Mathy indie rock can be a hard sell. Not everyone is looking to jam to supremely undanceable tracks whose mixture of time signatures and intensities can at times feel like you’ve thrown a whole handful of different songs in the blender.
Even I can sometimes get turned off by all the sharp edges and angular musical elbows. That’s probably why my favorite track from the band’s 2022 debut album, the deliciously lush “Greenhousing,” is also one of the least mathy tracks in Band Arg’s repertoire.
That’s why I like Band Argument so much. The group has a knack for finding a dreamy middle ground between all that complexity and tunes that don’t make you feel like you need to follow along with a calculator.
Band Argument, “Percentages”: From the opening swirls and flourishes of “Percentages,” Band Argument’s eagerness to dive headlong into kaleidoscopic and ever-changing compositions is showcased. The whiplash can be quite violent, but it’s never unentertaining – and besides, Sila Damone’s ethereally deadpan vocal delivery is enough to keep the listener grounded. Ultimately, Band Arg isn’t for everyone – but if you can’t find a little something you like in the chaotic display you may just not like music very much.
Like what you hear? Catch Band Argument at Whistle Stop on Wednesday, Feb. 19.
Do you have a “Song of the Week” suggestion? Shoot us an email and a sentence or two about why you’ve been bumping this song lately. Friendly reminder: all songs should be by local artists.