Hard Candy Hearts to showcase 'swamp rock'

Finding a niche in Bloomington’s bursting, diverse music scene can be difficult.
Birch Miller doesn’t write many songs with sing-along choruses. His brain works in odd time signatures — 7/8, 8/8. His band, Hard Candy Hearts, plays loud music, the music the band members like. He describes it as “swamp rock.” His bandmate, lead guitarist Casmir Lewandowski, calls it “psycho blues.”

Even if maintaining a dedicated following can be difficult, “a record or a show can live on well past when I’m decrepit,” Miller explained. He isn’t troubled.

Besides, the audience is often impressed with Hard Candy Hearts’ no-nonsense style, Lewandowski said. The band goes into a show with an agenda, with a well rehearsed, high-energy performance, he said.

“Jon Spencer (of Blues Explosion) never stops in between songs,” Miller said. “He plays at blistering speeds, rocks your face and keeps you happy.”

It’s this approach he imitates.

“Get in, get out,” Lewandowski said. “Shock and awe.”

At 11:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 18, the band will bring its characteristic approach to the Bishop. They’ll play with Crisis Hotlines of Austin, Texas, and Chicago-based Sons of the West. No one band will headline, Miller said — just three bands jamming together. The cover is $4.

Miller said he doesn’t promote shows much unless he really believes in the bands, and he certainly does this time.

“Sons of the West are very much like us,” he said. “In a way, they have a loud, Black Keys style. The closest (description) might be a wild, groovy blues style.”

Anthony DeSanto, lead singer of Sons of the West, said the blues-garage rock trio started in high school. All three members played guitar, so they were forced to learn and adapt.

They’ve released a self-titled, full-length album and are currently working on an EP. The band has experimented with its sound and recorded the upcoming album on tape, DeSanto said.

“We’re all really happy with it,” he said.  
 
Miller is also excited to play with Crisis Hotlines, which includes Cody Leitholt of former Bloomington band the Horribly Wrong.

While Miller described the Horribly Wrong as a unique band full of charisma, he said he admires Crisis Hotlines, too.

“The new band is a little more professional and straightforward,” Miller said.

Their shows are high energy, with the musicians jumping around often, he said.

“We’re a three-piece band, so we have to make it as entertaining as possible,” Thompson added.

Miller advised people to come out to the performance.

“It’s a really solid show,” he said. “All the bands are great.”