Centro-Matic preview

Centro-Matic
Schubas, Chicago
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Sunday, June 8, 2008

Centro-Matic’s Will Johnson can’t have just one. Of anything. It’s right there in his halved band name, as if we’d mispronounce it Cen-TROM-a-tic otherwise. Two shows this weekend (but only one club). Alternating headlining slots with The M’s. Supporting a split release (Dual Hawks) with another of his bands (South San Gabriel), both of whom recorded full lengths, making Misra Records release a double-album. A double split album. The man is sick — to say nothing of his prolific nature.

In the past dozen years, Johnson has released at least as many albums, not just as both bands but his own, solo moniker, adding four EPs, some singles, and a tour-only album. It’s the type of career that attracts record collectors regardless of the music.

Perhaps it’s no coincidence Centro-Matic gather so much from Neil Young, who treated the ’70s like they’d never finish if he didn’t mark each year with a release. Far from a nasal, generation’s sage, Johnson is a talisman for gauzy distortion, Southern rock anthems, and a leveling melancholy. Few albums would be able to reconcile Dinosaur Jr., Red Red Meat, .38 Special, and Bon Iver, yet two of Dual Hawks‘ spawn, “Quality Strange” and “Every Single Switch,” solve them like a savant with a Rubik’s Cube. And hey, since there’s two of them, you just might be in luck.

Centro-Matic headline Saturday; The M’s, celebrating the release of Real Close Ones (Polyvinyl), top Sunday’s bill.

— Steve Forstneger

Click here to download “I, The Kite.”

Category: Stage Buzz, Weekly