the cricket rumor mill | if only then

Formed by three Midwesterners who met in Chicago, the cricket rumor mill has been creating instrumentals rich with moody depth for nearly seven years. The early years found the trio playing shows throughout the city (sharing bills with The Microphones, Toshack Highway, and future label-mates Zelienople) and recording in their rehearsal space in the Feather Building in River West. With music characterized by intricate guitar lines and rolling bass and drums, the band fleshed out song arrangements with flourishes of whatever additional instruments they could get their hands on: various hand percussion, toy xylophones, synths, accordion, drum machines, and low-rent Casiotones. Songs from these sessions appeared on two self-released EPs that caught the attention of Chicago-based independent label Loose Thread Recordings. Renderings, a collection of the band's favorite tracks fro! m those EPs, was released by Loose Thread in May 2002.

The band immediately began demoing new tracks for the follow-up to Renderings, and in 2003, they enlisted the help of Justin Mayer (Farm Crew, Melochrome, The Lesser Birds of Paradise) to record if only then. Recording took place throughout Chicago, from the band's rehearsal space to Chinatown to the NBC Tower, and included a list of notable local musicians, who contributed to the more ambitious song structures. For the cricket rumor mill, if only then accomplishes that rare balance between accurately representing their distinctive sound while also seeming completely unexpected. Although the band flirted with the occasional horn melody on their debut, if only then finds them confidently integrating complex horn and string arrangements into their music, as well as using their supporting cast to layer vocals, marimba, samples, keyboards, and steel drums throughout the ! record. The album's nuanced textures are ably realized by Mayer's capable production. If only then will be released by Loose Thread in March 2005.

Press on Renderings:

"… Melodic shimmering guitars and intricate rhythms.... A singer would be superfluous amid these lush, romantic soundscapes." - Alternative Press

"Their ability to swing between ambient textures and a more aggressive percussive based sound within the same song results in some truly dynamic and intriguing auditory landscapes." - Basement Life

"Perfect nighttime sounds" – In Music We Trust

"… Not just another lush instrumental recording in the Tristeza mold, the Chicago trio builds songs in an Eno-esque fashion, with simple guitar, bass and percussion at its core, then adds layer upon layer of sound, giving the musicians enough room to deploy their own solo ideas, not unlike a Metheny jazz set." – lazy-i.com

"Vibrantly! melodic and beautifully executed instrumental rock." -Read Magazine

"Songs like CD opener ‘Frisbee’ have a shiny quality to them, saying more with instruments than any singer could ever put into words. There's just the right amount of reverb without turning the album into space rock, but creating a nice atmosphere for you to get lost in." – Impact Press