When Chief Scout released their major label debut EP in 2015, they were a band hell-bent on crafting scrappy garage rock fist-pumpers. Frontman and founder Trey Rosenkampff was a songwriter who knew his way around a sharp hook and a rowdy riff, and he put his talents to good use. See wasn’t a perfect effort by any means, but it had plenty of verve and spunk to spare, and that was enough to draw positive attention from the likes of Stereogum and A.V. Club.
Since that time, Rosenkampff and company have relocated from Athens to Atlanta. In the process, they’ve done a bit of soul-searching, which has resulted in both an expansion of their lineup and their overall aesthetic. With Rosenkampff at the helm, John Restivo (Material Girls) on drums, Jack Blauvelt (Neighbor Lady) on keys, John Riccitelli on bass, and Ben Presley (Material Girls) on synth and guitar, the band has adopted a more nuanced approach to their songwriting, exchanging their gritty, overdriven guitars and shout-along vocals for a more lush, textured, and cerebral sound. Earlier this spring, the band retreated into a lakeside cabin in north Georgia where for two months they refined their palette and carved out the songs that eventually found their way onto the group’s upcoming first full length, Stereo Terrarium.
Today, we’re excited to premiere for you the first single from that project, “Endlessness.” It’s a driving rocker built on a staccato synth and guitar groove that stabs its way out of your speakers. From a pure energy perspective, it’s a more restrained effort than what we’ve heard from Chief Scout in the past, but that doesn’t make it any less interesting or fun. If anything, Rosenkampff’s penchant for anthemic hooks, while slightly obscured, makes its presence felt in unsuspecting ways, popping out of remote corners rather than lurking in plain sight. It’s an interesting dynamic, and ultimately a more compelling one for a group that is sure to make plenty of noise in 2017.
Listen below.
Chief Scout will perform tomorrow night, December 31, at 529 in support of Gringo Star. Fellow locals Shepherds and DJ Kale Svvick also play. Doors open at 9 p.m. Admission is $10. 21+ to enter.
More Info
Facebook: @chiefscoutband
Instagram: @chieftreyscout
SoundCloud: @chief-scout
Twitter: @ChiefTreyScout