bristletongue

“In high school, I was in a hard rock band with the nephews of Chevelle,” bristletongue vocalist and guitarist L Morgan says with a chuckle, “and it was fun, but bristletongue feels like the first band that’s really mine.” bristletongue formed in Lake County — the suburbs of Chicago — with very different musical backgrounds under their belts. All four members found inspiration in The Grayslake Oasis, a teen center where they played while a revolving door of local talent blossomed and wilted. A myriad of bands has found success near Chicago, but Lake County seems to have become sectioned off from the bustle in recent years. “We’re one of the only bands left in our area,” drummer Bret Bennette confesses. “It’s a weird time for Lake County.”

The lack of contemporaries might explain the far-reaching branches cutting through Femme Florale, bristletongue’s debut EP. It’s post-hardcore for those raised on the heart-rending minimalism of Julien Baker, using wall-of-sound techniques to elevate Morgan’s siren-like vocals to natural, evocative highs. “I wrote these songs while coming to terms with my femininity,” Morgan explains as the band’s non-binary frontperson. “That’s not to say they’re all about gender, but they’re still written from a point where I was discovering my identity.” Morgan uses a motif of greenery to thread this complicated mindset throughout a brisk running time, using near-invasive plant life for each track to underscore Morgan’s struggles with feeling like a burden. “Thistle Among Roses,” with its music-box construction and thunderous percussion, paints how family can appear pristine from the outside, but behind closed doors can be burdensome and caustic. “Thistles and roses both have thorns, but thistles are so much more honest about them. While it’s tempting to hide my darker thoughts and struggles for the sake of a pretty picture, I really strive to be honest with our music.” It’s in these tense moments — ones pinpricked by dysphoria and anxiety — where bristletongue pushes through its own pavement to fully and unapologetically bloom.