For over half a decade, fans of Chicago indie institution Twin Peaks have been treated to radio silence rather than radio-friendly garage rock jams. The last we heard from the band was their booking on Pitchfork Festival’s stacked (but ultimately doomed) 2020 lineup. Since then, there’s been little activity other than a few appearances by synth-y side project Grapetooth, some solo outings, and other members taking gigs as backing musicians.
And out of nowhere, internet sleuths report something. That something was their website (www.twinpeaksdudes.com) being rebranded with minimalistic and cryptic messaging titled “TPD WORLDWIDE.” The satire of multinational corporations was all in good fun, and the rumor mill began to swirl. That is, until the band broke their silence in earnest by announcing a slew of reunion dates at Thalia Hall celebrating their 2016 record Down In Heaven. Tickets quickly sold out, even as an entire week of shows (for a total of eight nights) was added.
Still, the band’s future felt unclear. Is this simply a run of shows before another hiatus? Will we hear new music? What is TPD WORLDWIDE, and what are they selling? Most of these questions won't have answers any time soon, but fans (especially those with a turntable) were just treated to one exciting development. Twin Peaks, along with Shuga Records, announced the band's first release in over half a decade. Just in time for the holidays, Freezing in Chicago is a live recording of Twin Peaks’ 2017 New Year's Eve show at Thalia Hall.
This release is the perfect way to hype anyone lucky enough to snag a ticket to their ultra-sold-out Thalia Hall shows. This specific recording provides a snapshot of the band at an interesting inflection point where they were growing from lovable ne’er-do-wells into something more musical. Around this time, their buoyant live performances were becoming more improvisational than their records. You could start to see the version of the band where the Grateful Dead aficionado in your life nods in approval as the Twin Peaks guitarists start to noodle before reverting back to their guitar-pop jams.
All the rowdiness of their early days is still present, as any Twin Peaks show would inevitably become the party in Chicago that night. You won't be able to actually hear the crowd surfing going on during the recording, but if anyone can make you feel like you’re there partying with them, it’s these guys.
Shuga Records, with locations in Wicker Park and Logan Square, quietly runs one of Chicago’s most unique record labels. They’ve put out all manner of DIY music on vinyl and have reissued elusive LPs for local bands like Post Animal, making Shuga the perfect fit for Twin Peaks to start shaking the dust off. And now, these going-fast vinyl pressings (with fittingly zany color variants like Root Beer ans Strawberry Smoothie) of Freezing in Chicago are the best way to keep warm while we wait for more news from TPD WORLDWIDE.
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