If you had to give Chicago’s The Claudettes a succinct, one-word descriptor, well, good luck with that. But if at gunpoint, you might go with “Blues” or “R&B” or maybe just “Pop” or, the ultimate cop-out, “Alternative.” You’d be selling short the wild diversity of sound the group concocts, as well as the unpredictability of the structuring and arrangement within the songwriting and their ability to gracefully switch tones and moods (but it’s OK — you were, after all, going to be shot).
There are pieces of a range of musical styles with deep-seated roots (and “rules”), but the way they are put together in The Claudettes’ hands is incomparable and requires at least one additional descriptor, like “multi-dimensional” or “twisted.”
That artful and elegant kitchen-sink versatility creates a kind of eccentric modern cabaret vibe. The group’s esoterica is on glorious display on its most recent album, Dance Scandal at the Gymnasium!, from the dark, winding Blues of opener “Don’t Stay with Me” to the lovely, lilting balladry of “Pull Closer to Me” and the jaunty but melancholic “Bill Played Saxophone.” Those latter tracks perfectly exemplify the unique Pop slant of the band, a roiling vintage-meets-contemporary mix of early solo Lou Reed, The Sundays, The Shins and Harry Nilsson.
Known previously for his work with the groups oh my god and Them Vs. Them, Johnny Iguana’s juicy, rollicking piano rolls are at the heart of The Claudettes’ sound, giving the band much of its R&B sheen. But he also, with bassist/guitarist/singer Zach Verdoorn, crafts edgier, textural elements. The group’s excellent singer Berit Ulseth guides much of the album with her soulful and multifaceted vocals, sometimes delivered layered in harmony with Verdoorn.
Dance Scandal was released in 2018, part of what Iguana understates was “an up-and-down year.” Shortly after the album’s release and a Cincinnati tour stop at MOTR Pub, Claudettes drummer Danny Yost had a stroke and dropped out of the band. The group also lost several weeks of European touring this year due to a janky promoter flubbing bookings.
But on the more positive side of things, the band garnered new management and top-notch U.S. booking representation, while founding Claudettes drummer Michael Caskey jumped back in to take over the drum throne fairly quickly after Yost’s medical issues. And the group recorded a new album with producer Ted Hutt (ex-Flogging Molly member who’s worked in the studio with Violent Femmes, Gaslight Anthem, Old Crow Medicine Show and many others), which Iguana calls “the best album I’ve ever been a part of.” That’s the Yin and Yang of Rock & Roll, Claudettes style.
The eclectic Windy City quartet plays local Folk ensemble Young Heirlooms’ Americana Spotlight show at Northside Tavern this Friday (April 5). Locals Adam Lee and Chelsea Ford & The Trouble, as well as the host band, also perform. Showtime is 9 p.m. Tickets are $7 in advance (available here) or $10 at the door.
This article appears in Apr 3-10, 2019.