Us Kids Know may have named itself after a lyric from an Arcade Fire song but they are definitely not the type of band interested in merely being a part of Johannesburg’s indie-rock scene.
It has always been clear that this is a band on their own mission and its lack of commercial consideration for releasing its music (their last release was a tape and its previous release came wrapped in a foam casing) signifies that Us Kids Know are all about the exploration of sound.
‘Our songs are predominantly characterised by fast changes in riffs, rhythm and tempo,” says drummer Chad Polley. ‘There is also an improvisational element to the music’s construction.”
Formed in 2005 as a two-piece instrumental band by guitarist Colin von Berg and Polley, Us Kids Know initially were an integral part of the burgeoning indie-rock scenes in Johannesburg and Pretoria, which included bands like kidofdoom and Green Is for Turbo, as well as a host of hip indie-kid DJs. But the band soon moved away from this scene, even disbanding for a while before they reformed with a new name, Sad Swamps.
The moniker didn’t last very long but the reunion did and Us Kids Know has gone on from strength to strength, releasing the very impressive Friendship Test EP and their latest release, Problems, a 30-minute sound piece released on tape, which is recorded in reverse on side B as Solutions.
Opening with suburban sounds like a dog barking and an ice-cream truck, Problems has a narrative arc (the band insist) but it is ultimately an exploration of sound, with the band pushing into new territory, redefining itself as it moves along.
With the new sounds to be found on Problems, the band have added a third member, former Green Is for Turbo bassist Cameron Lowry, to flesh out its live sound and the result is that their live show has developed into one of the most dynamic around.
Plans are afoot for a new album, with the band hoping to head into studio early next year. For now you can catch them playing some awesome shows with its peers Ampersand and the Make Overs around Jo’burg. For more information on the band or to sample their music head for www.myspace.com/uskidsknowband.