Campdogzz: Alt-country from Chicago that is is way better than their name would suggest

I got the digital promo for the new album from Campdogzz called In Rounds and despite it being ostensibly outside of my usual scope (and the band having a name that is at best questionable), I couldn't stop listening to it... They're from Chicago though the vocalist, Jessica Price, moved there from Oklahoma. She evidently wanted to become a filmmaker however while doing a documentary on the band Suns which featured a couple of dudes in the band she wound up joining them in this project. This is their sophomore album.

I caught the band in Washington DC a couple nights ago - they were serendipitously playing in town while I was here on businesses and I bumped off work to catch them. I am very glad I did. It was a cool show, better attended than I thought and they did most of the album. Here is that album in audio and digital form!

Stream it at Spotify
Stream it at Bandcamp
Stream it at YouTube

Video for the song "Run Wild"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejJziyvuTAw

Official Audio for "Souvenir"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3ee7vjW7kk

Their label 15 Passenger played "Southern" on vinyl for us all

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnbkYoqEcBI

The latter song is my favorite on the album. When chatting with them after the show I told them it reminded me of The Cure thanks to the staccato riffs and post-punky bass line. They seemed pleased that I noticed this since it was evidently something they were going for.

Oh, they did something for Audiotree Live as well which has a bunch of songs from the latest release.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtkLEhFcljY

The band has a definite alt-country thing (is that even a word anymore?) a little bit of a hipster feel but that's not a deal-breaker for me thanks to the songs and Price's beguiling vocals.

The're supporting Cursive - whose Tim Kasher owns their label (they're the first non-Cursive project on the label) - in the US in October and November. I desperately want the band to cover "Black Velvet" for A.V. Undercover and start take off amongst the Pitchfork intelligentsia.

Maybe you like, ILX?

i like this a lot, thanks i would have have touched this w/a 10 foot pole due to the name

See also: Slobberbone.

haha i think slobberbone had a guitar player that was super tall

good thread title

Singer kind of sounds like Stevie Nicks. They sound good, name is terrible.

this is really great altho the sound is less than like 3% country to these ears. kinda sounds like a slightly rawer version of dead sara.

Yeah, they call themselves "country-ish" on their Bandcamp page. Not sure where to put 'em honestly, But there;s definitely a Midwestern twang involved.

It's maybe a little bit comparable to the last Lydia Loveless album? Which sort of has some residual alt country DNA but was much more modern rock feeling

oh ill have to check that out too.

she's so great imo

Funny you mention Lydia Loveless, Desus & Mero Chain. I told the band they would make great touring partners and they said that Lydia's management company was wooing them to sign with them. I love Lydia as well - I worked in a record store in Columbus so i am pretty sure she and her husband Ben Lamb purchased stuff from me. Ben and I are friendly on Facebook too however when I mentioned all of this to him he just suggested I book the tour, haha!

do it!

lydia is def one of the best roots/rock songwriters in the world right now, and has evolved away from the no depression scene without it seeming forced or not "her" imo

Haha, I wield no such power.

Just missed the chance to see them last week at the Hungry Brain, tiny hole in the wall!

Here's a feature on them:
https://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/campdogzz-carve-out-atmospheric-space-and-thread-rustic-folk-rock-with-indie-pop-flavors/Content?oid=53903418

looks like they are coming through mpls with cursive, not a bad opening gig!

Tried this and liked it ... thanks for the rec

This seems adjacent to Big Thief and Goat Girl some other indie bands that are more Telecastery than specifically country, with reserved but very effective singers.