In the world of up-and-coming musicians, indie-alternative bands are hardly in short supply. But before you pass judgment, take a listen to the Daredevil Christopher Wright.
Arising from Eau Claire, the trio, composed of Jon and Jason Sunde and their friend, Jesse Edgington, brings a new sound with dramatic instrumentals, intriguing vocals and unexpected twists.
“We play sort of a joyful brand of indie-rock, and our sound is sort of all over the board,” Jason Sunde told The Badger Herald in a recent interview.
The band performed in seven Midwest locations in a recent tour this June that included Minneapolis, Chicago, Milwaukee, their hometown of Eau Claire and two Madison performances.
Tomorrow, the Daredevil will return to Madison to perform at the Memorial Union Terrace with Milwaukee-based headliner Maritime, and the band will also appear Friday, Sept. 19 at Cafe Montmartre as part of Forward Music Festival.
But it hasn’t always been easy for the trio.
“It’s taken a long time to establish a rapport with places but … things are progressing … so [we’re] slowly inching out of our doorstep,” Jason noted of the long process the band has gone through to gain more recognition.
In addition to a busy tour schedule, the Daredevil has two EPs under its belt: one self-titled, and the more recent “The East Coast,” which was released in June. In the self-titled EP, Jon Sunde, the youngest of three brothers, sings the opening track with zest, his voice delightfully unique and piercing.
“Open up the door I’ll be there under the sheets/ I’ve been faking it for weeks/ This illness in my head/ And I can’t get out of bed,” Jon declares in “How To Get My Head Back On My Shoulders.”
The Daredevil completed their first full-length album, In Deference to a Broken Back, this past winter, though they have yet to announce a release date. Nine of the 11 tracks were mixed by Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, and within these tracks is a variety of songs ranging from the ominous “We’re Not Friends,” filled with Jason’s resonant voice, to the paradoxically cheerful “Bury You Alive.” Backed by a catchy bass line and an enjoyable melody, Jon sings, “Will you snuff out your candles/ And I’ll cut my hair/ … And I’ll bury you alive.” It’s enough to make listeners think twice about cheerfully bobbing their heads along, but it’s easy to continue because this song, like so many of the Daredevil’s tracks, has something infectiously captivating about it.
The appealing element — a tapestry of intricate factual or imaginary stories — according to Sunde, is carefully crafted by all members of this indie band.
“Primarily Jon writes the songs. We play a few songs that I’ve written, and we all collaborate on arranging,” Jason said.
One true tale is the song “The East Coast,” a track which appears both on the Daredevil’s EP and In Deference to a Broken Back. “I heard you found a new apartment last weekend/ Pack your stuff and move in on the second/ Make a home some room for your records/ The telephone will record all your answers,” sings Jon in this song about the third Sunde brother, Micah, and his move to New York City.
“The East Coast” breaks into a round at one point but abstains from sounding childish, just one of many intriguing turns the Daredevil does with its songs.
“We like to take an idea that’s sort of out there, I mean, not far out, but that’s in the consciousness of people and then just change it a little bit, you know, add some unexpected twists,” Jason said.
With the band looking forward to two shows in Madison and an album to be released, the Daredevil Christopher Wright is certainly a big step out of the doorstep that the band was looking for.
