We’ve all heard it by now, young millennials writing somewhat twee rock ’n’ roll songs, getting signed to big labels. But there is something that makes Wisconsin’s Disq unique, on what would standardly be an eye-roll from anyone over the age of 25.
Disq began as a high school two-piece between childhood friends, Isaac DeBroux-Slone (vocals, guitar) and Raina Bock (bass). After the core embarrassing teen years of experimentation, finding yourself, a Green Day phase and playing a few battle of the bands; the pair began playing shows in the Wisconsin DIY scene.
Shortly after releasing Disq I in 2016, which was a stepping stone that led to DeBroux-Slone and Bock expanding their duo into a five-piece, adding Guitarists Logan Severson, Shannon Connor and Drummer Brendan Manley. Together they created the band’s true debut album, Collector produced by Rob Schnapf (Elliot Smith, Kurt Vile, Beck), which released on March 6, on Saddle Creek. Collector has something for everyone as it dables in various genres including psych-rock, post-punk and even folk.
Collector plays like the inner monologue of a young person attempting to grow up in the “internet age.” Every emotion gets magnified and exposed. The songs embody things like feeling lovesick, growing anxious and living in your own personal hell. But Collector sticks up for those who can relate, creating a tongue-in-cheek coping mechanism, allowing listeners to laugh about their harsh reality and feel understood. DeBroux-Sloane’s knack for examining his feelings rather than simply expressing them is what makes them so relatable. The opening track “Daily Routine” is a song destined to get stuck in your head, especially during this period of isolation. Between DeBroux-Slone’s cornfed’esk monotone vocal, the layering of three jangly guitars and reckless yet steady drumming, this song has the recipe for being one of the strongest on the album.
The band’s purity and honesty, mixed with their uplifting sound, gives lyrics that would typically be depressing or boring a more cheeky edge. Upon first listen of “D19” you’d assume DeBroux-Sloane is singing about relationship issues, but in reality he is singing about receiving a D19 microphone from London that doesn’t work. The song’s flippant nature is what makes it one of the more playful songs on the album, setting it apart from the other tracks grave disposition.
On stand out track “I Wanna Die,” deBroux-Slone sings, “I can’t confide in any one of my friends / Because I know it will lead into my end / I can’t believe in anything that I think / And I wonder why I wanna die,” the song breaks into a very Ty Segall-esk sound, the vocal pattern, heavy drums and of course the fuzzy build up and break down of the guitar. He goes on to call back to the opening track, “I just can’t break my routine and I don’t know if I want to.” At times when the cheekiness runs dry, it’s impossible to escape the innate sense of apathy and sadness that permeates throughout the album.
Collector is full of great songs ;however, Disq’s lack of direction makes me unsure about what their future holds. While they touch on and adapt to many sounds, it is apparent they’re not invincible to the unforgiving grind of the “hype machine.” Regardless, Disq’s dedication to their craft is apparent, they care more about the music than trying to be cool kid indie assholes.