Chicago’s pop-punk kittens, The Maybenauts, have reminded us once again how much girls and a boy dressed up in a space panda costume can kick ass with their new release Big Bang. It almost seems inconceivable that this band has been together for a little over a year, but they seem to have found the the magic formula for riot grrrl meets glam rock that’s just plain fun. Reminiscent rocking ‘90’s bands like Letters to Cleo, Veruca Salt and the Dance Hall Crashers, the Maybenauts relentlessly tear open Chicago’s punk rock scene with epic harmonies, and wailing guitar solos.

The album opens up with a little ditty called “Girlfight”. Vee Sonnets’ opening riff takes me back to the days of The Donnas and had me grinning like a fool the first time I heard it. Lead singer Leilani Frey really uses all aspects of her rich voice in this song, and even though it’s a fast moving punk song, Frey’s voice is like silk and you really have to love a vocalist with that much control. Drummer Emily Agustin also takes the forefront in this song with all her attention to detail. Agustin knows exactly how to accent every beat and still behave like a driving force. All the background vocals and harmonies just put the cherry on top of the face-rocking sundae.

“My Head is a Bomb” takes us on the next part of our adventure as it opens with a quiet cymbal tap, a quiet steady beat from bassist Ellie Maybe and a little taste of the guitar from Sonnets right before Frey’s vocals come in. It’s truly the calm before the storm of harmonies, classic wailing guitar riffs and dynamic drums and bass. It’s very Garbage-esque and intelligently written. This song features some excellent riot grrrl-influenced lyrics as Frey sings, “Some girls can eat their feelings, but I can spit mine out!”

The Maybenauts change it up a bit and take us on the other fork in the road with “You Are Here”. Slowing it down and drawing on harmonies featuring the whole band, this song shows that this band has talent beyond just straight forward rockers. Unfortunately, my only complaint about this album comes during this song as it sounds like it was mixed a little heavy on the treble side. Frey’s normally lush voice gets a little shrill when she hits the highs. I can hear that it’s the mixing of the album because Maybe’s bass also gets completely lost. But I’m sure with a little more tweaking this song could sound much better. I commend them for taking a chance and putting a very fine ballad on an album made up of only five songs.

“Not Aware” is almost a cross between Screaming Trees and Veruca Salt. Sonnet’s unique guitar lines in this song really catch your ear, and Frey’s voice once again blossoms with this song, taking on a sassy, strong-willed quality found with lead singers like Miki Berenyi of Lush. The entire band takes up the back up vocals again that fills out this song and accents the playful yet simple background tune. It’s quite different from the rest of Big Bang, but it rounds out how talented these girls and panda-boy are.

The album closes with “Blue Line” -- I just have to take a moment and say that I love it when Chicago bands talk about aspects of the city. Its a pretty big way for the audience to connect with the band to literally be able to see what the band was feeling as the song was written. This takes them off of the rock pedestal and brings them back to the floor with the rest of us. It’s a sign of a band that truly knows where their roots lie.

But back to “Blue Line”, the Maybenauts twist it for us again with this bluesy semi-ballad that features subtle harmonies, smooth guitar and quiet drums. They were even able to get the bell sound from the “Blue Line” itself to put on there which is a very nice little detail.

Talk about Chicago glam-girl rock at its finest, the attention to detail, the stories, and spectrum of talent that is show throughout this record are jaw dropping. Every twist and turn and intimate moment on Big Bang offer a very personable approach, one which I was able to share with the Maybenauts. It’s will be exciting to see what this band will do next, but for the time being, I’m sure The Maybenauts will keep on kicking ass and taking names!
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Catch The Maybenauts on Thursday, July 8 at Martyrs’! Tickets for the show are only $7! So, you have no reason NOT to go.

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The Maybenauts -- “My Head Is A Bomb”