Lifeguard Ripped & Torn

Much like the vibrant Chicago indie music scene that bred it, Lifeguard was one of the projects that band members Asher Case, Kai Slater, and Isaac Lowenstein were testing out without the weight of expectation behind them. While still in their teens, the band's art punk initially made the rounds in local circles before making some headway with a pair of EPs—Crown Can Talk and Dressed in Trenches—that demonstrated their raw, if fawningly reverential, talent. Taking cues from the likes of McLusky and Gang of Four, the young trio seemed too studied in their approach, breaking down a flurry of genres to reveal a glimmer of their potential true sound.