Chain & The Gang
Ian Folke Svenonius is a long time D.C. music veteran, putting out over 15 full length albums with various bands over the course of 20 + years. Somehow I stumbled upon his latest band Chain & The Gang a few weeks ago. I’ve since made them part of my daily soundtrack.
Overall Chain & The Gang’s songs can be described as short and seemingly simple with a cool jazzy vibe. (For shits sake, check out that cool ass white suit the dude rocks!) Listen again and you’ll find a layer of wit and intelligence to the music that makes it ten times cooler.
With Chain & The Gang, Svenonius is joined by over 14 guest musicians creating a rich, rounded out sound that includes organs, brass and some sexy lady vocals. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to track down many of the band members names. On myspace the band sites the members as: “Jailbirds, convicts, captives, culprits, the accused”. Either way, even with so many different artists on these albums, the songs remain restrained and lofi.
For a dude who’s been making music for over 20 years, it’s obvious on both of Chain & The Gang’s albums that Svenonius is still making super fresh and extremely relevant music in 2011. Check out these tracks, then pick up 2009’s Down With Liberty… Up With Chains! and 2011’s Music’s Not For Everyone, both on K Records.
[audio:https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/audio/2011/11/its a hard job.mp3|titles=chain & the gang – its a hard, hard job (keeping everybody high)]
chain & the gang – its a hard, hard job (keeping everybody high)
[audio:https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/audio/2011/11/for practical purposes.mp3|titles=Chain & The Gang – for practical purposes (i love you)]
Chain & The Gang – for practical purposes (i love you)
[audio:https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/audio/2011/11/unpronouncable name.mp3|titles=Chain & The Gang – unpronouncable name]
Chain & The Gang – unpronouncable name
[audio:https://thenewlofi.com/wp-content/audio/2011/11/cant get away.mp3|titles=Chain & The Gang – cant get away]
Chain & The Gang – cant get away
