In this episode, we sit down with Dave from Chicago’s Slow Mass to trace the band’s path from early DIY roots to becoming one of the city’s most quietly adventurous heavy bands. We talk about growing up in the Chicago scene, how projects like School of Rock shaped his relationship to music and community, and the long arc of Slow Mass finding its own voice—balancing melody, noise, and emotional weight in a way that feels both intimate and expansive.

Dave also gets into the idea of “reclaiming sleep music,” using atmosphere and dynamics not just for aggression but for comfort, reflection, and late-night listening, and how that mindset has influenced the band’s writing and recording. Along the way, we dive into some great scene history, including the story of booking Ethel Cain’s very first show and what it was like to witness an artist at the very beginning of what would become something massive.

Slow Mass, formed in Chicago in the mid-2010s, have built a reputation through a run of releases that blur the lines between post-hardcore, noise rock, and melodic indie, anchored by deeply personal songwriting and a strong sense of place. This conversation is about the band’s history, Dave’s own journey through music, and how community, patience, and evolution have shaped everything they’ve made.

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This week we kick off a new annual tradition with The Best of the Rest, joined by Riley Breckenridge (Thrice, Less Art). Riley drops by to talk through the records that just barely missed our Top 10 cut this year—the heartbreakers, the growers, and the albums that lived in heavy rotation even if they didn’t make the final list. Along the way we touch on his life in and out of bands, how his listening habits have evolved, and what makes certain records linger long after the year ends. Consider this the start of a yearly ritual: rounding out the list, giving the near-misses their flowers, and closing the book on another year in music.

Best Of The Rest

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This week we’re joined by Will Anderson, songwriter, guitarist, and driving force behind Hotline TNT. Will traces his path from the Midwest DIY circuit to building one of the most emotionally direct guitar bands of the last decade, including a surreal early moment where a young Justin Vernon was his camp counselor—long before Bon Iver became a household name. We talk about creative whiplash: jumping from obscurity to wider attention, from solo control to full-band collaboration, and how that shift reshaped his relationship to music. Will also reflects on how songs risk becoming cultural wallpaper in the streaming era—and why loud guitars, intention, and community still matter.

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