The thing that jumps out straight away about Nones new album, ‘XOXOXO Sue’, is the song titles. With tongue-in-cheek titles like ‘People Die Everyday’, ‘Steal Shit and Quit’, and ‘Whole Lotta Nothin’ Going On’, you instantly think that the Chicago-based trio are going to be a very angry band. While there may be some nods towards the bleaker aspects of life, the narrative of ‘XOXOXO Sue’ is filled with a sense of humour and charm, which makes them all the more likeable.
Vocalist Brandon Bayles undoubtedly has a negative worldview but he delivers it in a way in which you can picture a smile on his face as he spits his bile. Whether he is looking at his own life with a misanthropic tone on ‘Maybe I Should Get A Dog’, or telling the torrid tale of a (possibly fictional) obsessive fan through ‘Sues Idol’, the sarcastic tone in his voice makes each track more inviting.
Musically, Nones have kept things raw and lo-fi. The dirty production of ‘XOXOXO Sue’ is redolent of early Touch and Go Records releases. Borrowing from the rampant noise-rock of The Jesus Lizard on ‘Where’s My Other Boot’, and with various nods towards Big Black, Tad, and The Melvins, Nones sound as if they are straight out of the early late 80s/early 90s.
The fuzz-driven bass lines of Tara Noonan that cruise through ‘Mr Casimirs Party’ complement the wailing cacophony of Sara Jean’s thunderous drum beats. They provide a sterling rhythm section to Bayles’ treble-heavy guitar playing, and impressive vocal range; part spoken word, part lackadaisical drawl, wholly intoxicating. The trio work well together, even if they may appear sloppy at times, it feels deliberate. ‘XOXOXO Sue’ has a very instant and assured “one-take” confidence, as if the three members hammered these songs out to capture them in their purest form.
Nones may have been propping up the underground for several years now but its high time the rest of the world cotton on. If ‘XOXOXO Sue’ is the first thing you hear by Nones, then it is a perfect entry point, as it is bold, brash, and impossible to put down.
GLEN BUSHELL