Now, Now Every Children

Andrew Olson

Reader Weekly

This Saturday at Pizza Luce’ Now, Now Every Children will be visiting town with their new EP titled, Not One, But Two EP from Afternoon Records.

This is the second time playing Duluth for this very new band, yet they are already creating quite a buzz.

“We played at Beaner's Central last time,” Cacie Dalager of Now, Now Every Children said. “and we totally loved it.”

The band began when Dalager (vocals/guitar) and Brad Hale (Drums) got together to write songs and perform for friends. They were an “emo” styled band, recording tunes in exotic locales like basements and bedrooms.

A friendly band, in the summer of 2007 Britty Hale (Synth) and Justin Schweim (Bass) were added to make the libation deep and full.

Soon backyard parties turned into small local shows, eventually leading them to be picked up by Ian Anderson’s Afternoon Records label out of Minneapolis.

“We LOOOOOVE being on AR (Afternoon Records),” Dalager said. “Ian is one of the sweetest dudes ever… He takes super good care of us… all of the bands are incredible and super friendly. We've made some good friends… Its just been really awesome.”

So what does “Emo” really mean these days?

Is it a haircut, an “Evanescence” sound, or an attitude?

This band has the haircuts and a touch of the “Evan”, but there is something inherently older to this young band.

“Brad is 20, Britty is 17, Justin is 18, and I am 20,” Dalager said. “Our plans are to keep doing this for as long as possible and to keep playing as many shows as we can. I’m suuuuuper excited about getting our LP out in a couple of months and really looking forward to touring this summer.”

The first song on their Not One, But Two EP, “Not One, But Two,” opens with Dalager’s soft voice and punky guitar. The band has this essence that takes one back to Portishead and the British Invasion of music that happened in the mid-1990s.

The guitar in “Not One” has this “Good Lovin” (Young Rascals) riff that continues throughout and plays off of the haunting tone in Balager’s voice. She moans, and then midway through the song the guitar changes and opens up. This speeds the entire song up and gives it a young and modern sound.

“GM” comes next and has an electric opening that sounds like an electronic doorbell ringing. When the band answers there is an echo to Dalagers drone in her voice. The song works, with a flow that feels like a sled gliding along on a fresh patch of snow.

“Outer Space” has an angry sound, and it is much harder than the others on the album. It is new electric with a punk vibe that emanates in an emo philosophy. During this song POE popped into my head from somewhere, probably from the tone in Dalager’s voice.

Lastly, “Friends With My Sister,” comes along and is like a child’s nursery rhyme mixed with Japanese techno. The song is charming and very catchy.

Overall the album is deep, with a sensibility that is both sensitive and aggressive. The music has sadness in it that cries to be heard. It is not dance music, but instead is artistic and melodic, and shows flares of something that incorporates timeless form.

On a lighter note, I did ask Dalager one other question… So if they were a car, what kind of car would best represent their band?

“Ha-ha I think we would be a white 97’ Mazda MPV… because that's what we happen to drive around in, and I feel like it's an awkward enough vehicle to fit who we are as people and a band.”

Check them out at Luce’ on Saturday with…. Words To A Film Score… Who sound like a great big mix of ___________ and _____________? (You can complete the sentence for me… I have my own answers, but I would rather have you the readers come up with your own ;)

Email me your thoughts: fountainheadmn@yahoo.com