Rock and roll is an increasingly rare commodity these days. One of the few bands taking a tried and true approach to guitar rock and actually drawing crowds is Twin Peaks. In September, the Chicago band released their fourth studio album Lookout Low, and on Friday, November 8th they hit Portland, Oregon’s Wonder Ballroom in support.
Fellow Windy City outfit Post Animal opened with a set that felt like an amalgamation of 70s rock genres, which was amplified by the majority of the band donning mustaches. Playing mostly songs off their 2018 release When I Think of You in a Castle, the band had a sound that was proggy but loose, with spaced out guitar and synth. With plenty of time changes, heavy, sludgy drum fills, and druggy lyrics and vocals, they took the audience on a musical rollercoaster that was bumpy at times but also quite fun. At other points, they mixed in the sunny pop of ELO with the casual grooves of Steely Dan while bringing to mind more contemporary influences like White Denim. Each band member also sang in between dueling guitars and sci-fi synths. Though their set had its bright spots and their influences were exciting to see for such a young band, Post Animal left much to be desired.
Twin Peaks have grown as a band since the rough, garage-meets-slacker rock of their early years. This was clear when they hit the stage in Portland with a sound that, while still freewheeling and laid back, was also more polished and tight. This may not have been evident with the delightfully sloppy opener “What Up Dog” that mixed Clash-level vocals with crashing guitars and drums, but “Tossing Tears” tightened up with a more sprawling sound. One of the highlights of the set came from “Butterfly”, with its catchy chorus and poppy “ba ba bababa” harmonies brought to life with the help of background singers and blissful guitar shredding. “Getting Better” balanced Stooges-style punk brooding with bluesy and groovy solos, while “Walk to the One You Love” was a cosmic alt-country nugget with boogie woogie keyboard. More shredding ensued with “Under the Pines”, a happy go lucky and rowdy romp, and “My Boys” morphed into a full on jam session. The beauty of the set came in the way the band balanced breezy glam rock, psych, and garage with bar band modesty.
Ultimately, Twin Peaks isn’t the flashiest band out there. In Portland, they weren’t interested in wild onstage antics. Instead, they focused on keeping the groove going and having a damn good time while doing it. At times it would have been nice for a little more craziness, as the Twin Peaks sound lends itself well to getting rowdy, but the band’s straightforward approach was enough to keep their fans bouncing along and to reassure the skeptics that rock and roll is still chugging along.
