As I write this, there are still several hours left for people to vote—so greetings from the distant past, when people still didn’t know who the next president would be! To calm my nerves, I’ve turned to Willows Weep, the latest album from Chicago garage punks Flesh Panthers.
They first got my attention with unhinged songs that sounded like they’d burst into flames before their final choruses, but since last year’s NGC 2632 the band seem to have gotten a grip on themselves. On the country-tinged Willows Weep, their fiery energy is contained in banked-down embers, and that change is exemplified by “Let It Die.” The song is about growing up and falling out with those you’ve loved—but it could also be read as addressing Flesh Panthers’ desire to evolve without losing sight of who they’ve been. However you interpret “Let It Die,” it’s doing a great job of soothing my election anxiety.
Willows Weep came out early last month, and Flesh Panthers celebrate its release at East Room on Wednesday evening. From my Tuesday-night vantage point, it’s nice to be able to look forward to something more fun than ignoring exit polls.