A brief, tongue-in-cheek bio for fourth-wave emo band Mush says its members, who live in Chicago and Grand Rapids, decided to join forces “after discussing how sick Vagrants Records use[d] to be.” Their debut EP, Protect Your Brand (Skeletal Lightning), is, well, on brand: visceral guitars scream as if out of control, ever-so-slightly shambolic melodies exude pop euphoria, and shout-along choruses balance gruff enthusiasm and saccharine earnestness like a server swerving through a busy restaurant with a couple armloads of dishes. This isn’t exactly surprising given Mush’s lineup, which includes Erik Hunter Czaja (Dowsing and Pet Symmetry), Andy Hendricks (Annabel and headliners What Gives), and Adam Vass (La Dispute).…
A brief, tongue-in-cheek bio for fourth-wave emo band Mush says its members, who live in Chicago and Grand Rapids, decided to join forces “after discussing how sick Vagrants Records use[d] to be.” Their debut EP, Protect Your Brand (Skeletal Lightning), is, well, on brand: visceral guitars scream as if out of control, ever-so-slightly shambolic melodies exude pop euphoria, and shout-along choruses balance gruff enthusiasm and saccharine earnestness like a server swerving through a busy restaurant with a couple armloads of dishes. This isn’t exactly surprising given Mush’s lineup, which includes Erik Hunter Czaja (Dowsing and Pet Symmetry), Andy Hendricks (Annabel and headliners What Gives), and Adam Vass (La Dispute).…