Kelly Kirwan
Holy Sheboygan! heard the call of the wild, a whisper from the woods beckoning them forward, and they followed. They’ve describe their beginnings as emerging from the forest, mud caked to their skin and tangles of leaves and twigs in their hair. Or, to quote them directly, “Holy Sheboygan! were founded at the beginning of time. They will be playing along to the thunderclap at the end of existence.”
This tight-knit collective—“band” doesn’t quite cut it with them—lived on the land while crafting their latest LP, Four, which is a bustling array of rust-lined folk. Percussion runs rife throughout the album, with the interchange of claps and acoustic drumming further fostering this sense that we’re on the cusp of a spiritual awakening.
“Sleep” braids an even-keeled feminine vocal line repeating abruptly, “Sleep, sleep, sleep / Creep, creep, creep,” as guttural growls permeate throughout. Slinky guitar plucks make a cameo, before the song takes on an airier, slightly eerie tone while singing, “Kiss my lips with every fingertip,” as the melody seems to build upward into a delicate spiral.
“Born of Man” is a much softer song (relatively speaking). The beginning is filled with lightly intertwining vocals, each member carrying a wordless note. As the song progresses it bustles. A subdued cacophony of trills and a funky guitar riff are punctuated every so often by a vaguely metallic clash, and a feeling swells in us listeners that everything will be all right. It's a calming condolence delivered without a snappy lyric, and it's enough to have you following in Holy Sheboygan!'s footsteps without a second thought. We too hear the call.
Pre-order Holy Sheboygan! - Four on Bandcamp, out March 3rd.