The Dirty Things

The "new wave of new wave" continues to be strong in this town as well, and the Dirty Things are one of the better bands in this vein, drawing on the influences of Wire, the Gang of Four and the early Cure on a five-song EP called "Movement Making Noises." On songs such as the aptly titled "New Dance," the young quartet easily betters the Rapture, if not bands like Franz Ferdinand and Clinic. - Jim DeRogatis, Chicago Sun-Times

This local quartet's new debut EP, 'Movement Making Noises' (52 Girls), is icy 80s postpunk right down to the cover art - spiky and jittery and wired, with springy guitars and uneasy rhythms, it's rock'n'roll to get the shakes to. 'Cut and Dry' is two minutes and 45 seconds of strungout nervous energy, like a muscle tick that just won't stop. - Monica Kendrick, The Chicago Reader

I was immediately flabbergasted by Chicago’s The Dirty Things, immediately meaning within 5 seconds of stepping inside the Turf Club door. 30 seconds later I’d already moved through the packed house all the way to the front of the club to join the head-bobbing fans and other local musicians grooving up by the stage. Less than a minute later, not only did I realize I was a new fan, but knew I’d made the right decision from the start and it was not likely to change. The Dirty Things are a powerful and exciting live band who just may blow you away. Like a surf-punk guitar-steeped Clash or Gang of Four, this band is more fun to watch and listen to than many of the danceable new bands who boast similar influences playing the national scene today (Franz Ferdinand, The Killers, Radio 4, etc.) The Dirty Things are not only tight, engaging to watch and write catchy songs, but they’re clearly ready for the next level of success, whatever form that may take. - David De Young, HowWasTheShow.com

When the Dirty Things play 'Stop,' I can't. The tick-tock bass lines, the harried vocals, the quick sweep of sticks across skins--every instrument this Chicago group plays seems designed to make now into then. As the rhythm section zigzags up to the last beat, the music looks backward, to Wire and early Cure and guitars that trace out Miró squiggles in the air. There's art-punk, post-funk, and some other great old junk, but at the core of each tune is just a jagged rock song, teetering in full swing so that it looks like dancing. - Melissa Maerz, City Pages Minneapolis

Those of you who can’t stop shaking your asses to Franz Ferdinand and the Rapture have a new band to fall in love with, and this time from the Midwest! Chicago’s The Dirty Things have just one self-released EP under their belt, Movement Making Noises, but it’s aptly titled and already causing quite the stir in their hometown. Whenever indie-trends like this sweep the nation (I’ll just dub this one “the new new wave” rather than “boygeorge2k5”) it’s easy to be skeptical, but judging from their material, it appears the Dirty Things (and in particular front man Michael Scahill’s woozy Robert-Smith-in-panic-mode vocals) have got the staying power to outlast any fads. - Rob van Alstyne, Pulse Of The Twin Cities

WOW! This is a great band. This is what alternative music should be. This Chicago quartet has been humping Talking Heads and Wire records. Nasty licks from lead guitarist Johnny Mick, and I swear Mike Scahill's parents were probably playing David Byrne's voice around him since birth. Damn, this is the kind of music that give all the hopeless souls that won't ever hear music like this beyond specialty play... hope. So, my suggestion is all you A&R bowling balls roll on down to where ever the hell they are playing! I would sign them in a New York minute! - Jonathan L, JLRadio.com

Who doesn’t love discovering the next big thing first? Chicago band The Dirty Things has been making waves among those in the know. Drawing influences from bands such as the Clash, Wire and The Talking Heads, the quartet has even been compared to Franz Ferdinand. Having released its debut EP, “Movement Making Noises,” in July of this year, The Dirty Things has been gaining momentum. Full of non-stop rock and danceable beats, the band takes its tunes to another level on stage, proving to be quite the energetic bunch. The band describes its sound as “if the nineties never happened.” Even if you'd rather forget the ‘80s, The Dirty Things are a good reason to at least pretend those acid wash jeans were a good idea at the time. - Myrna Torres, Centerstage Chicago (Centerstage.net)

The Dirty Things took to the stage with their own refreshing brand of angular post-punk mixed with dance-floor chutzpah, which perfectly set the tone for a raucously fun evening. Running through a blistering short set, the quartet tore through songs from their own five-song e.p. Movement Making Noises. With a sound that lends comparisons to Gang of Four, Wire and early Talking Heads, songs such as the jerky "Stop," the bouncy "Last Night On Earth," as well as their proclaimed signature song "New Dance," forced the tight roomful of people - even those cloistered in the shadows - into a spastic dance party filled with smiles, sweat and flailing limbs. Driven by a succinct, no-nonsense rhythm section - courtesy of bassist Paddy Ryan and drummer J. Paul Lohr and fueled by the saw-toothed guitar of Johnny Mick along with the odd, yet enduring, guttural moans from vocalist and rhythm guitarist Michael Scahill, The Dirty Things provided a welcome sound that, unfortunately, wasn't around long enough, even when it was in vogue with late '70s hipsters. - Tony Bonyata, Concertlivewire.com

The band’s five-track "Movement Making Noises" can’t mask a grasp for the skinny-tie era, flexing a solid blend of staccato-fuzz guitar, off-kilter vocals and a moderate, danceable tempo... Lead singer Michael Scahill occasionally diverts from Robert Smith’s nasal tone-plus-cadence and dips into a deeper octave, one that immediately reminds me of the proto-goth Sisters of Mercy/Sisterhood. This rings true especially on the EP’s best song, "Cut and Dry," on which Scahill’s pleading vocals blend seamlessly with a straight-forward one-two-three-four drum beat and a scuzzy fuzzy guitar part that gives it a sixties psychedelic edge. Of the EP’s five tracks, "Cut and Dry" shows The Dirty Things to have more in mind than just following trends. - Dave Chamberlain, New City (Chicago)

"THE DIRTY THINGS are the hottest unsigned band out there. They really know how to rock."

Tamara Conniff, Exec. Editor
Billboard Magazine - Billboard