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In the nefarious areas of Chicago, at an hour when nothing noble can happen, La Scala was formed. Their trade is in fully blooded rock songs, complete with guitars, drums, hooks, and all, sure. But, there is one important difference here, for these are songs that are heavy on the haunting, melodramatic air that used to be so common. Yes, yes, you know quite well this type of melodrama, and this type of song - anyone with a pained heart surely does. It is the kind found in the Sicilian alleys frequented only by the forlorn street singer, or in the smoky cabarets of prewar Paris, or in the tiny hillside villages of the Eastern bloc, tucked away all those years behind that iron drapery. It is this spirit, this old world sense of melody, that La Scala employs with such expert skill, creating a sound that is equal parts rock, Eastern European folk, and saccharine 1960's Continental Pop music.
The frontman at work here is Balthazar de Ley. A childhood split between Paris France and Champaign USA taught him the art of melancholy and the art of song, both of which he honed in his previous endeavors with bands such as Menthol and Hum. The driving rhythms are provided by drummer Joshua Lohr, formerly of The Dirty Things, and bassist Ryan Jewell. Rounding out the lineup is Kirk McMahon, responsible for the tremolo guitars and the thick blanketing of reverb.
The band made its live debut in early 2007 with a commanding performance Chicago's Empty Bottle. This first live set and the general sense of elation it spread throughout the club quickly earned the band invitations to appear at a number of other esteemed Chicago venues such as Metro, the Double Door, and the Hideout.
Roughly six months after this first performance, La Scala began work on its debut EP, The Harlequin, which was released in early 2008 by Highwheel Records. It was recorded in one of Chicago's dark corners and mixed by renowned producer Brain Deck (Iron & Wine, Modest Mouse, etc.). La Scala is currently working on material for a full-length.
Here is what the lovelies at the Chicago Reader have said:
Highwheel Records...is releasing a four-song EP, The Harlequin, by this energetic and buzzy local quartet, on both seven-inch and CD. The band’s sound sheathes a core of shameless New Romantic-grade Bowie worship in retro-Euro duende that reeks of Serge Gainsbourg’s cigarette ash. Why does this mix work so well for them? Mainly because they rock: they leave in the melodic melancholy of cafe music while cutting out nearly all that draggy ennui. —Monica Kendrick
La Scala
The Harlequin
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