Oneida Preview

Oneida
Schubas, Chicago
Saturday, July 15, 2006

Having altered course slightly but retained complexity, Oneida’s latest album release party has extra reason to celebrate.

Oneida, culpable only to themselves for the name, aren’t so much challenging as out to challenge. Morphing from garage rock and faux smart electronics in their early days — early graces were made at loft parties in NYC, if that tells you anything — to the pratter on their latest full length, Happy New Year (Jagjaguwar), one can only wonder if The Beta Band were American would we have had more patience with them. The new album is akin to staring at the sky, waiting for the crows or vultures or seagulls or pelicans to take their dives, only they never do. The chants or guitar figures (is “Reckoning” a Yes tune?) circle and circle and circle, sometimes tantalizingly, others much more forgettably.

Ladyhawk and Arriver open.

— Steve Forstneger

Click here to download “Up With People.”

Category: Stage Buzz, Weekly