Bitchin Bajas, October 14

Friday, October 14, 8 p.m.

Rozz-Tox, 2108 Third Avenue, Rock Island IL

Touring in support of their 2022 album Bajascillators that earned five stars from Downbeat magazine and was described as a recording that "works perfectly for the times we’re living in," the Chicago-based psychedelic rockers of Bitchin Bajas headline an October 14 concert at Rock Island's Rozz-Tox, with Downbeat continuing its album rave by stating that "in keeping with the best art, it’s exactly what we need right now."

Formed in 2010 as a side project by Cooper Crain, who is also the guitarist and organist for the band Cave, Bitchin Bajas' first album Tones & Zones was released in the year of the group's inception. A series of split singles, EPs, cassette-only releases, and the like followed, and Crain's solo project was soon expanded to a duo with the inclusion of Mahjongg's Dan Quinlivan, which more synth and guitar textures to Crain's web of spectral sound. Rob Frye, also of Cave, eventually became a member of Bitchin Bajas as well, contributing the sounds of flute, saxophone, and guitar. Among the group's early albums are 2011's Water Wrackets, 2012's Vibraquatic, and 2013's Bitchitronics, and although the band had either self-released its music or worked with a variety of lesser-known indie labels, the latter title debuted via the indie giant Drag City.In 2014, a self-titled double album was released, followed by the shorter LP Transporteur landing in 2015.

Since then, another EP arrived in 2019's Demeter, and Bitchin Bajas have also released or contributed to five additional albums over the last seven years: 2016's Epic Jammers & Fortunate Little Ditties and Sailing a Sinking Sea, 2017's Bajas Fresh, 2021's Switched on Ra, and the September debut Bajascillators. The latter has amassed the Chicago musicians some of their strongest critical notices yet, with Magnet magazine saying, "The effects on Bitchin Bajas’ sound are subtle, but present. There’s a little extra springiness in their grooves (which rise and fall like pistons in an internal-combustion engine) and a bit more squeezable softness in the long, dopplering tones that arc over said grooves. The flickering accents flash a little brighter, and the interlocking patterns are more complex. Bajascillators is admirably uncluttered, and the immaculate sonic resolution of the four tracks (each of which, should you choose to track down the vinyl, gets a full side to itself) makes it as easy to gaze into their garden of moving musical parts as it is to look through a new, improved eyeglass prescription."

Bitchin Bajas play their Rock Island engagement on October 14 with a set by experimental percussionist Jon Mueller, admission to the 8 p.m. all-ages concert is $15-20, and more information and tickets are available by calling (309)200-0978 and visiting RozzTox.com.