Save The Clocktower

With head-bopping grooves that anchor breezy vocals, infectious melodies, and bouncy beeps and bleeps, Save the Clocktower’s new album, Renaissance, is Chicago to the bone: chilled by harsh winters, burnt by scalding summers, propelled by a sense of urgency, yet relaxed and serene all at once. It’s a vibe that’s landed the band features from the likes of NPR’s World Café and MTV. They’ve also seen their fair share of playing live, supporting acts like Moon Taxi, White Rabbits, Vulfpeck, and Jr Jr.

Renaissance is a think-piece of sorts, set to music. Over the course of the album’s nine songs, the band explores self-actualization, relationships, and, in Renaissance’s most meta-moments, art. It’s easy to get lost in the grooves and almost miss the meaning, one that guitarist/vocalist Sean Paras defines as “Love in the shambles of the postmodern era.” And frankly, the grooves are so good that getting lost in them isn’t so bad.

With Renaissance, Save the Clocktower – consisting of Greg Newton (drums, vocals), Sean Paras (guitar, vocals), Jimmy Shenk (keyboards), and James Washington (bass), builds on the firm foundation they laid with their previous releases, 2011’s Carousel and 2012’s Through the Glass, which World Café described as “an infectious collection of indie-pop songs” and Turntable Kitchen hailed as “an altogether fantastic album.”