Peel back the onion that is the history of Margot & The Nuclear So and So’s and you’re in for a really interesting journey.
Back in 2005, they were seemingly poised to be indie rock darlings with the release of Dust of Retreat, a monumentally underrated piece of indie rock/chamber pop/folk rock that walked a fine line between intricate songwriting and controlled chaos. While the record was an achievement, the live shows were a revelation. They were loud, raucous, and a must-see live act.
Then things changed. Not sure if it was necessarily for the better or worse, but they definitely changed.
In 2008, they were signed to Epic records and after recording in both Indianapolis and in Chicago, they couldn’t agree with Epic over which songs to include on the release. So (I guess) both parties said “what the hell” and released two records that year, Animal! (the record the band wanted to put out) and Not Animal! (the record the label wanted to put out). It’s esoteric to have the discussion which is better, but both moved into a more eerie and dark sound, away from the energy of Dust of Retreat.
Around this time, there were lineup changes. A lot of them. To the point I’m not sure who was in the band on each record. A recent press release described the lineup as an “umbrella under which a rotating group of friends could come together to record Edwards’ vast array of songs.” Ok, well I guess then Richard Edwards is the only consistent member of the band. However, the changes in backing musicians really morphed the sound.
Let’s not discuss Buzzard (2010) and Rot Gut, Domestic (2012), shall we? Can we forget those existed? Good.
But then it happened! The band released Slingshot to Heaven this year and all is forgiven. Is it a return to Dust of Retreat? No, but it’s something different and on the same artistic level. It’s a dark collection of songs written by Edwards with stripped down arrangements. These are finally songs worthy of the Margot & The Nuclear So and So’s that people fell in love with.
Most importantly, you should check them out. Edwards is a real creative talent that seems to be finding his footing once again. In a small venue like the Grog Shop, all the songs off Slingshot to Heaven should totally shine. And let’s be real, we wouldn’t be mad if Edwards wanted to bang out “Talking in Code” or (even better) “Barfight Revolution, Power Violence” for us too!
Doors at 7:30, show’s at 8:30. Be there or be a dork, kids!
