Interiors - Teeth

“Our teeth are our identity. They are the means by which we show aggression as well as happiness,” claims Chicago-based band the Interiors elaborating on the title of their new EP. Songwriter/guitarist Chase Duncan found himself broke after touring the trio’s self-titled debut album, with bona fide bassist Collin Jordan and percussionist Brian Lubinsky, several years back. He wisely used time spent crashing on friends’couches to chronicle his own challenges as well as those faced by his peers. The resulting five songs capture a wealth of emotion. What’s equally astonishing is the enormous sound that erupts from such a simple line-up. ‘No Maps’ has a tart edge to it.“Sink your teeth in my shoulder, baby/There are no maps where we’re going,” Duncan sings. “People like you or me weren’t made to live in this country,” he adds, as the guitars tone down and the drums lay back. ‘I Will Wait for You,’ blasts off like a space shuttle as Duncan moans primitively alongside the maelstrom of frenzy. “So drunk I’ll catch on fire.” “I sit up at night/Some woman at my side/She’s just something to do/While I wait for you,” Duncan then divines in smothered tones as the cinematic narration escalates. Perky and calypso-driven ‘Please Don’t Leave Me Behind’ observes “some strains of windows don’t keep the cold out when winter comes.” ‘A Lullaby for the Torn Apart’ shells out a surreal landscape, yielding a literary nod to Syd Barrett-like innocence. This song intelligently foreshadows the hypnotic dirge of ‘Sam’s Holiday.’ “If I make it out alive/ I’ll be waiting on the other side,” is just one thought that juxtaposes the jangly irony. This trio is so tight in its enactment of original material, you would swear by their craftsmanship they’re performing tried and true classics. ‘Teeth’ detours from the sharp, jagged clamp of earlier works, like ‘Powerline’ and ‘Ghost,’ but only to broaden Interior’s burley bite. Read my lips…With Teeth, The Interiors have found their identity.