EARWIG: GIBSON UNDER MOUNTAIN

[rating:3]

Earwig: Gibson Under Mountain

Label: Lizard Family Music, LFM Records

Release Date: May 11, 2010

“Damn, this is really good!” I know. “No, like really, really good.” I know. “This could be on XPN or…” I know. Who are they, anyway?” Earwig. “Oh yeah, I saw them play at Emo’s at SXSW.” No you didn’t. “Wait, no, it was with Margot & Nuclear So&So’s at The Empty Bottle.” No. “No?” No. “I got it! They’re on that Polyvinyl sampler I let you borrow, right?” Sigh.

This is typical of most conversations about Earwig with my music freak friends who don’t live in Columbus, Ohio (and even some who do). Trust me, you don’t know Earwig, but that’s okay. (You don’t have to know every band.)

In my mind and the minds of a lot of Columbus indie/alt/rock fans, Earwig should be universally known like Superchunk, Guided By Voices, Built To Spill and by my count, The Thermals, The Hold Steady and The Replacements. Why? Their live shows are legendary, lead singer/songwriter Lizard McGee (that’s right) is one of the most interesting front men in recent history and now, Earwig’s fourth long player, Gibson Under Mountain has completely trumped its predecessors with 40 minutes of master-crafted powerhouse indie pop that jets, jolts and jangles like the best of its kind should.

Otherworld love buzz ballads (Her Heart, Wicked), stadium ready alt anthems (Trees, Sleepyhead) jagged edge barnburners (Rumplestiltskin) and epic songs about aliens (Star Cross’d) – they’re all here on Earwig’s magnificent new Gibson Under Mountain.

For Columbus’ sake and local music fans’, the city never became “The Next Seattle.” It’s a Midwest original that pulls its inspiration from a variety of sources but also draws heavily from its own – much like Earwig.

-Casey Bowers

Gibson Under Mountain is out now on LFM Records and available for order on iTunes, Bandcamp and at the band’s website, lizardfamily.com.