With no intention of pomposity, this week’s Diagnosis will feature another act from my great city that is Chicago.
I featured The Orwells once before–along with the usual four other bands–on the show over a year ago, but I could not help but to revisit them now with their latest release, Disgraceland.
These dudes come from Elmhurst, Ill., a suburb just southwest of Chicago. While their music is pure rock and roll charged with angst and honesty that would be impressive coming from just about anyone, The Orwells have been fighting an uphill ageist battle since their formation in 2009 while all still in high school. When playing local shows in their early days, the crew has said most compliments to their music was followed by “..for your age.” Now, everyone in Chicago, from soccer moms to alternative radio, is obsessed with ’em.
Still all under 22 years old, the age of The Orwells is an advantage–especially when considering the brand of noise they bring. Not only can they get away with a bad-ass Letterman set that perhaps older new-comers could not pull off, but many first-time listeners may approach them with no expectations, leaving them nothing to do but impress. 
This band has got style and confidence, and Mario Cuomo has got the front-man thing down.
If you’ve ever wanted to be reminded of what it’s like to grow up in the metropolitan suburbs of Chicago (bustling and diverse, yet always in sight of corn and soybean abyss), The Orwells’ Disgraceland is fine-tuned frustration worth listening to.
Tune in to The Diagnosis tonight at 10 p.m. on WUSC, 90.5 FM in Columbia or wusc.sc.edu, to hear from The Orwells and more.
