Wax on Radio

New buzz bands tend to sound a helluva lot like the buzz bands that immediately preceded them -- most of which have already lost their buzz or never really had much in the first place. Not so Wax on Radio, a Chicago act that draws from styles considerably more varied...

By Michael Roberts

November 23, 2006

Audio By Carbonatix

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New buzz bands tend to sound a helluva lot like the buzz bands that immediately preceded them -- most of which have already lost their buzz or never really had much in the first place. Not so Wax on Radio, a Chicago act that draws from styles considerably more varied than the latest hot-list entry throughout Exposition, its Downtown Records debut. Singer/guitarist Mikey Russell has a voice that naturally gravitates toward the higher registers, and when tracks such as "Dawn Architects" give him an excuse to go there, he loves to linger -- whether he's gently tracing a ripe melody or figuratively climbing to the heavens one note at a time. As for the group's music, it's a case of proggy went a-courtin', with relatively straightforward segments frequently serving as first stops on artier journeys. Granted, the men of Wax (joined at the hi-dive by the Vanity and tt Lester) take occasional side trips to pretentiousness, but their singularity is appreciated. Rather than blending in with everyone else, they've got a buzz all their own.

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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