The Criticals At Schubas Tavern

I first found the Criticals in 2020 when they posted a video on Tik Tok about the music video for their song “Treat Ya Better.” Whenever they post on Tik Tok I see a lot of people comparing them to other bands. Lots of “this guy looks like Mick Jagger!” and “They sound like The Strokes + (some other band)” comments. While yes there are definitely similarities (as with all music), I think that they've done a great job of taking inspiration to create their own sound. 

One of the most impressive things about The Criticals is their ability to consistently write good melodies. Their music blends catchy vocal and guitar parts that leave you with something after just one listen. While that “something” may be different to everyone, it’s SOMETHING and it is extremely refreshing to hear. 

In our interview with the band they mentioned that you should see them live to understand why you should listen to their music, and I completely agree. Their recorded music is already great on its own, but hearing the songs live is a whole other experience. It's obvious that they take their shows seriously and that they are there to give you the best performance possible. All of the songs sounded well rehearsed but not to the point where it was too perfect sounding. I was also impressed with their attention to background vocals because that's something that I've seen get ignored at a lot of live shows.

There’s also just something about the attitude of the band that draws you in. Seeing them live kinda felt like traveling back in time to see a band that would have played at a venue like CBGB. Immediately after having this thought they played two Ramones covers which further validated that feeling. As well as Ramones they also covered CAKE, and I think the range between those two artists perfectly describes The Criticles style. They've got a lot of hard hitting songs like “Under Your Nose” but then some funky ones like “1952”  that balance everything out and add some diversity to their discography (you can listen to these songs and more on our “Tour Features” playlist on Spotify).

I think you'll be seeing a lot more of The Criticals in the future, and I don’t know about you but I'm definitely excited to see what they'll put out next. Their show at Schubas was the first they had ever played in Chicago and it was sold out, so I'd recommend getting a ticket ASAP next time they play a show in the area. 

So in the words of The Criticals, you should give them a listen because they “make some pretty good music” and really you should just see them live because they “have a lot of fun” and you're sure to as well.