Lee Lewis song -- though I swear, each member of the band seems to have some sort of Schlitz memorabilia emblazoned with the slogan -- it's totally adorable of them.
Anyway, don't let that initial impression give you the wrong idea -- WMMF are not a beer-soaked frat party band, but purveyors of very fine dark-edged power pop -- a sort of California-meets-New-York sound that could only come out of a band based in Austin.
Big swinging pop hooks, singalong choruses and melodic basslines collide with New Wave-y snare and synths, all tied together with lead singer Michael Kingkaid's sweet, strong, melancholy voice -- and the effect is pretty impressive. Instead of sounding like every power pop band since the dawn of time or a cookie-cutter retro New Wave gloom and doom outfit, WMMF are on a path to carve out a sound that's uniquely their own. And I think they're doing a damn fine job of it -- plus, they put on one heck of a live show.
...as I hope some of you must know by now. In late 2005, WMMF played a set for that venerable PBS institution, Austin City Limits, along those sassy Scots Franz Ferdinand. The result can only be described as perhaps the most satisfying David vs. Goliath moment I've seen in a long time -- WMMF played a grand set and blew the Franzies out of the water. And they just happened to be the first unsigned band that's ever played on Austin City Limits, to boot! (We don't think that condition will persist too much longer, though!)
Other big events in 2005 were the acquisition of a new drummer, Jeremy Bruch (who does double duty, here -- he's also in Hurts to Purr) and the semi-retirement of the band's beloved (pretty much by me alone, sadly) Rhodes stage piano. I hear it's not gone for good, just taking a rest -- which was nice to hear as it's sorely missed in the WMMF live show.
And, as a bonus, I was happy to spot today that the lads will be playing Stereogum's SXSW day party, along with an assortment of bands that are favorites of the various SYITP ladies: Ted Leo, Aloha, Thunderbirds Are Now!, and Rogue Wave. We'll be there with bells on, you can count on it.
new tracks posted for 2006!
What Made Milwaukee Famous - Selling Yourself Short
What Made Milwaukee Famous - Around the Gills
What Made Milwaukee Famous - Mercy, Me (live on KVRX)
What Made Milwaukee Famous' website. Buy their self-released debut CD, Trying To Never Catch Up, from cdbaby.com and at iTunes music store
Posted by Little Miss Rock'n'Roll at 01.28.06 at 4:27 AM
Comments
i just heard that What Made Milwaukee Famous signed with barsuk. is this true? anybody?
Posted by: josie at 04.04.06 at 11:58 AM
Comments are now closed for this entry.
