Preview: Aweful Is Actually Pretty Great

Photo by Patrick Houdek Aweful is one of those bands you see around town and think to yourself, haven't I seen these people in a million other good bands? And what exactly is it about this one that's so great?! Because Aweful really is great. Bassist and singer Traci Trouble is a provocateur of the ancient sort. So while she fronts about a million other bands, it's somewhat surprising that her newest group, Aweful, is easily the catchiest and poppiest endeavor she's pursued. Guitarist Lucy Dekay is also in a million other bands, and her riffs are always razor sharp, but there's something about the alchemy in Aweful that makes this different from all her other projects. And drummer Izzy Price (surprise! also in a million other bands) has a groove that is terrifyingly fierce. Both Trouble and Dekay have a history of creating music that is meant to create friction, and Aweful does do that. However, they've got hooks galore. In a good way. They somehow manage to graft super catchiness to punk without going full on punk pop. Not an easy balancing act but they pulled it off! An Aweful show is a turbulent good time, and their debut EP Me Me Me manages to capture that ferocity without covering up the more subtle hooks the band is so deft at crafting. So strap yourself in and meet your favorite new local band. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cyjeJq0DM4 Aweful celebrates their release party at The Empty Bottle tonight. Touched By Ghoul and Boybrain open. Going to Lolla? Aweful isn't on until after 11 so you have plenty of time to make it there!
Jim Kopeny / Tankboy

Tankboy resides in the body of Jim Kopeny and lives in Mayfair with Pickle the Kitten and a beagle named Betty (RIP) who may actually be slightly more famous than most of the musicians slogging through the local scene. He's written about music for much longer than most bands you hear on the radio have even existed.