Written by Indoor Boy
In a city overflowing with johnny-come-lately Twin Peaks wanna-bes, it's always refreshing to hear a group dedicated to their own unique style. Jimmy Floortom is a far cry from the reverb-soaked garage rock that's been dominating the Chicago DIY scene for too long now.
Self-described as "best friend acoustic indie folk," Jimmy Floortom eschews the rote posturing and angst for a more personal and sentimental sound. The band features Jeremy Kush and Anthony Franco Vaccaro sharing singing, guitar and songwriting duty, along with Dimitri Panoutsos providing percussion.
The music draws heavy inspiration from sadboy singer-songwriter superstars such as Elliot Smith, Jeff Mangum, and Conor Oberst. True to form, the band shows reverence in their dedication to Tascam tape machines and Yamaha acoustic guitars all to better replicate the recording techniques of their influences.
Their first release, Well, And You?, features a single offering from each songwriter. Counting Sheep, penned by Kush, rests it's hat on its wandering melody and effortlessly cool vocal delivery with the tinge of the pain so specific to a sad kid growing up in the suburbs. The song manages to remain pleasant and listenable despite its complex and nontraditional chord progression.
Vaccaro's song is a more accessible folk rock stomp paired with his more untrained and vulnerable singing. The cheeky walkdown in the final movement is reminiscent of Norwegian sweetheart Sondre Lerche and pairs well with the simple melody line. Both tracks are representative of their respective songwriters' tastes and skills.
Be on the lookout for Jimmy Floortom at a party or in a living room near you. Find their music on Bandcamp here and be sure to throw the boys some love on Facebook to keep up with all their goings-on.
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