It's pretty weird how something seems like it has been around forever. Yes, 1995 might well seem like forever to a young 'un, yet it's but a moment in Chicago rock history. That was the year that Steve Dawson, Diane Christiansen, Mark Balletto, Mike Bradburn and Matt Thobe issued their first recording as Dolly Varden and this city got another bit of glory added to its illustrious sonic legacy.
What does it sound like? Pretty rock music, made in Chicago. Like this melting pot of a city, Dolly Varden's music calls upon everything from power-pop and straight rock to alt-country and folk. And because it's a band that has soldiered on, unchanged since Bradburn replaced Lisa Crowe in 1995, there is a quality that can only come from performers who know each other like an old married couple.
Harmonies are intricate yet seamless, and the music has pace. "Good Provider" is one of the many standouts, a rollicking acoustic rocker filled with the kinds of chops that made the band a very coveted thing by major labels, back in the day. Things have calmed down since then, and Dolly Varden has settled into a lovely groove, recording and playing to devoted fans. In a world that so desperately wants to pigeonhole everything, Dolly Varden is often lumped into that "twang" world that robs pop fans of the chance to hear something extraordinary in the band's intelligent songcraft, radio-quality hooks and incisive, well-written lyrics.
Jason Narducy
Man, speaking of being around forever. For many people, their first exposure to Jason Narducy was as the frontman for Jason & Alison, a duo that teamed him with hard-rocking cellist Alison Chesley (now performing as Helen Money). Jason & Alison opened for Bob Mould at Metro in the mid-'90s, and the buzz started. Narducy had a Beatles-like singing voice, that delivered his lyrics with a punch and pop-savvy flair. They were the nucleus for Verbow; a major label (Sony) quickly came calling. The band released the very well-received "Chronicles," and great things were predicted. Then, as is often the case, things stagnated, even if Narducy never really stopped performing and writing songs. To say that it's good to see him back — bashing away on an acoustic guitar, backed by those so familiar, slightly nasal vocals — would be an understatement. Heck, even Jason & Alison have reappeared, which is never a bad thing.
9 p.m. Saturday, Schubas, 3159 N. Southport Ave. $15 (21+); 773-525-2508 or schubas.com
kmwilliams@tribune.com
Twitter @kevvwill
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