New noise

At a glance, Marvels appears to be a pretty standard alt-rock outfit, comprising guitarist/vocalist Matt Everett, guitarist Ernest Klingler, bassist Jake Hite and drummer Gin Everett. The band formed in Flint, but its noise-rock whims were mostly confined to the walls of a basement practice space before the move to Lansing.

The band recently released its latest EP, “Drudge Attire,” a lo-fi soundscape of fuzzedout guitars, punchy drum beats and distorted vocals. The mood of the album is reminiscent of the underground emo/post-hardcore scene of the late ‘90s, featuring relaxed chord progressions and simple backing elements like thin bass lines and high-pitched riffs to complete the sound. Muddy and mildly cacophonous, the texture of the instrumentation contrasts the overall simplicity of the song structure, and reinforces its authentic blue-collar roots.

“Our music is a mess,” said Everett, laughing.

The six-track EP dropped on Oct. 4 after three intense months of recording, mixing and mastering, done by the band with producer Ian Tinnin.

“All of our music is self-released, and releasing it is quite the process,” said Everett. “It’s a very collective effort.”

“Drudge Attire” was recorded using just a Tascam 16-track digital recorder and a variety of basic dynamic microphones — typically used for live performance rather than recording. All of the guitar tracks and most of the vocal tracks on the album were recorded using a tube preamp, a device that gives the sound a warm, natural tone. Each of these elements contributes to the lo-fi charm of the final product.

Shortly after moving to Lansing, Marvels snatched up the opportunity to perform as an opener for popular indie-garage band Wavves. The band also began to actively seek out shows, landing gigs with local promoter Fusion Shows as well as performing in small DIY venues hosted by independent music collectives like Tape Hiss Music. Upcoming shows include a performance at Port Huron’s SchwonkSoundStead, a recording space and concert venue.

“It’s a labor of love,” said bassist Jake Hite. “We would love to share our music with more people.”

Marvels plans to continue on its current path, playing shows in the area and collaborating with other local artists.

“Local artists need local support,” said Everett. “We’re stuck with this. As long as we’re here, this is what we’ll be doing.”