Chicago's Mutts have been called a cross between Tom Waits and Nirvana...while I can hear the Tom Waits comparison, I think the band's music is sounds closer to 70's blues-rock though the band can quickly switch from a psychedelic head-nodder with a pulsing bass and drums beat to a mellow number driven by an acoustic piano and Mike Maimone's vocals. Regardless, this is great stuff and the inability to put an exact label on the band's music is a complement to their unique sound.

Mutts first played together with tape rolling on "Pretty Pictures" EP in July 2009. Bob Buckstaff pitched the idea of recording Mike Maimone’s new material after they met as hired musicians for Company of Thieves. The pair instantly clicked over respect for honest, unrefined recordings and love of Tom Waits, Nirvana and Elliott Smith. They called mutual friends Jon Alvin and Chris Faller to engineer and play drums, respectively. Over a 3-day session in an old warehouse on the north side of Chicago, Mutts wrote, arranged and recorded their seminal release.

In their first year together Mutts independently put out 3 EPs: "Pretty Pictures", "We Float" and "The Tells of Parallels". Having quickly developed a unique sound and composed a repertoire of genre-bending tunes, Mutts are “poised to become one of Chicago’s top acts,” according to Loud Loop Press. Mutts decided from the outset to give away their first 3 EPs. By tracking them in a few days and releasing them immediately, the band has kept fresh, honest and spontaneous music flowing to their growing fan base. They have sold out of the first pressing of each CD, but all three are available as free downloads. The new album, Pray for Rain, is also a name-your-price download, and available on CD with a fold-out poster as well.

Mutts are playing two local shows in March. The first is on March 9th at Hank's Saloon in Brooklyn and the second is March 10th at Rockwood Music Hall. At the Rockwood Music Hall show, Mutts are sharing the bill with Sara Lewis, Monica Allison and Caroline Smith & the Goodnight Sleeps.



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