Simpleton & Cityfolk

Friday night at Metro, Simpleton & Cityfolk headlined a bill that included Deanna Devore and several other local artists...

Local folk and roots rock outfit Simpleton & Cityfolk have been at it since 2010. Geoff Glenn (from Iowa) fronts the band handling vocals and rhythm guitar while Chicagoans Chris Bennett (lead guitar and more), Chris Williams (upright bass) and Mike Skowronski (drums) round out the quartet (the juxtaposition between their respective hometowns ultimately inspiring the band's name).

Friday's show at Metro saw the band performing songs from their debut EP, June's The Williams Account. Specializing in acoustic driven folk rock powered by impressive three part harmonies and heart on sleeve lyrics, the band conjures up images of artists ranging anywhere from Mumford & Sons musically to Elliott Smith lyrically and vocally (while citing Wilco, Fleet Foxes, The Head and Heart and Band of Horses themselves on their Facebook page).

The band started out Friday night in the two guitar/drums/upright bass formation on "Followed by Wolves" changing that throughout the night as Bennett also picked up both banjo and harmonica later on.

"Great River Road" is indicative of the band's more rock oriented fare and stood out at Metro as a good example of range. The dueling guitars of Bennett and Glenn power that song alongside the almost anthemic chorus: "You never know what will happen / when you cross the great River Road."

On the other hand, Simpleton & Cityfolk's lone cover Friday night served as a good example of the band's folk influences. Their rendition of "Fisherman's Blues" by Scottish folk rockers, The Waterboys (from an oft-forgotten album that actually cracked the Billboard 200 here in 1988) saw Bennett pick up the banjo and harmonica as the band tore through a spirited take on the rousing Celtic classic.

Lyrics matter on "When we get Where We're Going" (a folk rock song centered on passionate vocals and personal lyrics reminiscent at times of Pete Yorn) but it's those harmonies that resonate. All four members can sing and three part harmonies closed out the main set a capella ending "Won't Let You Down" (ultimately stealing the show in the process).

Deanna Devore preceded Simpleton & Cityfolk on the Metro stage Friday night and also impressed. Clad in a white tank-top, the Chicago artist (Toronto native) fronted a five piece band and exuded an understated, Chrissie Hynde-like cool as she sang and played lead guitar.

"I Tried" came third in the set, a highly danceable number built upon electronic elements and the harmonies of Devore and Jody Miller that kept the crowd moving throughout.

Hints of rock were present but aside from the electronic elements it's jazz that stood out most during this very rewarding opening set (the interplay of Devore's guitar and the drumming of Darius Peterson especially indicative of the latter).

*** Please feel free to join the conversation via Facebook in the comments section below and sign up for email alerts via the form below. Thanks!

-Jim Ryan - Jim Ryan - Chicago Now

Friday night at Metro, Simpleton & Cityfolk headlined a bill that included Deanna Devore and several other local artists...

Local folk and roots rock outfit Simpleton & Cityfolk have been at it since 2010. Geoff Glenn (from Iowa) fronts the band handling vocals and rhythm guitar while Chicagoans Chris Bennett (lead guitar and more), Chris Williams (upright bass) and Mike Skowronski (drums) round out the quartet (the juxtaposition between their respective hometowns ultimately inspiring the band's name).

Friday's show at Metro saw the band performing songs from their debut EP, June's The Williams Account. Specializing in acoustic driven folk rock powered by impressive three part harmonies and heart on sleeve lyrics, the band conjures up images of artists ranging anywhere from Mumford & Sons musically to Elliott Smith lyrically and vocally (while citing Wilco, Fleet Foxes, The Head and Heart and Band of Horses themselves on their Facebook page).

The band started out Friday night in the two guitar/drums/upright bass formation on "Followed by Wolves" changing that throughout the night as Bennett also picked up both banjo and harmonica later on.

"Great River Road" is indicative of the band's more rock oriented fare and stood out at Metro as a good example of range. The dueling guitars of Bennett and Glenn power that song alongside the almost anthemic chorus: "You never know what will happen / when you cross the great River Road."

On the other hand, Simpleton & Cityfolk's lone cover Friday night served as a good example of the band's folk influences. Their rendition of "Fisherman's Blues" by Scottish folk rockers, The Waterboys (from an oft-forgotten album that actually cracked the Billboard 200 here in 1988) saw Bennett pick up the banjo and harmonica as the band tore through a spirited take on the rousing Celtic classic.

Lyrics matter on "When we get Where We're Going" (a folk rock song centered on passionate vocals and personal lyrics reminiscent at times of Pete Yorn) but it's those harmonies that resonate. All four members can sing and three part harmonies closed out the main set a capella ending "Won't Let You Down" (ultimately stealing the show in the process).

Deanna Devore preceded Simpleton & Cityfolk on the Metro stage Friday night and also impressed. Clad in a white tank-top, the Chicago artist (Toronto native) fronted a five piece band and exuded an understated, Chrissie Hynde-like cool as she sang and played lead guitar.

"I Tried" came third in the set, a highly danceable number built upon electronic elements and the harmonies of Devore and Jody Miller that kept the crowd moving throughout.

Hints of rock were present but aside from the electronic elements it's jazz that stood out most during this very rewarding opening set (the interplay of Devore's guitar and the drumming of Darius Peterson especially indicative of the latter).

*** Please feel free to join the conversation via Facebook in the comments section below and sign up for email alerts via the form below. Thanks!

-Jim Ryan - Jim Ryan - Chicago Now

One of the many perks of playing music is that I occasionally get my hands on upcoming releases before their issue date. It helps when you are supporting the artist in question at their EP release show. Regardless, I want to thank Simpleton & Cityfolk for generously sharing their debut EP, The Williams Account, with me so that I can share my thoughts on the record with you, Planet Earth. Some quick background on the band: Simpleton & Cityfolk are a marriage among simpleton Geoff Glenn and city folks Mike Skowronski, Chris Bennett, and Chris “Foo” Williams (this is their official origin story; I don’t think Geoff is a simpleton). Formed in 2010, Simpleton & Cityfolk have graced many of Chicago’s marquee venues with their take on contemporary alt-folk/americana. I’d expect great things from these guys; keep them on your radar.

The Williams Account is a tight, highly polished, five-song EP that the band will be independently releasing June 16th at Subterranean. This record, much like the band itself, is a bit of a Venn Diagram: scenes of quieter, rural life and city-scapes intertwine and diverge across the album. The record begins on the front stoop with the churning “Porch Lights.” Our narrator is going back over a relationship that has unraveled, and wondering if he had “changed his ways” would she have come back? The heart of the song is the repeated image of the narrator leaving the porch light on as if the absence of proper lighting is the only thing keeping his lady from returning or his noticing her return. Such a simple sentiment, but a powerful one. There’s strong guitar playing on this whole record, but I really dig how the two rhythm parts on this track interact. Back to my original point, however, this song’s heart is in the country though the artist may be writing, and recording, from the city.

A nice companion to “Porch Lights,” “City Lights” places us in, duh, the city. On this track, we’re being guided “back where we started from” illuminated by the lights of the city. While we’re out of the country, this tune hints that the lights of the city are guiding us away; back to the country. This rural/urban topical push and pull I find very effective for a roots band that is based in a major city. These guys pay homage to “home,” or at least their musical roots’ home while jazzing things up here and there with some contemporary city sounds, instruments, etc. I like that this band has developed a strong conceptual identity.

Back to the music itself, we’ve got some tasty guitar playing, some superb singing, and some great production. This record sparkles out your speakers. I’ve not heard a better recorded acoustic guitar from an independent band. Also, as a drummer myself, I’ve got to give it up for my man Mike Skowronski for providing some tasty, understated drums that sound like butter. Great open warm kick drum sound, the snare is perfect, and the cymbals cut through just so. Most of those compliments should be shared by whoever engineered, mixed, and mastered the record but I don’t know their names so Sku, you receive full credit from me. These guys have a truly finished product on their hands, and a damned fine one at that.

The track I’m most looking forward to hearing at SubT is “Young Mind.” The tunes opens with a killer, jangly guitar line and opens up into a great half-time percussion groove. Gotta love that full time on top of half time. Almost like stacking city speed on top of country speed (I’m reaching on this simile, but work with me). And the hook in the chorus is awesome. Great tension in the harmony, nice long held notes over the movement of the instrumentation underneath. It all fits together perfectly. Looking forward to the whole set, but I’ll be losing my voice singing along to this one.

The Williams Account will be available at the show and on iTunes and CDbaby.com moving forward. They’ll be offering a steep discount if you purchase the album at the show, so hide some beer money from yourself in your opposite pocket and pick up a copy. You can find Simpleton & Cityfolk on Facebook, Twitter @SimplenCityFolk, and their website.

Come see these cats June 16th at SubTerranean in Wicker Park. And stick around after to see your favorites, The Ewing Theory. $6 with the flier shown below.

-E. - Evan Walker - The Ewing Theory