Decibully – I Want
Decibully – 4 Ever
As I write this, the weather in Erie seems to have finally broken. I'm sitting outside on the porch in 70 degrees and sunshine. Hooray! I had some sad, sappy posts planned but those seem inappropriate now so I'll take the opportunity to introduce you to the awesome new album from Milwaukee's indie vets, Decibully.
Decibully have been around since 2001 and have released seven LPs and EPs over the years. Somehow I've missed all of them. I was finally introduced to Decibully thanks to Ryan Weber – friend of the Dig and one half of Eric & Magill. The new self-titled album may unfortunately be Decibully's last, as the band is going on indefinite hiatus in order to focus on other projects. Plus, Ryan's entering the Peace Corp (good luck man!). If it is their swan song, it's a hell of an album to go out on.
Decibully is one of the most straightforward, unpretentious indie rock bands out there. They take everything great about 90's rock and current indie and blend it together in a tightly knit, rocking package. Their songs are simple and accessible, with a sound that tends to evolve and mutate from song to song always with a common thread tying them together. What I think I love most about Decibully, however, is the tendency to just rock the fuck out (in technical terms). It's refreshing in modern indie rock to hear some energetic distortion and crashing cymbals.
I can't even imagine how awesome their live shows must be. Decibully was recorded in a week with the intent of replicating their live sound and energy. There was minimal recording tricks. No overdubbing, guests, or sound replacement. Just a group of longtime friends doing what they do best.
Songs like "I Want" and "4 Ever" showcase the strengths of the band and the recording technique. Both songs sound clean and structured while also staying a bit rough around the edges and dropping some great guitar lines all over your unworthy face. When Seidel goes falsetto on "4 Ever", I started grinning uncontrollably ear to ear. It's a great "fuck it" moment of pure passion.
Decibully's potentially final album, Decibully, is available on their Bandcamp page as a pay-what-you-want download. You should really support the lads and pick up this great album.