In some universe, Freeloader would be considered a supergroup. In fact, that universe exists, and it’s called Midtown. In this universe (for I live here, too), the Dead Soldiers tower over other bands as one of the truest expressions of creative energy combined with traditional chops and forward thrust. Amy LaVere and Will Sexton hosted them on their porch not long ago, and it was a glorious return to form by the beloved group. Meanwhile, Amy & Will’s drummer, Shawn Zorn, is another supernova in his own right.
Now take this universe, put it in a jar, and shake it up. One thing that falls out is Freeloader, the freakish hybrid created when Dead Soldiers’ Benjamin Aviotti and Nathan Raab teamed up with Zorn in 2009. The trio embodied the slacker aesthetic, writing one song and booking no shows. It would ultimately take them 10 years to find a bass player in Clay Ayers.
From there, things took off at a relatively furious clip when they wrote more material and released a four-song EP, Endless Bummer, in 2019.
As evidenced by those songs, the group functions as an outlet for its respective members to get their ya-yas out. Heavy guitars abound, even on relatively mid-tempo tunes like “Here Come Ol’ Four Top,” the lyrics of which — “Look at your brunch plate/Shining like a cover shot of Bon Appétit” — are indicative of the high levels of irony, wit, and allusion present in these songs. Imagine the band Cake teaming up with Queens of the Stone Age and you’ll have an idea of the approach.
Now they’re back, as they say, “with far less material than their last release.” In fact, it’s a single that builds on the aesthetic limned out two years ago. It’s a stomper and a barn-burner to be sure, and especially cathartic as many feel the bonds of lockdown being cast aside, ready to move again.
The band describes “All the Wrong Notes” as “a cautionary tale about taking yourself too seriously as a musician,” and yet Freeloader is at last taking themselves seriously enough to book their first shows. After roughly a dozen years of playing together, that’s got to be some kind of record. They too, it seems, are ready to move again. Let’s give them some slack, even amidst this brief, alarming display of gumption, and just let them be slackers in motion.
Freeloader plays the Hi Tone on Saturday, June 12, with openers Red Squad and Aktion Kat.