Cincinnati’s music scene is more than just the artists who play music here. Historically, the Queen City has been a pioneer for record labels and recording studios of all kinds, from Motown to hardcore punk. One of the “newest” players in that space is Chapter Room Recording.
Started in 2023 by audio engineering veteran Nolan Monigold (who started Monigold Studios in 2017), the cozy studio boasts collabs with mounds of local artists — among them, one Fat Sal, whose EP “Live from the Chapter Room” shows the magic that comes of a good space to play.
I’ll tell you this: vocalist Liam Scott’s presence throughout the band’s discography is undeniable. Their debut EP “Civilianaire” rips to life with an attitude à la Horse Jumper of Love with the reverb to match. Scott’s power is used effectively, if a little less punchily than on their later releases; “Civilianaire” has a rough edge that slows the record down and gives it a unique flavor.
Two years later, “Live From the Chapter Room’s” “Rolling Rock” feels like a triumphant return — the band sounds fuller, Scott sounds more surefooted than on “Civilianaire,” and the passion and joy on display is palpable.
Allow me a small aside: one of my favorite live performances of all time is Pinegrove performing “Recycling” at Ohio University’s ACRN (go rock lobsters). If you see that video, the entirety of Pinegrove is in RARE form for one perfect song. That energy didn’t come from nowhere, either; it was in the room at the time and captured forever on video (also, peep the Mountain Goats’ “Get Lonely” poster on the wall at the end — ahh, 2015).
That’s the magic of a local music space. Not just venues (even the… tumultuously insured ones), but the long boards of knobs and mic cables that make it all work. Here’s to you as you create the energy that local artists feed off to make great music. And here’s to Fat Sal — seriously, go check those EPs out!
You can find last week’s feature on Queen City Silver Stars here. Leave a comment on our Instagram or email me at ebloomfield@linknky.com with your suggestions for next week’s local band highlight!