2026 – Pravda Records
Release Date : June 5, 2026
By Phillip
Smith; July 3,
2026
In an astonishing way, Chicago-based
band The Claudettes’ sixth and latest album Garage Glamour demands
my fullest attention from the very first listen. I love the way the band scoffs at conformity while
fusing elements of jazz, rock, blues, new-wave, pop, and punk to forge their
unique path through today’s musical frontier.
Fronted by singer Rachel Williams who has been with The Claudettes
since 2023, the ensemble is also comprised of keyboardist/songwriter Johnny
Iguana, bassist/guitarist Zach Verdoom, and drummer Michael
Caskey. Garage Glamour was produced by five-time Grammy winner Steve
Berkowitz and JQ who co-wrote, along with Iguana, the score
of my favorite television series at the moment, The Bear.
On the mic and additional guitar, Chicago bluesman John Primer joins the band for a duet on the enchanting love-ballad opener “(You Are My) Whole World”. Williams’ pitch-perfect voice draws me in fast and floods my brain with memories of my first listen to Joan Baez. It’s such a beautiful performance. Williams sings ‘torture reigns when you lose someone’ in “Winter Came While You Were Gone”. The song masterfully steers the listener’s emotions into a state of uneasiness to coincide with the uncomfortable subject of letting go, as attempting to rekindle a dead flame buried in cold, wet snow is a futile move. I’m smitten by the dramatic whimsy embedded in “That Could Be Arranged”. Written from the perspective of a metaphorical black widow, the Zappa-esque elements Iguana masterfully cooks into the lyrics are pure genius. With guitar in hand, Grammy-winning orchestrator/guitarist/composer/producer Ella Feingold steps in as a guest for the flirty dance-track “Touch You Back”. The infectious beat keeps me locked in for a funky good time. I fall hard for Williams’ torch-singing performance on “Whirlpool”. I love how it lures me into a wonder-filled music-scape which shines with the piano-mastery of Iguana and Verdoom’s cool-as-hell bass line and surf guitar licks. As the free-flowing lyrics of “Don’t Give It Up to the Thieves” are delivered with a rapper’s cadence and catchy hook, the song hustles and bustles with social commentary about retaining one’s innocence. The song seems to live rent-free in my head for the time being.
Garage Glamour is indeed an outstanding recording. It’s an album which garners my highest recommendation.
For more information about The
Claudettes visit https://theclaudettes.com/
Available on Bandcamp