Feature / One Question Interviews
Pelican

Words: Loren • March 31, 2014

Pelican
Pelican

Dallas Thomas (Pelican)

SPB: How would you summarize the Chicago heavy scene?

Thomas: Chicago has had a really strong scene for awhile now. Maybe one reason is that you have to survive the city before a band has a chance plug in and crank it up. Practice rooms are not cheap here, so it forces a level of focus and commitment to get to work when you finally have a place to rage. But ultimately it is the Chicago winter that I would say inspires many a local to spew down-tuned darkness...

Some Fine Examples:

  • Atlas Moth
  • Bloodiest
  • Lord Mantis
  • Anatomy of Habit
  • Oxblood
  • Sweet Cobra
  • Russian Circles
  • War Brides
  • Encrust
  • Indian
  • Electric Hawk
  • Yakuza
  • Bongripper

Loren • March 31, 2014

Pelican
Pelican

Related features

Little Low

One Question Interviews • August 6, 2025

Christine Atturio (Little Low) SPB: What is your favorite Disney soundtrack? Atturio: Aladdin, hands down. Robin Williams singing "Friend Like Me" is fire! The soundtrack as a whole goes from hopeful to scary to funny and back again, sometimes even sounding like the music from Indiana Jones when he's exploring … Read more

Normal Park

One Question Interviews • August 5, 2025

McKinnon (Normal Park) SPB: Your bio references math rock, [my opinion] one of the sillier genre names. Is there a music term you hear often that seems like it could have been phrased better? Tyler: I don’t mind math rock as a genre term because it’s simple and descriptive, plus … Read more

Foolsmate

One Question Interviews • August 4, 2025

Alex Gilliam (Foolsmate) SPB: What does the term “Midwest emo” mean to you? Gilliam: After getting this question, I immediately asked the other guys in Foolsmate for their input. Though their answers varied drastically, they all touched upon inclusion. Midwest emo has always been about being vulnerable about yourself and … Read more

Sell The Heart Records – History 101

Music / History 101 • August 3, 2025

Like most independent labels, Sell The Heart started to document a scene without really asking themselves “Where do you see yourself in 15 years?” In 2010, founder Andy Pohl was barely even thinking about vinyl. In “History 101” tradition, Scene Point Blank picked out some of the label's notable releases … Read more

The Planet Smashers

One Question Interviews • July 23, 2025

Matt Smasher (The Planet Smashers) SPB: How did the collabs on the new album come to be? Did you reach out to the artist with a specific idea, or just ask “hey is there something you want to do here?” Matt: It started out super simple, just a “would you … Read more

Related news

"Harmony" by Porcelain

Posted in Records on June 6, 2025

Pelicanman soars over Planet Chernobyl

Posted in Records on April 28, 2023

Amfest 2019 in Barcelona

Posted in Shows on July 27, 2019

Related reviews

Pelican

Nighttime Stories
Southern Lord (2019)

The passage of time signals many changes; life, death, birth – the cycle continues unabatingly, waiting for the next movement and giving no room for change. For Pelican, the six years since their last record, Forever Becoming, has seen many instances of life, death and birth and the passing of former Tusk member (a project also featuring members of Pelican) … Read more

Pelican

Forever Becoming
Southern Lord (2013)

It has been about four years since the release of What We All Come to Need, what was in my opinion the only weak moment in Pelican’s career. The Ataraxia/Taraxis EP, released in 2012, gave a first idea of the shape of things to come and now Forever Becoming has finally landed.Pelican was never a band that would stay in … Read more

Pelican

What We All Come to Need
Southern Lord (2009)

Pelican's new record What We All Come to Need is a gorgeous journey through sludge rock with some moments of beautiful calm. But does it hold your attention enough to be a repeated listen? I got into Pelican when I purchased 2005's The Fire in Our Throats Will Beckon the Thaw. Overall it was a great album, but few songs … Read more

More from this section

Little Low

One Question Interviews • August 6, 2025

Christine Atturio (Little Low) SPB: What is your favorite Disney soundtrack? Atturio: Aladdin, hands down. Robin Williams singing "Friend Like Me" is fire! The soundtrack as a whole goes from hopeful to scary to funny and back again, sometimes even sounding like the music from Indiana Jones when he's exploring … Read more

Normal Park

One Question Interviews • August 5, 2025

McKinnon (Normal Park) SPB: Your bio references math rock, [my opinion] one of the sillier genre names. Is there a music term you hear often that seems like it could have been phrased better? Tyler: I don’t mind math rock as a genre term because it’s simple and descriptive, plus … Read more

Foolsmate

One Question Interviews • August 4, 2025

Alex Gilliam (Foolsmate) SPB: What does the term “Midwest emo” mean to you? Gilliam: After getting this question, I immediately asked the other guys in Foolsmate for their input. Though their answers varied drastically, they all touched upon inclusion. Midwest emo has always been about being vulnerable about yourself and … Read more